NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono Review

Swiss watch manufacturer NORQAIN has been on my radar for just under three years ever since the release of their amazing Wild ONE collection. A year ago I spent some time with the Wild ONE Khaki which I absolutely loved. The Wild ONE is a sports watch which takes absolutely no compromises. From its NORTEQ carbon case to its movement protected from the most severe shocks, the Wild ONE is truly a watch that can handle anything thrown its way. To follow up the runaway success of the Wild ONE, NORQAIN released the Independence Skeleton Chrono which has a skeletonized manufacture movement complete with a flyback chronograph. Today we are going to be looking at the newest version from this collection now in an orange hue.

Before we get into this new Independence Skeleton Chrono, let's first go over the history of NORQAIN. NORQAIN was founded by CEO Ben Kuffer along with Ted Schneider and professional ice hockey player Mark Streit in 2018. NORQAIN is based out of Nidau (Biel/Bienne), Switzerland, which is the traditional heartland of Swiss watchmaking. This foundation gives NORQAIN over four decades of watch industry know how along with a real connection to the world of professional sports. NORQAIN is also fully independent and family owned, meaning that the brand can create timepieces they want to make and are not forced to bend to the desires of shareholders.



There is a lot of meaning hidden behind the brand as well, from their name to their logo; NORQAIN is defined by their values and connection to Switzerland. NORQAIN actually stands for the following: N – Always open for the NEW, O – Going through life OPEN-MINDED, R – A healthy dose of REBELLOUSNESS, Q – Life is about enjoying QUALITY TIME, A – Seeking ADVENTURE, I – Feeling INDEPENDENT, N – Proud to be part of a NICHE. The brand's logo is formed by two N's which when put together form the peak of a mountain. This shows the brands connection to the Swiss Alps and also their adventurous spirit.

The first major breakthrough for NORQAIN came in 2020 when the brand entered a strategic partnership with movement manufacturer Kenissi. Kenissi develops manufacture calibers for such large brands as Tudor and Breitling, so NORQAIN partnering with them is a huge advantage in the hyper competitive watch market. Kenissi has already produced some amazing calibers for NORQAIN with I'm sure many more in the pipeline.



Not only was the Wild ONE a huge release for NORQAIN, but it also announced their collaborative effort with industry icon Jean Claude Biver. Biver is probably best known for reviving industry legend Blancpain from the dead as well as skyrocketing the growth of Hublot. Biver was brought on to serve as an advisor to the board, which can only be full of positives for NORQAIN. Being such a huge fan of both Blancpain and Hublot, especially the Big Bang, I see Jean Claude Biver being involved with creative decisions at NORQAIN as being tremendous for the brand.

Recently NORQAIN partnered with Manufacture AMT to produce their 8K Manufacture Calibre (NK24/1) which powers their Independence Skeleton Chrono. This movement is both beautiful in its stunning skeletonization as well as complicated with its flyback chronograph function. Today NORQAIN is divided into three distinct collections. The Adventure collection are functional and robust sports watches designed for explorers. The Freedom collection are timeless and classic sports watches with a vintage aesthetic. Finally the Independence collection are the brands technical and innovative sports watches with cutting edge designs.



Initial Thoughts

Now that we've gone over the history of NORQAIN, let's now take a look at the watch they sent us to review. The watch we're going to be taking a closer look at today is the Independence Skeleton Chrono in stainless steel with orange accents. When the watch arrived, the first thing I noticed naturally were all the touches of orange used on the watch. Calling Austin home for so many years as well as attending the University of Texas, orange is now my favorite color. So that this version of the Independence Skeleton Chrono features so much orange is a huge plus for me. The watch comes on a bright orange strap with orange also found around the dial on the minutes ring as well as on the mountain design found on the skeletonized dial.

The next thing I noticed during my initial time with the Independence Skeleton Chrono was the movement. Visible through the sapphire crystals on both sides of the case you get a great view of the manufacture Calibre NK24/1. The 8K manufacture calibre was inspired by the world's tallest mountains which reach heights over 8,000 meters. I've always been obsessed with these mountains, especially K2, so that the movement inside of the Independence Skeleton Chrono is named after these giants really means something to me.



Besides having a mountain inspired name, the 8K Calibre is also mountain themed in its design. Through the front of the case you can see the bridges of the movement have been created to look like the peaks of a mountain range. These bridges are done in an anthracite finish and the orange mountain shaped dial elements sitting on top of the bridges really draw your eyes into them. Around back the mountain theming continues, where the black skeletonized rotor once again has mountainous imagery cut out of it. Finally on the main plate there is another engraving of a mountain range.

