Behrens and Konstantin Chaykin pull an Ace of Hearts from their sleeves
Borna Bošnjak- The Ace of Hearts is celebrating three years of partnership between Behrens and Konstantin Chaykin.
- It’s available in three material options and with an airy, Joker “dial”, with the movement seemingly suspended in the trapezoidal case.
- Despite the look and in-house movement, the Ace of Hearts is surprisingly affordable, starting at US$7,500.
Though his horological accolades make for some of the most impressive achievements in modern watchmaking, Konstantin Chaykin is certainly best known for his Joker watch. It’s why he chose it as the theme for one of his most daring escapades yet – creating the thinnest watch in the world with the ThinKing – so it should be no surprise that it’s the design Behrens has chosen to put their spin on. The new Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts is the trapezoidal follow-up of the pair’s 2022 collaboration, now inside the Chinese brand’s Ultralight case, and with Chaykin’s grinning face more airy than ever.
Situated in the upper half of the dial are the two eyes telling the hours and minutes in a regulator-ish layout, using Behrens’ Floating Display System. Betwixt them, on the bridge of the nose, is a minimal power reserve indicator, with the schnoz pointing down to the escapement and seconds smile. This is my favourite part of the design because of its intriguing operation. You’ll notice that the printed numbers for the seconds don’t follow a fully circular path, and thanks to a snail cam partly visible through the central cut-out, the seconds hand actually outlines the oval orbit.
Behrens and Chaykin’s collaboration from 2022 featured a very similar dial layout, and also included the oblong seconds, though the movement was based on the Sellita SW200. For the Ace of Hearts, Behrens is introducing the BM07, a new in-house movement. The focus here was clearly on the unique display and seconds – the 4Hz beat rate and 46-hour power reserve are decent, but certainly not groundbreaking. I appreciate what Behrens has done with the design of the movement: the raised, brushed outlines are separated from frosted surfaces with thin, polished bevels, matched by the high-polished screws, crown wheel, and ratchet wheel. Most, if not all, of the decoration is almost certainly machine-applied, but I do think that shouldn’t be a surprise given how much value this watch offers.
Other than the Chaykin-inspired design, this watch really is a Behrens effort, and that also means good value. This design is actually based on Behrens’ Ultralight, a watch with variants weighing as low as 11 grams, and one that needed the asymmetrical shape for the optimal layout of its featherweight components. While the Ace of Hearts could’ve easily fit into a square (or even round) case, the trapezoid works really well with the overall look.
For me, one of the Ace of Hearts’ strongest points are its choice of materials. Depending on your preference, you can choose from grade 5 titanium, SPSCF carbon composite, or synthetic sapphire. Considering the 37mm width and 7.9mm thickness, the US$7,500 starting price is pretty astonishing. To top it all off, you’ve also got 50 metres of water-resistance despite the potential lack of versatility given that you’re wearing a slightly creepy, skeletonised clown on your wrist.
Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts pricing and availability
The Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts is now available in three different materials: titanium (limited to 600 pieces), black or white SPSCF composite (150 pieces per colour), and synthetic sapphire (80 pieces in blue, 20 pieces in pink). Price: US$7,500 (titanium), US$9,200 (SPSCF), US$13,600 (sapphire)
| Brand | Behrens |
| Model | Ace of Hearts x Konstantin Chaykin |
| Reference Number |
BHR033TI01
BHR033SPBLK01 BHR033SPWHT01 BHR033SAPK01 BHR033SABLU01 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (W) x 7.9mm (T) x 42mm (H) |
| Case Material |
Grade 5 titanium
Black or white SPSCF composite Blue or pink sapphire |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Open, colour-matched to the case |
| Strap |
Colour-matched fluororubber and titanium pin buckle
|
| Movement | Behrens BM07, in-house, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 46 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve |
| Availability | 600 pieces in titanium 150 pieces per colour in SPSCF 80 pieces in blue sapphire 20 pieces in pink sapphire |
| Price | US$7,500 (titanium) US$9,200 (SPSCF) US$13,600 (sapphire) |