# Hand-Painted Luxury Watches The Aka-e Wristwatch is a Limited Edition Luxury Slim Watch By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2015-03-20 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/akae-wristwatch References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/hermes-akae-limited-edition-watches-baselworld/36647/) & [canada-en.hermes](http://canada-en.hermes.com/) Watch manufacturer La Montre Hermes unveiled its limited edition Aka-e wristwatches at Baselworld. These watches celebrate a peculiar but beautiful marriage between French porcelain and the Japanese art of Aka-e. Each watch features a gorgeous [enamel biscuit-fired dial](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/classique-souscription-2025) produced in Paris by the ateliers at [Manufacture Nationale de Sevres](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/top-time-collection). Hand-painted in varying shades of red and ocher, the dial is further augmented with decorative gold and is the result of unmatched craftsmanship by 70-year-old Japanese master artist Buzan Fukushima. The watch is powered by a 2.6 mm thin [mechanical self-winding](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/handcrafted-mechanical-timepieces) H1950 movement equipped with a micro rotor, hand-crafted bridges and a 42 hour power reserve. These watches are so exclusive that only a dozen units will be produced. Given the amount of design thought putting into their creation, it is only fitting that the Aka-e wristwatches be made as exclusive as possible. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 73% | Activity: 94% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/watches) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Luxury Artisanal Watches:** Combining unique artisanal techniques from different cultures to create luxury watches that are truly one-of-a-kind. - **Limited Edition Products:** Exclusive and unique products, such as hand-painted watches, that cater to a niche market and offer an exclusive experience to the consumer. - **Blending Traditional and Modern Techniques:** Fusing traditional techniques, such as the French porcelain and Japanese Aka-e art, with modern mechanics to create innovative luxury watches. ### Who This Affects Most - **Luxury Watch Manufacturing:** Innovation in luxury watch manufacturing to cater to a niche market of consumers who value unique and exclusive products. - **Artisanal Craftsmanship:** Exploring opportunities of blending artisanal craftsmanship of different cultures to create one-of-a-kind products beyond the watch industry. - **Luxury Design:** Combining luxury design with exclusive production methods to cater to the ultra high-end consumer market that values unique and exclusive experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Porcelain Dial Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goldfeather-imari.md) - [Haute Jewelry-Like Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piaget-altiplano-skeleton-mtiers-dart.md) - [Military Jacket-Adorned Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-slim-dherms.md) - [Mesmerizing Fashion House Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/louis-vuitton-escale.md) - [Opulent Oceanic Marquetry Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slim-dherms-hippocampe.md) - [Handcrafted Limited Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sn-mi.md) - [Luxe Artisan Pocket Watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-ravenale.md) - [Opulent Avian-Accented Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/credor-goldfeather-tourbillon-gbcf999.md) - [Collaborative Intricate Timepieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lvkv02-gmr-6.md)