Renowned for his daring and innovative timepiece creations, Konstantin Chaykin has consistently merged playful and intriguing elements without compromising his watchmaking prowess. This notion is epitomized by the Wristmons collection, showcasing the Russian watchmaker’s imaginative peak by transforming watch faces into literal faces. In its most recent addition, Chaykin draws inspiration from the Chinese zodiac and introduces fresh concepts with the Konstantin Chaykin Smilodon. The term ‘smilodon’ refers to the proper classification of the long-extinct saber-toothed tiger, believed to have vanished around 10,000 years ago.
In 1842, Danish paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund unearthed the fossils of these prehistoric beasts. He coined the name smilodon, derived from the ancient Greek words “smilo” (σμίλη; a double-edged knife) and “odonthos” (οδόντος; tooth).
An unexpected connection between the ancient Greek “smilo” and his own creations intrigued Konstantin Chaykin. In ancient Greek, “smilo” also meant “smile,” which became the working title of the anthropomorphic watch project initiated in 2016. This project eventually gave birth to the Joker watch and the entire Wristmons collection.
The tiger embodies power, courage, and unpredictability – qualities that are distinctly evident in the Smilodon project, which blazes its own trail. The iconic smile of the Joker and other wristmons is replaced by a toothy grin, accentuated by formidable saber-like fangs that lend the prehistoric predator its name. As night descends, the movable lower jaw conceals a petroglyph-style depiction of an extinct prey animal, likely hunted by the Smilodon.
Within these petroglyphs, Konstantin Chaykin conceals the names of the days of the week. Each morning, the jaws reopen, revealing a new petroglyph signifying the day ahead. The watch owner can decide which petroglyph marks the beginning of their week.
The Smilodon watch boasts a 42mm bronze case, while the bronze-colored dial is adorned with four distinct guilloche finishes. The master watchmaker personally applied hundreds of ultra-fine layers of lacquer to achieve the perfect shade of yellow for the spinning, mesmerizing tiger eyes that indicate time.
The top lugs resemble smilodon ears, and the bottom ones feature the classic slanted shape seen in other Wristmons models, starting with the Joker. Instead of bronze, the watch employs a titanium and sapphire crystal case-back to protect the wearer from potential exposure to patina formed on the case.
For this model, Konstantin Chaykin crafted a unique, collectible leather watch strap with a two-row perforation for the buckle with a double pin. Moreover, the buckle pins are designed to resemble smilodon fangs.
The Smilodon watch is powered by an automatic caliber, self-wound by a custom oscillating weight. Thanks to the hand-winding function, it can also be wound manually using the winding crown positioned at 6 o’clock, directly beneath the Smilodon’s chin.
The sapphire crystal caseback offers a view of the self-winding K.08-2 caliber, based on the Swiss-made Vaucher VMF 3002. The self-winding rotor displays a smilodon relief.
The base movement is enhanced by the Joker-indication module, produced by the “Konstantin Chaykin” manufacture, and modified to incorporate the Smilodon-indication of the day/night cycle.
Though the Wristmons collection’s core concept may no longer be as groundbreaking as when the Joker first debuted, it’s no surprise that
Chaykin continues to revisit and expand on this design. Arguably, it remains one of the most entertaining and delightful timepieces available at any price range. With the Smilodon, Chaykin not only eliminates the quirky yet symmetrical double crowns but also incorporates perhaps the most inventive complication of the series: the opening and closing jaws of the fearsome tiger.
The Konstantin Chaykin Smilodon is priced at approximately €48,000 and will be limited to only eight pieces, with an estimated production time of 12 months. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
In conclusion, the Smilodon watch is a testament to Konstantin Chaykin’s ability to blend creativity, fun, and horological excellence. This fascinating addition to the Wristmons collection demonstrates how Chaykin continues to push boundaries and delight watch enthusiasts around the globe.
Technical details
Model: Konstantin Chaykin Smilodon
Case
Material: Ferrous bronze
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Crystal: Sapphire crystal glass with non-reflecting coating, 34.5 mm diameter
Crystal back: Caseback titanium with a sapphire window
Number of case parts: 49
Movement
Caliber: K.08-2 with automatic winding
Indication module: “Konstantin Chaykin” manufacture
Base movement: Swiss-made Vaucher VMF 3002, modified
Movement size: 31.5 mm diameter, 7,6 mm thickness (with module)
Escapement: Anchor
Balance frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 50 hours
Number of jewels: 50 (base movement – 28, module – 22)
Number of module pieces: 142
Functions: Joker-indication of time with disk hour and minute indicators and a day of the week indicator, Smilodon day\night indication
Dial
Finish: four types of guilloche, multi-layered laquer
Number of dial parts: 32
Strap: Exclusive, fine leather
Buckle: “Konstantin Chaykin” manufacture, special issue, titanium
Limited edition: 8 pieces
Price: approx. 48,000€