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Lot Essay
The Wristmonification of (the Stoic) Seneca – A Unique Wristwatch for ELA
The maverick genius independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin’s Wristmons offer a fresh perspective on watchmaking, and with this extraordinary creation, the ‘Seneca’ pièce unique, also reflect a philanthropic vision.
Unmistakable in its styling, with the now-famous ‘Joker’ indications for the hours at 10 o’clock and minutes at 2 o’clock, this one-of-a-kind watch is dedicated to Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, a Stoic philosopher and moralist of ancient Rome. Fittingly, for a timepiece made for charitable purposes, the design is inspired by one of Seneca’s sayings: 'Recte facti fecisse merces est' – 'The reward for a good deed is its accomplishment.'
For this special watch, sold to benefit ELA, Chaykin has also added the complication of moon phases and, for the very first time, a date indication. The date display on the Seneca is particularly fascinating, as it weaves Latin letters into the date numerals, spelling out Seneca’s phrase 'Recte facti fecisse merces est' over the course of a month. As this is a unique combination of complications for the Wristmons collection, Chaykin developed a new caliber for this watch, the K.18-1.
In anticipation of this remarkable charity auction, Konstantin Chaykin has released the following statement:
'Konstantin Chaykin believes that supporting charitable initiatives is one of the missions of modern watchmaking. The watches that Konstantin Chaykin makes for charity are undoubtedly attractive to watch connoisseurs because he approaches such projects responsibly and thoughtfully. He always offers unique pieces that have no equivalent in the regular collection which makes the offer even more attractive for a collector. Incidentally, this does not only apply to the design: Chaykin often develops new movements for such watches, which was particularly the case with the Joker Selfie and the Martian Tourbillon. With these and other watches, he has supported the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies since 2017, for which he donated the unique Joker Sandmann this year. On May 10, 2024, this watch was sold at Christie’s for 110,000 Swiss francs. One of the most recent examples of Chaykin’s philanthropy is the Joker for Encore Charity watch, which was sold for around 435,000 US dollars at the Encore Charity Auction in Moscow on March 16, 2024. This is currently the highest amount ever paid for a Konstantin Chaykin wristwatch at auction. The independent watchmaker’s responsible approach to developing watches for charity is also reflected in its latest project: the Seneca Pièce Unique watch, which is being offered here for the benefit of the European Leukodystrophy Association (ELA). This watch, is unique in its concept, complications and design'.
The Seneca Wristmon
It is believed that the Roman Republican calendar, which preceded the Julian calendar, was introduced by Numa Pompilius, the legendary second king of Rome. This calendar was based on the lunar month. Consequently, Konstantin Chaykin decided to equip the Seneca watch with both a date display and a moon phase. The lunar ‘smile’ created by the moon phase display, which is inverted compared to the traditional orientation, has been a feature of the Wristmons since their introduction in 2017, when the now-legendary ‘Joker’ made a sensation. Since 2019, some Wristmons have been equipped with a day-of-the-week display, but never with a date. The Seneca watch is, therefore, the first in the series to feature a date display.
In his creations, Konstantin Chaykin often seeks connections between philosophical ideas, design concepts, and the evolution of watchmaking to add new dimensions to his projects. During the development of the Seneca watch, he chose to highlight the fact that the origins of the modern calendar trace back to ancient Rome and that all the major events related to its introduction occurred around the turn of the first millennium, when Lucius Annaeus Seneca lived. The widely recognized 12-month system, whose month names have survived to this day, was introduced through Julius Caesar's reforms in 45 BC. Around the same time, the Romans adopted the seven-day week, creating the precise combination that defines the modern calendar.
The beautiful tonal dial is designed to resemble a golden mask, as Seneca the Younger was one of the greatest playwrights of ancient Rome, where actors almost always appeared on stage wearing masks. A mask for the Seneca Wristmon, therefore, seems a perfectly natural choice.
The maverick genius independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin’s Wristmons offer a fresh perspective on watchmaking, and with this extraordinary creation, the ‘Seneca’ pièce unique, also reflect a philanthropic vision.
Unmistakable in its styling, with the now-famous ‘Joker’ indications for the hours at 10 o’clock and minutes at 2 o’clock, this one-of-a-kind watch is dedicated to Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, a Stoic philosopher and moralist of ancient Rome. Fittingly, for a timepiece made for charitable purposes, the design is inspired by one of Seneca’s sayings: 'Recte facti fecisse merces est' – 'The reward for a good deed is its accomplishment.'
For this special watch, sold to benefit ELA, Chaykin has also added the complication of moon phases and, for the very first time, a date indication. The date display on the Seneca is particularly fascinating, as it weaves Latin letters into the date numerals, spelling out Seneca’s phrase 'Recte facti fecisse merces est' over the course of a month. As this is a unique combination of complications for the Wristmons collection, Chaykin developed a new caliber for this watch, the K.18-1.
In anticipation of this remarkable charity auction, Konstantin Chaykin has released the following statement:
'Konstantin Chaykin believes that supporting charitable initiatives is one of the missions of modern watchmaking. The watches that Konstantin Chaykin makes for charity are undoubtedly attractive to watch connoisseurs because he approaches such projects responsibly and thoughtfully. He always offers unique pieces that have no equivalent in the regular collection which makes the offer even more attractive for a collector. Incidentally, this does not only apply to the design: Chaykin often develops new movements for such watches, which was particularly the case with the Joker Selfie and the Martian Tourbillon. With these and other watches, he has supported the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies since 2017, for which he donated the unique Joker Sandmann this year. On May 10, 2024, this watch was sold at Christie’s for 110,000 Swiss francs. One of the most recent examples of Chaykin’s philanthropy is the Joker for Encore Charity watch, which was sold for around 435,000 US dollars at the Encore Charity Auction in Moscow on March 16, 2024. This is currently the highest amount ever paid for a Konstantin Chaykin wristwatch at auction. The independent watchmaker’s responsible approach to developing watches for charity is also reflected in its latest project: the Seneca Pièce Unique watch, which is being offered here for the benefit of the European Leukodystrophy Association (ELA). This watch, is unique in its concept, complications and design'.
The Seneca Wristmon
It is believed that the Roman Republican calendar, which preceded the Julian calendar, was introduced by Numa Pompilius, the legendary second king of Rome. This calendar was based on the lunar month. Consequently, Konstantin Chaykin decided to equip the Seneca watch with both a date display and a moon phase. The lunar ‘smile’ created by the moon phase display, which is inverted compared to the traditional orientation, has been a feature of the Wristmons since their introduction in 2017, when the now-legendary ‘Joker’ made a sensation. Since 2019, some Wristmons have been equipped with a day-of-the-week display, but never with a date. The Seneca watch is, therefore, the first in the series to feature a date display.
In his creations, Konstantin Chaykin often seeks connections between philosophical ideas, design concepts, and the evolution of watchmaking to add new dimensions to his projects. During the development of the Seneca watch, he chose to highlight the fact that the origins of the modern calendar trace back to ancient Rome and that all the major events related to its introduction occurred around the turn of the first millennium, when Lucius Annaeus Seneca lived. The widely recognized 12-month system, whose month names have survived to this day, was introduced through Julius Caesar's reforms in 45 BC. Around the same time, the Romans adopted the seven-day week, creating the precise combination that defines the modern calendar.
The beautiful tonal dial is designed to resemble a golden mask, as Seneca the Younger was one of the greatest playwrights of ancient Rome, where actors almost always appeared on stage wearing masks. A mask for the Seneca Wristmon, therefore, seems a perfectly natural choice.