The final thing I noticed during my first moments with the Independence Skeleton Chrono was stainless steel case construction. My previous experience with watches from NORQAIN have been those made from the brand's carbon material called NORTEQ. The Independence Skeleton Chrono on the other hand is crafted out of stainless steel. Stainless Steel and Carbon couldn't be more different from each other, so it was very nice to experience a case with more heft to it than the NORTEQ cases. The case of the watch seems extremely well built and solid. It manages to have a luxurious weight to it without being overly heavy either. I also really liked the partially hollowed out lugs, which gives the profile of the case more visual interest.



Technical Specifications

Having gone over my initial thoughts of the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono, let's now take a look at the technical specifications of the watch. The case if made out of 316L stainless steel and has a case diameter of 42.5 mm with a lug to lug length of 49.5 mm. On our scale the Independence Skeleton Chrono on its rubber strap and pin buckle weighed in at 127 grams and at its thickest point is 14.3 mm tall.

The watch has a slightly raised flat sapphire crystal which has anti-reflective coating on both sides. Underneath the crystal clear sapphire the skeletonized dial and movement are on full display. Around the outside of the dial is an orange minute ring with each five minute interval getting an Arabic numeral and each other minute being represented by a small hash mark all printed in white. The applied hour markers are block style and are diamond cut and faceted to really catch the light. 12 o'clock gets a double index and 3 and 9 o'clock get longer block hour markers. The hour markers are filled with white Super-LumiNova which glows a bright green in low light. The hour markers are mounted on a black ring with each minute index being done in white.



There are three centrally mounted hands on the Independence Skeleton Chrono being the hour, minute and chronograph seconds hands. The hour and minute hands are also diamond cut and faceted and are partial skeletonized. The tips of each of these three hands are also coated with Super-LumiNova which glows a matching green to the hour markers.

At 12 o'clock is the chronograph minute totalizer which is represented by a black ring. The 10, 20 and 30 minute intervals are Arabic numerals printed in white on an orange background. Each additional minute is represented by a white printed hash mark on the black ring. At 6 o'clock is the running seconds sub-dial once again represented by a black ring. 30 and 60 seconds are printed white Arabic numerals once again on an orange background. There are small white hash marks on the black ring every five minutes to mark the passing seconds. Like the larger centrally mounted hands, the hands on these sub-dials are also diamond cut and faceted.



Underneath the black ring that the hour markers are mounted on is a skeletonized orange disc. This disc sits on top of the movement and has been cut to expose much of the movement underneath. The most prominent feature of this disc is the cutout representing a mountain range running from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. This cutout draws your eyes to the bridges that also have a similar mountainous structure. At 9 o'clock NORQAIN branding and "Swiss Made" are done in white and between 1 and 2 o'clock is "Chronometer". The movement underneath is anthracite in color and is brushed in finish. You can clearly see much of the gear train, which is left in its original color, as well as the beating balance. The area where the balance is found between 10 and 11 o'clock is completely transparent as well.

Moving on from the dial you can see that the top of bezel is brushed in finish, while its side is done in high polish. This look is replicated through the rest of the case where the top of the lugs are brushed while the chamfers and sides are polished. The lugs are also partially hollowed out with a satin finish giving a nice sense of depth. On the left hand side of the case is the customizable NORQAIN plaque, on this particular watch "NORQAIN" is engraved here. This plaque is mounted to the case with two exposed screws.



The right hand side of the watch features the two chronograph pushers along with the crown guards and large screw down crown. The crown is nicely scalloped and features the NORQAIN logo on top. The crown guards are brushed on top and polished on their sides, these crown guard come most of the way up the crown. When the crown is un-screwed you can manually wind the automatic movement in the resting position. Pulling the crown out to the only position then allows you to set the time. Screwing the crown back in doesn't take much care to get to catch either. The screwed down crown aids in the 100 meters of water resistance as well.

The top pusher of the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono is located at 2 o'clock and is responsible for stopping and starting the chronograph. The bottom pusher located at 4 o'clock is used to reset the chronograph. Being a flyback chronograph the chronograph does not need to be stopped to be reset like you would have to on a tradition chronograph. While the chronograph is running, you can push the bottom pusher and the chronograph will instantly reset and restart. This is a rather challenging complication to achieve, so it's a very nice addition to the manufacture movement. The feel of the pushers is nice and crisp and they result in a satisfying click when activated.



The lug width on the Independence Skeleton Chrono is 22 mm. The watch is available with either an orange rubber strap or a stainless bracelet. The orange rubber strap tapers down from 22 mm at the lugs to 20 mm at the stainless steel pin buckle with NORQAIN branding. The strap has a fine texture on top and is smooth on the back. The rubber strap is also very supple and didn't require any break in time to be comfortable.

