Russian maverick-watchmaker, Konstantin Chaykin, wristmon collection was originally introduced in 2017 and caused an instant buzz. This second generation Joker is limited to 88 examples and features one off titanium case. 

The Origins of the Wristmon

It is hard to fathom that a scant three years ago Basel World was the event of the horological calendar. Retailers and horophiles were feverish with anticipation for the novelties that were debuted at each Basel World. Behind all this mayhem, besides a forgotten staircase, somewhat far from the glamorous halls of Basel World was a rather small area dedicated to Independent Watchmakers. A lackluster showing in 2017 for the larger brands resulted in newfound recognition for a certain independent watchmaker named Konstantin Chaykin. 

Chaykin is currently the only Russian watchmaker admitted to the prestigious Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (ACHI) and served as president of the Académie from 2016 till 2019. The tremendous upheavals that Russia has endured over the last two centuries have left its watch industry in a recondite state. Not only is Chaykin a highly respected watchmaker, he also acts as a mentor for up and coming talent who would without his philanthropy not be given a chance. Above it, all Chaykin is a patriot who prides his “Made in Russia” seal above everything else. Whereas many other new unestablished brands would have relied on the crutch of “Swiss Made” for legitimacy, Chaykin was confident enough in his creations to forgo the designation. According to Chaykin, Swiss brands produce rather simplistic standard production perpetual calendars, whereas the Russian maverick creates watches taking into consideration the Hebrew and Islamic calendar, as well as the movements that determine the date of the Orthodox Easter.

We encourage you to read this article for more information on the origins of the Wristmon Collection 

The Joker Returns 

Since then the Wristmon collection has been at the epicenter of the brand and is often cited as their best seller. This specific wristmon is named the Joker a play on the relatively obnoxious side of the luxury watch industry. Prior to this creation some of Chaykin’s creations have gone relatively unnoticed. The usual perpetual calendars found in traditional watchmaking have been enhanced and adapted to different religious calendars a feature rarely seen in modern watchmaking, such is the ingenuity of Chaykin. The Joker could essentially be a parody, that inadvertently propelled the brand Konstantin Chaykin on the map of independent watchmaking. The importance of both the first and second series of the Joker cannot be understated. This edition was introduced shortly after the first generation steel Joker limited to 99 examples. 

The dial is a work of art, the timekeeping measures are denoted through the use of two independent discs (eyeballs). The right-hand side is used for the minutes whereas the left-hand side is used for the hours. The overall expression of the dial remains dynamic and ever changing. Behind the jovial expression’s of the dial lies the artisanal side of the dial through a relief design guilloche inspired by jeweller Carl Faberge. The nose guilloche was created by Chaykin specifically for this edition. The textured moon phase (the tongue) is displayed through a red frame with a contrasting grey background.

The brushed titanium case measures 42mm and 13.70mm in thickness and weighs considerably less than its predecessor. The bezel features the name of the wristmon, Joker, in rectangular frames, similar to playing cards. Additionally, triangular dimples are found throughout the bezel, though they serve no purpose, they increase the depth of the bezel. The dual crowns are finished in a similar fashion, the one found on the right hand-side is used for the timekeeping requirements and the left hand crown is used to advance the moon phase. The closed case back is signed Joker – Made in Russia – Konstantin Chaykin – Titanium. The centre piece of the case back is frosted and features the letter J. 

As much as the Wristmon collection provokes the Swiss, it ironically also leans on a modified swiss-made ETA 2824-2, renamed K07-0 by the brand. The additional module required for the discs results in an additional 8 jewels (61 parts) bring the total to 33 jewels. When fully wound the watch is capable of delivering 38 hours of power. 

The Wristmon collection is unpredictable at best and Konstantin Chaykin keeps his collectors on their toes with cultural and innovative Wristmons. This example comes with both inner and outer boxes along with the original warranty and user manual. 

Brand: Konstantin Chaykin
Model: Wristmon – Joker Titanium
Movement: K07-0
Case Diameter: 42mm x 13.70mm
Year: 2018
Box & Papers: Full Set 

Russian maverick-watchmaker, Konstantin Chaykin, wristmon collection was originally introduced in 2017 and caused an instant buzz. This second generation Joker is limited to 88 examples and features one off titanium case.