Konstantin Chaykin’s Wristmons tend to pull off a similar trick every time you see a new one pop out of the woods. The different faces and wandering eyes make you smile first, then you take a closer look and you are reminded of the serious level of watchmaking and finishing.

The new “Wolf” is the second member of Chaykin’s “East” collection, following the Panda Titanium, which we first saw during last year’s Geneva Watch Days. The idea for the line began with a series of animal and bird sketches in 2018 before developing into what is probably the most fun five-watch collection inspired by creatures associated with Eastern cultures.

Fur, Fangs and Plenty of Detail

In every one of Chaykin’s Wristmon, the indications on the dial complete a picture of a character’s face. The left eye is the hours, the right is the minutes, and the little glint on each eye is your pointer. The large yellow irises are created through several layers of high-precision pad printing, each applied and aligned by hand.

The upper lugs are dramatically elongated into a pair of pointed ears, like those of an alert wolf. Unlike the panda, its radially brushed bezel forgoes the recessed lettering of the animal’s name, leaving the outline much cleaner and placing more attention on the face.

That face comprises 20 different components and involves a frankly ridiculous amount of detail. There’s a wavy relief guilloché across the forehead and lower dial that follows the direction of the wolf’s fur. There’s a dark geometric pattern running along the bridge of the nose to accentuate the length of the muzzle. Raised and sandblasted eyebrow ridges add further depth.

Ruthenium-plated surfaces, matte textures, polished applied elements and a smooth convex nose build up the rest of the features. Chaykin keeps the color palette largely black, grey and silver, which then highlights the white fangs and dark red interior of the wolf’s permanently open mouth.

Waiting for the Full Moon

Like the panda and the jokers, there’s a mechanical detail that sits inside the wolf’s jaws. Most of the moonphase-equipped Wristmons use a conventional 59-tooth wheel carrying two images of the moon. The Wolf, however, has a completely different system.

Instead of showing every phase, it displays only the two- to three-day period surrounding the full moon. A red moon indication on the disc, doubling as the wolf’s tongue, begins to appear on the day before a full moon and remains visible for the next 48 hours. It’s a nice touch especially with the wolf’s connection to the full moon. Wolves do not actually howl at the moon, but the myth makes for a wonderfully characterful complication.

Producing this moonphase required Chaykin to redesign his Joker indication module, now consisting of 111 components – for context, the original Joker indication module had 61 parts. It sits above a Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G200 automatic movement, modified for the Konstantin Chaykin Manufacture. Together, they form the automatic K.18-28 caliber, providing a healthy 68-hour power reserve.

The 40mm stainless-steel case is itself constructed from 38 components and measures 12.15mm thick, increasing to 12.75mm at the pointed upper lugs. Sapphire crystals cover both sides, while water resistance is rated to 30 meters.

Technical Specifications: Konstantin Chaykin “Wolf”

Movement: Automatic K.18-28, based on the Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G200 and modified for the Konstantin Chaykin Manufacture; 68-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours displayed through the left eye at 10 o’clock; minutes through the right eye at two o’clock; full-moon period indicator

Case: Stainless steel; 40mm diameter; 12.15mm thick, or 12.75mm including the upper lugs; sapphire front and caseback crystals; 30m water resistance

Dial: Relief guilloché; ruthenium plating and colouring; manually applied, multistage pad printing

Price Upon request