Good things come to those who wait… every two years. That’s not NORQAIN’s official motto, but it very well could be. The Swiss independent brand has only been around since 2018, but keen-eyed observers will note the biennial pace of its impressive milestones. In 2020, NORQAIN announced its partnership with Kenissi and the creation of its first two manufacture calibers. In 2022, the brand released its hugely successful Independence Wild ONE watches. Now, in 2024, NORQAIN is launching the Independence Skeleton Chrono watch. It’s not only the first chronograph in the Independence collection, but it’s also NORQAIN’s most complicated movement to date: a skeletonized flyback chronograph that the brand is calling the NORQAIN 8K Manufacture Calibre.
The name of the 8K movement is inspired by Earth’s highest mountains — specifically, the 14 peaks around the world that are over 8,000 meters tall, often referred to by mountaineers as “Eight-Thousanders” — and this is perfectly in line with NORQAIN’s brand DNA. The company’s double-N logo is in the shape of a mountain peak, after all, and this visual motif is front and center in the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono.
But before we dive into the hands-on portion of the review, let’s pause for a quick refresher on what exactly a flyback chronograph is. Most traditional chronographs are operated by two pushers: one to start and stop the chronograph, and another to reset the movement back to zero. Flyback chronographs also employ two pushers; the first still serves the same start/stop function. The main difference, however, is that the second pusher allows you to reset the chronograph while it’s still running, giving you the ability to instantaneously “flyback” the chronograph seconds hand and immediately continue timing your new event. So instead of needing three separate button actuations to start timing a new instance — stop, reset, restart — you only need one: the flyback button.
The NORQAIN 8K Manufacture Calibre (NK24/1) was developed by Manufacture AMT with guidance from NORQAIN Advisor to the Board and watch industry legend Jean-Claude Biver, who was also instrumental in the brand’s launch of the Independence Wild ONE watch. AMT is a division of Sellita that produces tailored, high-end movements for a number of brands, and this customization really shines through in the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono. It’s no secret that NORQAIN has a particular affinity for the mountains, and you’ll notice this design concept cleverly infused into both sides of the watch. On the movement side, the mainplate and bridges sport a cut-out mountain silhouette, while the bi-directional oscillating weight is skeletonized with the NORQAIN logo. The fun thing here is when the rotor is lined up just right against the bottom bridge, you get a layered, three-dimensional mountain range effect. It’s easily my favorite detail of the whole watch. The alliterative alpine aesthetic continues on the front of the watch with the skeletonization creating another mountain range outline that bisects the dial from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock, with a neat little peak cutting through the 30-minute chronograph subdial at noon. Legibility is always going to be an issue with skeletonized watches, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness that NORQAIN put into the process here. That is, it’s not skeletonization just for its own sake, but rather an intentional part of the design to visually express the mountains that embody such an integral part of the brand’s identity. The NORQAIN 8K Manufacture Calibre features a column wheel, operates at 28,800 beats per hour (4Hz), offers 62 hours of power reserve, and is COSC chronometer-certified, as are all of the watches in the Independence collection.
The NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono comes in two references at launch: one in 316L stainless steel with diamond-cut gold-plated hour markers, and another limited edition in DLC Grade 5 titanium with diamond-cut gunmetal-plated hour markers. Both watches measure 42mm wide (41.8mm, to be exact) and wear extremely well on the wrist, thanks to a very manageable lug-to-lug width of 49.8mm. The titanium version, as expected, disappears once you slip it on — for comparison’s sake, it weighs in at 90 grams vs. the 84 grams of the standard-production Wild ONE models. Both references of the Independence Skeleton Chrono are slightly on the thicker side at 13.9mm, but the overall package feels well-proportioned, with a mix of sandblasted, polished, and brushed finishes to give some added dimension. The case is topped with a double anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and water resistance is a solid 100 meters. So, despite this being an unabashedly mountain-themed watch, you can take it into the water without worry.
The NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono Titanium DLC is a limited edition run of 300 pieces, and the steel version will only be limited by production. NORQAIN is commissioning 600 of their 8K Manufacture Calibre to start, with more to come by next year’s Watches and Wonders show. The purple colorway will not be for everyone, but all the more reason to make it a limited edition release. According to NORQAIN CEO Ben Küffer, fans of the brand have been hounding him to make a purple watch, so from the sounds of it, a good number of the titanium pieces will already be spoken for.
I started this article with the observation that NORQAIN seems to have something big up its sleeve every two years, and if I had to put my money on what’s to come in 2026, I’d absolutely bet on a NORQAIN Wild ONE watch featuring some iteration of the 8K Manufacture Calibre. The Wild ONE is a perfect — and I truly do mean perfect — frame for a flyback chronograph movement. A rugged, shock-absorbing case built for physical activity, coupled with a means to keep track of intense interval training? I’m already looking forward to it.
Pricing for the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono is $6,490 USD in steel with matching steel bracelet, $6,190 USD in steel with black rubber strap, and $6,990 USD in DLC titanium with purple rubber strap. For more information, please visit the NORQAIN website.
