A Week with the Norqain Independence Skeleton Chrono

The Norqain Independence Skeleton Chrono is sporty, but not obnoxiously so. That was the first pleasant surprise when I strapped the watch on. The second was how its 42mm frame settled onto my wrist, unobtrusive and comfortable even. Those who know me know my preference for sub-40mm timepieces — any bigger, and they tend to jut and bulge in the most unflattering manner (the fault, of course, lies entirely on my stick arms).

The Independence Skeleton Chrono does not jut or bulge; in fact, it is quite elegant in its brawniness. It wears smaller than expected, and its height is not so noticeable. I imagine it’d fit right in with the hotshot vibes of a younger man.

Over the week of wearing the Independence Skeleton Chrono, I’ve found myself simply staring at it during idle moments. Openworked dials often have that kind of magnetism. Here, the cutouts form the shape of a mountain, a recurring motif of Norqain. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, the alpine design will surely speak to you. And even if you’re not, there’s plenty to admire in the graphic architecture.

I especially love how the purple bridges stand out against the black satin-finished dial. Visual dynamo. Purple really adds to the character of the watch. You’d expect it to be too flashy, but Norqain seems to have hit the sweet spot with this sophisticated shade. On one occasion while passing through a tunnel, I was caught off guard when the dial blazed thanks to its powerfully lumed hands and hour markers. Like I said: visual dynamo.

Driving the Independence Skeleton Chrono is the new 8K Manufacture Calibre — “8K” refers to the 14 world summits that rise above 8,000 metres (found exclusively in the Himalayan or Karakoram mountain ranges of central Asia), and captures the intrepid spirit and high level performance needed to conquer these peaks.

The movement is specially developed by Manufacture AMT for Norqain, and features a flyback chronograph that resets and restarts time tracking with a single button push, which is perfect for the brand’s love of fast-paced adventure. I’ve played with the function during traffic stops and meal prep — daredevil, I know — and found it to be an effortless way to add a dash of excitement to mundane tasks.