Building on the Russian watchmaker’s signature Joker timepiece, the Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts blends the European court jester with its Chinese counterpart – contained with Behren’s ultra-light, trapezoid wristwatch that was first launched in 2023 as the Ultra-Light 11G.

Initial Thoughts

One of a new breed of inventive Chinese watchmakers, Behrens has always excelled at novelty watches, thanks to a combination of creativity and competitive pricing. This sets it apart from both its domestic and international competition.

European manufacturers in the same price range simply can’t develop base movements or even custom modules for small production runs, at least economically, while only a few other Chinese brands have built enough credibility outside the country to sell five- to six-figure watches internationally.

The Ace of Hearts exemplifies what Behrens does well – while also being a collaboration with an established European independent watchmaker.

The brand’s earlier collaboration with Konstantin Chaykin was well received, but didn’t stand out from other Wristmon models in terms of styling, so it’s good to see a new direction with the Ace of Hearts.

In fact, the Ace of Hearts stands out even in comparison to the ever-growing Wristmon family. I find the sapphire case models most interesting, as the transparent case suits the airy construction of the movement and importantly, they are priced reasonably compared to Swiss brands.

Movement

The principal inspiration for the distinct smile of the Ace of Hearts is a famous statue of a drum-beating Han Dynasty entertainer that’s about 2,000 years old. Unearthed in 1957, the statue now has pride of place in the National Museum of China – even in the gift shop that sells clay replicas as well as chocolates and ice cream in its likeness.

While Behrens replicated the shape of the statue’s mouth well, the skeletonised movement does away with the statue’s other distinguishing features, like the cheeks and forehead wrinkles, and the result is less distinct.

Sandwiched between two planes of sapphire, the manually-wound movement appears to float in the case. As with Konstantin Chaykin’s Wristmon watches, one eye marks the hours and the other, minutes. Both eyes are lumed, as is the mouth and a subtle power reserve indicator doubling as a forehead wrinkle.

Behren’s primary design contribution is an unusual seconds indicator using its millstone mechanism. This takes the shape of a heart-shaped pointer that traces the outline of the character’s mouth as the seconds hand covers 60 seconds. Underneath the “mouth” bridge is a free-sprung balance, which is good to see.

Case

Behrens split the 1,000 piece run across three case materials and five colourways.

The basic version is 600 pieces in titanium. Then there are  150 each in black or white SPSCF, a proprietary carbon composite. Behrens debuted SPSCF, which presumably stands for Spark Plasma Sintered Carbon Fibre, on the Ultra-Light 11G in 2023.

Last are the pair in clear sapphire crystal cases: 80 in sky blue sapphire, and only 20 in pink. A further 50 blue SPSCF pieces are reserved for the Russian market.

Besides the materials, Behrens also retained the trapezoidal case from the Ultra-Light, though without the curved case back and movement. It’s not marketed as a thin watch, but at just under 8 mm, it’s certainly on the slimmer side.

Unlike the Ultra-Light models that utilise straps screwed onto the case middle, the Ace of Hearts employs conventional straps with quick release spring bars for easy replacement.

Each watch is delivered with a pair of synthetic rubber straps with quick-release spring bars. The titanium, white SPSCF, and sapphire models are paired with straps colour matched to the case and movement respectively. Black and red straps accompany the black SPSCF model.

Key facts and price

Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts
Ref. BHR033TI01 (titanium)
Ref. BHR033SPWHT01 (white SPSCF)
Ref. BHR033SPBLK01 (black SPSCF)
Ref. BHR033SAPK01 (sky blue sapphire)
Ref. BHR033SABLU01 (pink sapphire)

Diameter: 37 mm by 42 mm
Height: 7.85 mm
Material: Titanium, SPSCF, or sapphire crystal
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: BM07
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve indicator
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Manual wind
Power reserve: 46 hours

Strap: Rubber with titanium pin buckle

Limited edition: 600 in titanium, 150 in white SPSCF, 150 in black SPSCF, 80 in sky blue sapphire, and 20 in pink sapphire
Availability: Direct from Behrens
Price: US$8,250 in titanium, US$10,120 in SPSCF, and US$14,960 in sapphire

For more information, visit behrenswatches.com.