KUOE: The Brand
KUOE is a Japanese microbrand founded in 2020 by designer Kenji Uchimura in Kyoto, Japan. The brand’s concept traces back to 2010 when Uchimura, then a university student in London, was captivated by a collection of antique hand-wound watches from the 1940s to 1970s. This experience ignited his passion for classic design, leading him to establish KUOE with the vision of offering timeless, high-quality watches that blend traditional aesthetics with modern craftsmanship.
KUOE Old Smith 90-007 Overview
The Kuoe Old Smith 90-007 Automatic is a love letter to vintage watch design, distilled through a modern Japanese microbrand lens. Kuoe, based in Kyoto, has built its collection around an ethos of resolute simplicity and nostalgia, the kind of charm that makes you yearn for a bygone era of watchmaking.
The Old Smith series in particular channels 1930s style and proportions, inspired by classic British wristwatches – the name itself hints at the famed Smiths watches that influenced Kuoe’s founder.
Specs:
- Ref #: os90007-abl-bs1-sa
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Miyota 82S5
- Battery Life: 42 hours
- Case Width: 35 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 42 mm
- Price: Around $600
Dial
A 1930s Dial Reborn in Kyoto
The Old Smith 90-007’s face is a warm eggshell white (think ivory rather than stark white), surrounded by a finely printed black railroad chapter ring for the minutes. Bold Arabic numerals mark each hour except where interrupted by the small seconds sub-dial. These numerals are unapologetically vintage in style – in fact, they’re impressively raised adding depth and shadow to the dial. It gives the watch a richness that many modern dials lack. Between those sculpted numerals and the crisp minute track, the dial manages to feel classical and easy to read at a glance
At 6 o’clock, you’ll find a charming small seconds sub-dial. In keeping with the retro design, this sub-dial features its own tiny railway track and numerals at the quarter minutes. The subdial’s hand is a golden tone, which brings a hint of warmth against the white background.
In my opinion, what truly steals the show are the thermally blued leaf hands for the hours and minutes: Kuoe went the extra mile here – these are real heat-blued steel, not just painted blue imitations.
The minute hand’s tip almost kisses the dial at its edge, improving legibility and reducing parallax – it’s easier to read at a glance, and it just looks cool from an angle. The blued finish on the hands is mesmerizing: in indirect light they appear nearly black, but the moment light catches them, they flare up in vivid cobalt blue.
The rest of the dial text is minimal and balanced. Under the 12 o’clock, the brand’s simple “KUOE” logo and “Kyoto” are printed, appropriately modest.
There is no date window on the 90-007 – a wise choice, as it keeps the symmetry and vintage purity intact.
Case
The Old Smith 90-007 comes in a compact 35mm stainless steel case, a size that takes us back to early 20th-century gentlemen’s watches.
On paper, this watch can look good on even 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) wrists like mine, but based on my experience, your overall look and physique plays a big part as well. Unfortunately for me, smaller than 38 mm watches do not look good on me. They usually look like I took my grandfather’s watch for a spin, and not in a good way. But if you can pull off vintage style accessories, and more delicate pieces, this watch will not be an exception.
The case measures about 42mm lug-to-lug, meaning the slender lugs extend enough to give the watch a satisfying presence across the wrist without overhanging. Those lugs are gently curved downward, which helps the watch “hug” the wrist.
In terms of finishing, the case is simple and period-appropriate. It’s polished all over – from the smooth bezel to the tops of the lugs – which gives it a dressy gleam. The bezel is a thin polished ring framing that dial, not overly wide, just enough to provide a visual border. There’s a functional simplicity here: no fancy bevels or mixed brushing, just a uniform high polish that lets the dial do most of the talking.
On the right side is a delicately sized crown, signed with Kuoe’s logo. The crown has a fine coin-edge texture which suits the vintage theme, though it is relatively small (as you’d expect on a 35mm watch).
