Geneva Watch Days 2024 : The World's Thinnest Mechanical Watch By Konstantin Chaykin

After the likes of Piaget, Bvlgari and Richard Mille, say hello to the newest player to enter the race in 2024 –  watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin with the ThinKing at just 1.65mm.

In  2024, Piaget presented the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon with a 2 mm case, the thinnest wristwatch with a tourbillon in the world. Post that Bulgari and the Concepto factory  reduced the previous record held by Richard Mille and AP Renaud & Papi by a further 0.05 mm. In addition, the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC watch received a chronometer certificate together with the 1.70 mm thick case,  now also the thinnest COSC-certified chronometer in the world. And now comes along Konstantin Chaykin with the ThinKing at just 1.65 mm. 

“This story began when I once showed a client a project of my super-complicated wristwatch. He replied that of course it was all very cool, but there were probably more difficult tasks, such as: Can I make an ultra-thin watch? Thinner than Richard Mille did. I had been interested in ultra-thin movements for a long time and said I would think about it. That was in 2023. Of course, I had already looked into this subject before, in particular I knew the masterpieces by Piaget, Bulgari and Richard Mille, but I hadn’t looked into it any further. When I was confronted with this task, I started to take a closer look at what it actually is – the ultra-thin watch. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was Auguste Golay’s millimeter-thick movement – sometimes moments from the past suddenly become relevant again. As for my current ultra-thin watch project, I initially considered many possibilities and dedicated an entire Moleskine to finding technical solutions.”,  Chaykin.

It Had To Be A Wristmon

Konstantin Chaykin aimed to create an ultra-thin watch with a unique twist by making it a part of his Wristmons collection, known for its playful and emotional designs. Anticipating that Swiss watchmakers would continue to release ultra-thin watches, Chaykin wanted to stand out with his distinctive style. The ThinKing watch features a movement inspired by his Joker design, with hour and minute displays forming the "eyes" of a character. Unlike previous models where a moonphase display formed the "smile," the ThinKing's smile is represented by the brand logo engraved on the top cover. The watch also includes a double dial protected by two ultra-thin sapphire crystals, enhancing its rigidity without compromising the thin design.

The Practicality Of It

To make an ultra-thin watch, less than two millimeters thick, both practical and comfortable, an innovative solution was introduced: an external carrier case called PalanKing. This case not only houses the ultra-thin watch but also contains mechanisms for winding the watch and adjusting the hands. Additionally, the PalanKing case includes an automatic winding system that engages with the ultra-thin watch when it's inside the case. This way, the watch winds itself automatically, and the wearer only needs to wear the external case on their wrist.

The biggest challenge with ultra-thin watches is that their cases are not very rigid, making them prone to damage. Watchmakers have found two main ways to tackle this issue. First, they use very strong materials, with tungsten carbide being one of the best options. Second, they build stiffening ribs into the watch's case and movement, which happens naturally when the caseback is used as the movement's base, a method that dates back to the 1830s.

Konstantin Chaykin applied both of these methods in creating the ThinKing watch. He chose a special, highly rigid stainless steel for the watch’s base material and added extra protection through a specially designed strap. However, Chaykin also developed an external carrier case that provides additional security, ensuring the ultra-thin watch remains durable over time. He advises using this external case in situations where the watch could be at risk, noting that even with the carrier case, the ThinKing watch remains impressively thin at just 5.4 mm.

The Three Patents

Ultra-thin Winding Barrel : The traditional design of a watch's winding barrel isn't often optimized for reducing thickness. Konstantin Chaykin, inspired by the Richard Mille RM UP-01, created an exceptionally thin mainspring barrel for the ThinKing watch. He eliminated the need for a ratchet wheel and cover, integrating the winding mechanism directly into the barrel-arbor. This innovative design allows for a good mainspring in a very thin space, resulting in a 32-hour power reserve, which is impressive for a self-winding watch.

Double Balance :In the ThinKing watch, Chaykin achieves a two-level gear train by using the caseback as the movement's mainplate and mounting the wheels under bridges, avoiding unreliable designs like those from the 1970s. Normally, the balance wheel unit has multiple levels due to the balance rim, hairspring, impulse jewel, and safety device. Chaykin’s innovation splits these functions across two balance wheels: one handles the lever, and the other holds the hairspring, reducing the overall level count and optimizing the design for thinness.

A Special Strap : The strap for the ThinKing watch isn’t just decorative; it’s specially engineered to protect the watch. It features flexible titanium supports and elastic inserts that absorb most of the force from shocks, bending, or other potentially harmful impacts, reducing the stress transferred to the watch case. This innovative design helps keep the watch safe from damage.

A Special Stainless-Steel

The ThinKing Prototype 2 watch is made from a special stainless steel that is hard enough to wear like a regular watch, minimizing the risk of accidental damage if the case bends. To further protect the watch, Konstantin Chaykin designed a special leather strap with elastic inserts and flexible titanium supports, which reduce any extra bending force that could harm the watch.The watch case is a two-part monocoque design, with the caseback doubling as part of the movement. The solid upper cover adds strength, and the time is displayed on two separate dials, a signature feature of Chaykin's Wristmons, allowing for smaller, 0.35 mm thick crystals.

For extra protection and convenience, Chaykin developed an external case carrier that not only safeguards the ultra-thin watch but also simplifies winding and adjusting the time, addressing the common issue of impracticality in ultra-thin watches.

Konstantin Chaykin's “King of Thin Watches” at just 1.65 mm thick weighs a mere 13.3 grams without the strap.  Chaykin however doesn't see his ultra-thin watch as a finished product yet and believes there's still room for improvement and optimization in its design. The watch is currently a working prototype, and isn't ready for mass production, however he does hints at having more ideas that could make the project even more interesting in the future. Only time will tell how it evolves.