Flipping the watch over shows off the screwed down case back with a sapphire crystal display window. Important information about the watch is engraved here including case number and water resistance. Underneath the sapphire crystal you can see the 8K Manufacture Calibre NK24/1 topped by a blacked winding rotor with a brushed finish. The lower portion of the rotor is engraved with NORQAIN and the rotor is partially skeletonized with a cutout of a mountain range. The anthracite movement also features an additional engraving of a mountain range.



The Calibre NK24/1 is a Swiss made automatic movement developed by Manufacture AMT in partnership with NORQAIN. The movement beats away at 28,000 vph (4Hz) and has a weekend proof power reserve of 62 hours. The NK24/1 also features bi-direction automatic winding and is Chronometer (COSC) certified. On our timegrapher the Independence Skeleton Chrono showed an accuracy of +2 seconds per day when averaged out over several positions. This is extremely accurate and within Chronometer specifications.

On The Wrist

Wearing the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono was a bit strange since we had the watch before it was unveiled. This meant that I couldn't do what I normally do with watches in for review, which is take pictures and videos of it and put them on Instagram as well as on some of the collector groups we're in. Besides that, it was super fun to get to wear a watch that hadn't been released yet.



At 49.5 mm the Independence Skeleton Chrono is just a hair smaller than my preferred lug to lug length of 50 mm. Also the fact that this version of the watch is crafted out of stainless steel meant the watch was a bit heavier than I prefer, which is around 100 grams. Titanium is about 30 percent lighter than stainless steel, so if this was a titanium version of the Independence Skeleton Chrono, than the 127 grams would be slashed down closer to my preferred 100 grams. Most watch collectors actually prefer a luxury watch with more weight than I do, so this is mainly just my weird personal preference showing here.

The Independence Skeleton Chrono is by no means heavy, but it does get noticed while on the wrist, never fully disappearing. The watch never bothered me while wearing it or caused any wrist fatigue though. The extremely comfortable rubber strap also did a great job of keeping the watch centered on my wrist and never made the watch seem top heavy either. I wore the watch out and about on everyday errands and the Independence Skeleton Chrono was a great wrist companion.



Although my favorite watch of all time has a chronograph function, I've never really been a fan of chronographs. I think my main issue with the complication is that on most chronographs if you're not using the chronograph, the large center seconds hand is stationary and only the sub-seconds is running. I'm a big fan of movement on the dial, so only having a small seconds hand running isn't my favorite. I also never tend to time anything with a watch, so there is that as well. Once again, like with my preference for lighter watches, most people love the chronograph complication.

To test the legibility of a watch I use a simple test where I see how easy it is to tell the time on a watch while driving with just a glance. Dive watches typically do the best at this test with their high contrast dials featuring large markers and hands. On the other hand, skeleton and complicated watches tend to do the worst with their lack of focus on legibility and more on design. I was a bit worried that since the Independence Skeleton Chrono is both complicated and a skeleton that the watch would do poorly on this test. Well I was a bit surprised that the watch wasn't horrible at the test. The dark grey of the movement combined with the high polish of the hands and hour markers made quick time telling relatively easy. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't as quick as telling the time on a diver, but it only took a moment or two to get my bearings and decipher the time. There is a fair amount of lume on the dial and hands, so low light time telling was also more than adequate.



Being a fan of all things Orange (see the initial thoughts section), I knew that the black, steel and orange aesthetic of the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono would go perfectly with my typical dress of black t-shirts, shorts and sneakers, which it did. When I wore the watch out during my boring errands and as well as out to dinner and drinks, I noticed the watch getting a lot of attention. I even had a few people comment on the Independence Skeleton Chrono and ask questions about it. This watch definitely isn't a wallflower on the wrist. If you wanted a more subtle version, NORQAIN does offer a steel and black version of the watch. For the most part the most commented on aspects were the skeletonized dial and orange strap. Also everyone seemed pretty surprised about the price of the watch after I gave a short explanation about it.

Value and Position in the Market

Speaking about price, the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono retails for $6,550. For that price you're getting an extremely well built and stunning stainless steel case which houses a manufacture movement with a solid power reserve. The watch also has the not so often seen and rather hard to produce flyback chronograph complication. Now would be a great time to take a look at some other watches that feature similar features and specifications and see where the Independence Skeleton Chrono ranks value wise.



