Before buying it, I had spent months watching and reading reviews about this model and Kuoe as a brand. I was dead set on getting the Kuoe Old Smith in bronze during my trip to Kyoto. The day finally came, and I was one of the first people in line waiting for the store to open.

Imagine my surprise when they told me they were unfortunately out of stock, not only of the Old Smith in bronze, but of every color except green.

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. I had the chance to buy the bronze model many times during my trip, but I really wanted to get the full Kuoe experience in Kyoto. It was also the last day of my Japan trip. I ended up buying two watches, since I had promised my best friend I would bring him one as a souvenir, and also so we could have matching watches.

For the first few days, I had this feeling of uneasiness. It was the model I wanted, but not the material I had intended to get. Still, there was no doubt the watch was beautiful, and it served its purpose perfectly: a reminder of my trip and a matching set with my best friend.

Fast forward a couple of months of use, and I can honestly say I couldn’t be happier with this watch. The build quality for this price range is unmatched, and the matcha green dial becomes more stunning the more you look at it.

I guess everything happens for a reason. I didn’t get the watch I wanted, but I got the one I needed.

Slowly but steadily, this watch has become one of my favorites in my collection.