Our Take

Even after celebrating our five year anniversary recently, there’s never a shortage of new “firsts” for us in the realm of independent watchmaking. We are excited and pleased to present a creation from esteemed watchmaker, Konstantin Chaykin. This is the Night Joker, released originally in 2018.

Konstantin Chaykin is one of the industry’s most prolific inventors. He has roughly 100 patents to his name, and an eclectic catalog of watches and ultra-complicated clocks. The Cinema watch showcases a mechanical animation of the first ever motion picture (a horse galloping) and the Mars Conqueror was the first wristwatch to keep track of time on earth and Mars. Both are exceptionally creative timepieces, but nothing is more popular than Chaykin’s Joker. The watch with a face is the face of Chaykin’s creativity in modern independent watchmaking.

The Joker doesn’t tick any of the typical boxes – chronometric performance, fine finishing, ultra-complicated – but it’s a challenge to to find any timepiece in watchmaking that elicits a more emotional response. It radiates playfulness, and often catches the wearer off-guard by the expressiveness. Certain times, for example 09:15 with its eyes pointed in opposite directions, creates a face that can only be described as mad. Frequently, this watch catches its owner off-guard by these faces – it’s more than simply the time. And that’s why the Joker is so exceptional. It taps into something innately human, that we’re excellent at recognizing emotions on faces, so we’re constantly seeing more than the time with every glance at the watch.

While the dial is the star of the show, the movement of the Night Joker is no slouch. It’s the ultimate representation of Chaykin’s craftiness as a watchmaker. The movement is heavily-modified ETA 2824 with the addition of 61, in-house manufactured components and 6 jewels to meet the requirements of the dial layout and moon phase complication. Attention to detail on this timepiece, from its movement to the dial to the case, establishes a high level of craftsmanship alongside the timepiece’s creativity. The in-house manufactured bezel is a nice touch with its 10 notches, each showing a playing-card suit or letter “J” for Joker. Thoroughly well-designed on every level, it’s why the Night Joker is such a fun watch.

In PVD-coated stainless steel and measuring 42mm in diameter (~49mm lug-to-lug), this is numbered 06/50. The Night Joker is pre-loved and available now.

The Details

Functions: hour, minutes, seconds, moon phase

Case dimension: 42mm (~49mm lug-to-lug)

Movement: Self-winding with 38 hour power reserve

Case material: Black PVD-treated stainless steel

Case back: Closed with engraved PVD-treated stainless steel

Strap: black leather strap, purple stitching with PVD-treated tang buckle

Water Resistance: not recommended