First up we have the DEFY Skyline Chronograph Skeleton from Zenith which has a 42 mm case made out of stainless steel. The DEFY does not feature a flyback chronograph, instead using a more traditional chronograph running at a high beat 36,000 vph. The famous El Primero movement is built in-house by Zenith and offers 55 hours of power reserve. The DEFY is rated for the same 100 meters of water resistance as the Independence Skeleton Chrono as well. The DEFY is much more expensive than the NORQAIN at $16,100 though.

Next up is the Big Bang UNICO Titanium Ceramic from Hublot which has a 44 mm case crafted out of titanium and ceramic.The Big Bang is powered by an in-house automatic movement with 72 hours of power reserve. The Big Bang also features a flyback chronograph and is rated for the same 100 meters of water resistance. The Big Bang, like the DEFY, is much more expensive than the Independence Skeleton Chrono at $22,900.



Moving on we have the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport from TAG Heuer which has a 44 mm case made out of titanium. The Carrera is powered by an in-house automatic movement with 80 hours of power reserve. The Carrera uses a traditional non-flyback chronograph and has the same 100 meters of water resistance. The TAG Heuer is also a good deal more expensive than the NORQAIN at $9,000.

Finally we have the RM 72-01 Lifestyle Flyback Chronograph from Richard Mille which has a 38 x 47 mm case made out of ceramic, titanium or gold. The watch is powered by an in-house automatic movement with 50 hours of power reserve. The RM 72-01 only has 30 meters of splash proof water resistance and does feature a flyback chronograph. The RM 72-01 is leaps and bounds more expensive than the Independence Skeleton Chrono, starting at around $200,000.



As you can see from the above four watches, having a watch with both a skeletonized dial and chronograph, even more so a flyback chronograph, gets expensive. That NORQAIN is able to offer a manufacture movement with a flyback chronograph at the fraction of the price of the other watches is an amazing achievement and really shows the value of the watch. On top of that, the Independence Skeleton Chrono has extremely similar specifications as the more expensive watches as well.

Closing Thoughts

So in the end, is the NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Chrono for me? I love the watch, but there is one thing keeping it from being for me. As I've mentioned previously, I'm not a huge fan of stainless steel watches, especially when there are options of the same watch available in titanium. The Independence Skeleton Chrono is offered in lightweight titanium as well as stainless steel, and that would be the route I'd go if purchasing one of these watches. I know that my preference for titanium isn't a widely shared view and most collectors would actually prefer the heftier stainless steel models.



Otherwise, I'm a big fan of the watch. I'm just a sucker for orange and anytime it is used on a watch I'm pretty much really into it. The orange also provides a great contrast to the anthracite colored movement lying beneath. I've started to almost expect flyback chronographs now and feel a bit let down when I can't instantly reset and restart the complication. Even when I operate the chronograph on my grail watch of the Royal Oak Offshore Montoya, I'm sad that the watch has a standard chronograph. NORQAIN has also shown their skills in dial production with how nicely the dial compliments the manufacture skeletonized movement. The Independence Skeleton Chrono is very close to my preferred lug to lug length of 50 mm and the strap is extremely comfortable as well.

Would I then recommend the Independence Skeleton Chrono to somebody looking for a sporty skeletonized chronograph? I really would without any hesitation. The Independence Skeleton Chrono is just a great looking watch with a very well built case. The manufacture calibre is expertly skeletonized and the addition of a flyback chronograph is a very nice and not often seen bonus. NORQAIN also offers the Independence Skeleton Chrono in various case materials including DLC titanium, titanium and stainless steel along with a host of dial colors. There should pretty much be a model to suit most preferences of case material and dial color. Finally the watch is just a tremendous value for what you're getting for the price. I'd say if you're in the market for this type of watch to go an authorized NORQIAN dealer and try the watch out in the metal.



I'd really like to thank Emmanuel and his team over at NORQAIN for sending us this watch to review. It once again reminded me of how nice of a watch they produce. Having a model with a metal case also showed me that NORQAIN can produce flawless cases outside of the carbon model I last reviewed. NORQAIN also sent us another watch to review, but it won't be releasing for a few more weeks, so please keep an eye out for that review coming soon.

For more information about the Independence Skeleton Chrono please visit : NORQAIN

Technical Specifications

Reference Number: N3200.40S01.O01

Retail Price: $6,550

Case Size: 42.5 mm

Lug to Lug: 49.5 mm

Thickness: 14.3 mm

Weight: 127 grams

Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel

Bezel: 316L Stainless Steel

Strap: Orange Rubber Strap with a Stainless Steel Pin Buckle

Movement: Swiss Made 8K Manufacture Caliber NK24/1 Automatic Movement

Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds and Flyback Chronograph

Power Reserve: 62 Hours

Water Resistance: 100 Meters