All photos used in this article belong to Muji and Sneakbox.
Back in December 2023, Muji posted on his Instagram page @sneakboxdesign with his initial design for MIYO, a functioning analog watch as a 1u keycap.
“I've named this artisan [keycap] MIYO, both for the name's meaning [“beautiful child”] but more importantly because it uses a Miyota 5Y20 Quartz movement.”
- Muji
2 years later, the MIYO is up for public sale at $300 as of October 1st, 2025 on sneakbox.com, a limited edition of 150 units split between the three finishes: 55 satin stainless steels, 55 black PVDs, and 40 rose gold PVDs. Muji hinted at future updates, improvements, and maybe even similar releases on his Reddit posts. I wonder if it’d be possible to use or make an automatic movement that can be wound with the up and down motion of the keypress? Or a detachable manual-wind keycap that introduces keyboard enthusiasts to the joyous routine of winding up your watch…
Left to right: rose gold, black, steel
What are the specs?
Key: 1u MX; stainless steel 2-part shell
Movement: Miyota 5Y20 quartz movement; SG0 button battery (~4 year-life expectancy, with a pledge from Muji to US-based customers to help replace the battery if you send it to him)
Dial: 14mm diameter; laser-engraved unit numbers (in-house)
Lume: Dual-tone Super-LumiNova dial markers and hands
Crystal: Sapphire glass with internal anti-reflective coating
Crown: Sneakbox logo; slim to avoid interference with adjacent keys
Water resistance: None
Back: Laser inscriptions of numbered units done manually by Muji
Some other photos for reference
2023 prototype…
to 2025 release
The lume in action
The crown and case
Now that the geeky worlds of keycaps and watches have collided, there’s no turning back. Who knows what horological crossovers will come next?
Questions, or intrigued by Muji’s craftsmanship? Reach out to him on Discord and check out his other releases at sneakbox.com.