The world's thinnest watch has gained another unique feature - a mystical time display.
In 2024, Konstantin Chaykin presented the world's thinnest wristwatch. The thickness of the ThinKing model is only 1.65 mm. After undergoing phases of testing and final prototyping, the record-breaking thin watch emerged in its final, production version, to which Mr. Chaykin added a mystic indication feature.
The design of the watch still revolves around the concept of the legendary Joker Watch. An important detail: the Joker's "eyes" have become completely transparent due to the removal of cross spokes from the construction. A side drive in the watch rotates solid sapphire disks. Additional stability is provided by rollers (three around each indicator) that guide the disk movement and reduce energy loss from the winding barrel.
We should recall that achieving the record-thin watch thickness was made possible for Konstantin Chaykin by a number of patented developments. Firstly, the balance assembly is spread out in a plane on two separate wheels connected by teeth along the rim. The first wheel is responsible for frequency and isochronism of oscillations, while the second acts as a plate with an impulse stone interacting with the anchor fork.
The "balance-spring" assembly is considered one of the highest in a watch mechanism, so spreading it over two wheels was a logical decision. The balance oscillation frequency is 18,000 bph. To ensure the necessary moment of inertia, the balance construction uses a combination of aluminum alloy and tungsten alloy.
Secondly, the ultra-thin winding barrel without a traditional top cover. The retaining barrel bridge has been reinforced with ribs. The barrel shaft is designed as a freewheel clutch with tungsten carbide balls. The power reserve increased from 32 to 38 (according to Mr. Chaykin, actually to 42) hours.
Thirdly, from non-production prototypes, the watch inherited a special leather strap with flexible titanium arch supports and elastic inserts. The patented strap design absorbs almost all the load, protecting the ultra-thin case from damage. The strap is attached to the case with screws. The model's weight without the strap is 12.1 grams.
An outstanding feature of the watch is the case itself (41 mm in diameter). It is made of a Russian-developed non-magnetic alloy with increased stiffness and corrosion resistance. The case back functions as the main plate, integrating the model's mechanism - the caliber K.23-3.1.
Interesting fact: a similar approach to reducing watch thickness was first used in the early 1980s in mechanisms developed by Swiss engineers Andre Beyner and Maurice Grimm.
The watch's accuracy falls within a range of -15/+20 seconds per day. Instead of a traditional winding crown, which would make the watch thicker and visually heavier, Chaykin offers two original methods for winding the watch mechanism. The first is via a miniature carbon box with four spring-loaded supports inside. To wind and set the time, the watch is inserted into the box. The second winding method involves using a winding key, which is inserted into a special slot on the rear cover side.
The model is limited to a series of 12 pieces.