It has a high-domed sapphire crystal with AR coating on the underside (anti-reflective coating). When viewed from the side, the sapphire rises in a gentle dome that distorts the edge of the dial ever so slightly – giving you that warm, nostalgic plexiglass effect but in a scratch-resistant modern material.
Around back, the 90-007 features an exhibition caseback that lets you peek at the movement. The watch isn’t trying to be an underwater tool (50 m is decent for daily life, hand-washing or a bit of rain is fine, but you’ll swap it out before any swimming), so the choice of a display back over a higher depth rating makes sense for a dress-oriented piece. We’ll talk more about the movement on display in the next section, but in terms of case build, the back is well integrated and doesn’t sit too high. The overall thickness of the watch is about 12mm, which includes the domed crystal. For a watch channeling 1930s style, I’d call the dimensions a success: it’s authentically trim and modest, yet not so small as to feel like a delicate relic.
Strap and Bracelet
One of the pleasant surprises with Kuoe was the attention given to straps and bracelets. The Old Smith 90-007 is offered in a variety of configurations – from leather to a beads-of-rice bracelet. Each option gives the watch a slightly different personality. On leather, the 90-007 transforms into an outright dress watch.
Kuoe also offers bracelets for the Old Smith. This bracelet has a vintage-inspired look, reminiscent of the old “beads-of-rice” style but actually composed of five rows of polished and brushed links. The outer links are thicker and brushed, while the inner three links have a high polish, giving a lovely contrast and catching light in motion.
The leather strap gives a slightly more formal and refined look; it also lightens the load and makes the watch almost unnoticeable on the wrist in terms of weight. The bracelet, on the other hand, adds a touch of sportiness – it dresses the watch down just enough that you could pair it with a polo or even T-shirt on a weekend, and it would look great.
Movement
Ticking beneath the Old Smith 90-007’s classic exterior is a Miyota Caliber 82S5 automatic movement. It’s a fitting choice for a watch like this – a Japanese-made, robust mechanical heart that emphasizes reliability and tradition. The 82S5 is part of Citizen/Miyota’s 8000-series, which has long been a favorite among microbrands for its proven performance, and it offers a power reserve of around 42 hours.
It’s not a high-beat or COSC chronometer-grade caliber, but it is very much a “workhorse” movement – the kind you can trust to keep on ticking with minimal fuss. Earlier iterations of Miyota’s 8000-series didn’t hack, but newer production ones like this have the feature. This is beneficial for those of us who like to set the time precisely to the second or coordinate with a reference time.
Final Thoughts
The KUOE Old Smith 90-007’s modest size and vintage styling make it almost automatically dressy, yet I found it surprisingly versatile within that realm. This isn’t a sports watch by any means – there’s no lume on the dial or bezel timers or anything aggressive – but it slides easily into the role of a daily wearer if your style leans smart-casual or business casual.
If you’ve only ever worn larger modern watches, the first day or two with the Old Smith might feel unusual (you might glance down and think “wow, that’s small!”), so make sure you’ll like the look of this style on you.
From a practical standpoint, there is nothing to worry about. It’s easy to read at a glance, easy to slip under a jacket, and doesn’t bang into things. There’s a certain elegance in a watch that doesn’t constantly announce itself.
In terms of style, I’d classify the Old Smith 90-007 as primarily a casual dress watch. It has the formality of a dress watch (simple dial, leather strap option, smaller size), but it’s not an extravagantly fancy or fragile piece that you’d only save for special occasions.
This is a watch with real character. It’s not loud or high-tech or trying to grab headlines; instead, it quietly charms you with details that you usually only find in genuine vintage pieces or much more expensive watches. Kuoe has managed to deliver a watch that captures the soul of the 1930s but packages it in a way that works for 2025. In terms of value, at around $600 on the bracelet (a bit less on leather), the 90-007 isn’t an impulsive bargain, but definitely an affordable piece with excellent quality.
Specs:
- Ref #: os90007-abl-bs1-sa
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Miyota 82S5
- Battery Life: 42 hours
- Case Width: 35 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 42 mm
- Price: Around $600
Written by
Maté D
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