Though age-old, some concepts in horology provide ongoing motivation and challenge to watchmakers. Understandably, thinness is one such goal. For some brands, it’s become a primary focus. Still, it’s rare that such a storied undertaking is brought to life on a platform that is as thoroughly novel as Konstantin Chaykin’s new ThinKing, claiming the hotly contested title of world’s thinnest mechanical watch with an incredible measurement of 1.65mm.

True novelty is a hard thing to achieve. This is largely due to the restrictive canvas with which the artists and artisans of horology must work. While not every watch ever made actually tells the time, those that do not are significant outliers and it is fair to say that 99.9% of wrist-bound timekeepers adhere to this basic rule. Beyond that, a watch must be wearable, which limits the maximum size and usable shape at least nominally. With those two criteria in mind, creating a comfortable timepiece that also displays the time in a clearly readable fashion while standing mere millimeters high on the wrist is no mean feat.

The major players in the realm of thinness in recent years have been Bvlgari, Piaget, and Richard Mille. While the latter’s contribution to this very specific field of horological endeavor has been more anomalous, both Piaget and Bvlgari have frequently traded world records for models that defied previous expectations of what was possible — case in point, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept that’s the thinnest mechanical watch with a tourbillon, and the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC that has up until today been the thinnest mechanical watch in the world. For years, it became nearly expected to see one or the other (or both) drop a new piece that either blows previous proportions out of the water or integrates evermore complex mechanisms into ultra-thin cases no one imagined could carry such high complications.

But just when it looked like the “thin kings” were sitting pretty upon their thrones, a would-be usurper has entered the fray — a watchmaker beloved for his creative take on the craft and known for his particular design sensibilities that had already marked him as a trailblazer.

His name is Konstantin Chaykin. The Russian master. The creator of models such as the Lunokhod, the zoetrope-toting Cinema watch, and the whimsical-yet-credible Wristmon series has thrown his crown into the ring with the release of the ThinKing, a 1.65mm thick model that utilizes the aesthetic platform of his most famous range.

An Ultra-Thin Wristmon makes perfect sense

Although this entry into the annals of thinness was unexpected, employing the existing Wristmon format, which sees the hours and the minutes deployed on separate dials that have historically represented the eyes of his characterful creations, is perfectly suited to the task thanks to the obvious reduction of height afforded by the lack of a traditional hand stack.

With this display already well-established, Chaykin had an advantage when it came to creating an ultra-slim watch that was not just a technical feat, but also a logical and tailor-made addition to his catalog.

Like many watch lovers, I have been a fan of the Wristmon series since its debut but must openly admit that until I saw the ThinKing for the first time, it had never dawned on me that the layout would lend itself so naturally to a super slim application. The satisfaction I derived from seeing the images of the finished piece was immense. This feels like one of those rare moments when everything slots together perfectly.

Perhaps the most ironic thing about my visceral reaction to this piece is the fact I don’t even like ultra-slim watches. As a watchmaker, I certainly appreciate the achievement and marvel at the audacity of the concepts at play, but from a consumer perspective, I can honestly say I have never, ever been tempted by a radically thin watch.

However, the ThinKing is more than just a super thin watch — a category of timepieces that tend to be extremely technical and, in fairness, a little sterile — it’s an emotive tour de force. Despite its monochromatic appearance (which is super cool and skilfully recalls Chaykin’s edgier early work), its pareidolic “face” cannot help but elicit a smile.

Rather than the modified moonphase indication one would expect to see in a standard Wristmon piece, the “mouth” of the display is now a curved rendering of the brand’s wordmark, while the graphical logo forms the watch’s “nose.” Although it would be a stretch to call that aesthetic switch-up “innovation” — there are plenty of technical developments that justify such a lofty term.

The construction of ThinKing

Firstly, the case material is a special kind of stainless steel that is exceptionally rigid (although less so than the tungsten carbide that is usually favored by ultra-slim watch designers). Consequently, the case, without its strap, weighs an incredible 13.3 g. The strap, however, cannot be ignored. In an effort to reduce the potentially deforming shocks the watch may experience during normal wear, Chaykin built a suspension mechanism into the strap itself. It features two flexible titanium supports and two elastic sections that are designed to absorb the brunt of impacts, protecting the case.

Internally, the innovations continue. There are two notable developments paired together here. The first is stunning alterations to the balance wheel which is split into two components to reduce the height of a traditional oscillator significantly. The second is the barrel which, of all the things this watch offers, is perhaps the most impressive.

Normally, the hairspring sits atop the balance wheel, which itself sits atop a rotor table bearing the impulse jewel that engages with the pallet lever, unlocking the escapement and allowing the energy from the mainspring in its barrel to flow through the gear train to the hands. Here, however, the hairspring and balance wheel have been separated from the rotor table and impulse jewel.

The two components (engaged by teeth) sit side-by-side. The hairspring breathes as normal, vibrating the balance wheel back and forth, which in turn vibrates the rotor table wheel, unlocking the escapement. A lower than average 18,000 vph (2.5Hz) operating frequency is no surprise as this slower ticking rate places less strain on the power reserve, which, due to the extreme thinness of the mainspring, stands at a passable (and understandable) 32 hours.

The barrel lid and ratchet wheel have been dispensed with and, in their place, is a pawl and spring system that allows for efficient winding of the gracile mainspring.

The subject of winding leads us to the last major talking point of this watch. While the watch can be manually wound via a key in its thinnest state, Chaykin has also invented a case carrier mechanism he calls the PalanKing. This additional unit, which itself contains an automatic winding mass and a traditional crown, can be affixed to the back of the watch (bulking it up to a mighty 5.4mm thickness) and either worn with the watch for added rigidity, protection, and automatic winding, or simply used to set the hands more traditionally via the crown.

There may be some that take issue with this two-part solution, perhaps crying foul that the watch is not complete without the PalanKing carrier attached and thus not really as thin as it claims. But, personally, I have no problem with this slightly weird wrinkle. It is seldom that we see such a charming entry in the super slim category and the option to make the watch a bit thicker, likely even more wearable, and easier to operate thanks to the crown and winding system is, in my opinion, an equally welcome addition.

Tech Specs: Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing

Movement: Manual-winding Ultra-thin caliber K.23-0; 32-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 40mm × 1.65mm; stainless steel; 45mm ×5.4mm with external carrier case-PalanKing attachment
Strap: Black alligator leather; elastic inserts and flexible titanium supports
Price: N/A
Availability: N/A; prototype

Learn more at chaykin.ru