Konstantin Chaykin Joker
Vintage & Auctions

Ineichen Puts a Unique Konstantin Chaykin Joker, Porsche 911, and NFT Bundle Under the Hammer

The finale of the Zurich-based auction house’s Joker XXX timed auction takes place this Saturday at 1 pm CET. And still up for grabs is a three-piece bundle aimed at those who like their rare watches, their sports cars retro, and their digital collectibles decked out in the purple and green of Batman’s arch-nemesis.

By Steven Rogers
Contributor

If you’re a fan of rare watches, retro sports cars, and digital collectibles and also have a penchant for the Joker’s signature purple and green, then Ineichen Auctioneers just might have the perfect lot for you. Namely, it is a unique three-piece bundle that will go under the hammer as the finale for the Zurich auction house’s first-ever timed auction.

The one-of-a-kind lot comprises: a unique Joker watch made by celebrated independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin, a 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera restored with a Joker-themed colorway by car photographer Aleksandr Markovsky, plus an exclusive NFT depicting the Joker speeding towards Gotham City, created by digital author Olexander Nyezhnyk.
 

Online and telephone bidding for the three-part lot – which has a starting price of CHF 100,000 and an upper estimate of CHF 300,000 – is already underway, with the live finale to take place tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, at Ineichen’s headquarters on the Limmat river, starting at 1 pm CET.

With two Russians and a Ukrainian – Nyezhnyk hails from Chernivtsi in the west of Ukraine – behind the three creations, five percent of the auction’s revenue will be donated to UNICEF in support of the global initiative to establish peace in Ukraine.

Konstantin Chaykin Joker XXX Unique Piece

First launched in 2017, Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker became one of the most recognizable watches of the last decade thanks to the inventor watchmaker’s clever modification of an ETA 2824-2 movement to create a whimsical watch face. On it, the hour and minute sub-dials form the Joker’s googly eyes, and a moonphase indicator resembles his manically smiling mouth. Completing the anthropomorphic effect, the 3 o’clock crown and 9 o’clock moonphase adjustment pusher represent the Joker’s ears.
 

The fun and accessible timepiece put Konstantin Chaykin, previously known mainly in niche watch circles for his complex watches and clocks, on the broader horological map. Moreover, it spawned a whole series of Wristmon timepieces that have helped increase the watchmaker’s global appeal even further.
 

For this special Ineichen auction, Chaykin has made a unique, high-contrast edition of his iconic Joker watch. For the first time on one of his Wristmons, the hour-minute eyes are matte black with pad-printed red hands and markings that evoke the gauges on the accompanying Porsche 911’s dashboard.

The 42mm stainless-steel case is black PVD-treated and paired with a purple leather strap with green stitching. Plus, the caseback features a relief engraving of the Joker’s car heading for Gotham City, replicating the NFT art in the three-piece bundle.
 

1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Restored with Joker colors

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, lifestyle, watch, and car photographer Aleksandr Markovsky bought a 1986 white Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 WTL with the idea of fixing it up.

“Visually, the car was in pitiful condition, but it was good enough for restoration,” Markovsky said in a press release. “I was not planning to make a ‘Joker’ car before it actually turned into one. It was as though it was destined to be part of this project.”
 

Markovsky first stripped down the vehicle to the metal before recoating it in nonmetallic royal purple, one of the Skittles colors used on 911s in the late sixties and early seventies. He also restored the five-speed manual gearbox and installed 800 new parts. He finished by refurbishing the inside of the car with green Nappa leather and a purple-and-green tartan textile, as well as adding Outlaw wheels and a “Joker” sign at the rear.
 

You can see how the self-professed car addict went about restoring the vehicle in this short video here:

Visitors to tomorrow’s live event will also be able to view the resulting Porsche 911 Joker and Chaykin’s unique Joker watch in the metal and meet their creators.

Exclusive Joker NFT artwork

Designed by Ukraine-native Olexander Nyezhnyk for Ineichen’s special auction, the “Joker XXX” is the first of ten NFTs in the Ethereum blockchain from OpenSea “Retro NFT Porsche” collection.

Taking three months to create, it employs a comic book-style depiction of a jet-wheeled Porsche gliding toward Gotham City in the twilight, incorporating a Joker-inspired purple and green colorway. The image also features a “Markovsky” road marking as a nod to the real-life car’s restorer.
 

The NFT will give access to private events held among all owners of the “Retro NFT Porsche” collection. It is not the first NFT to be traded by Ineichen, though: Last year, it sold the world’s most-expensive NFT token for a watch when Chaykin’s Joker NFT hammered for CHF 52,080.

Russian and Ukrainian Creators United for Peace

In light of the war in Ukraine, it is particularly significant that the Joker XXX three-piece bundle features creations made by two Russians and a Ukrainian. Indeed, five percent of the auction revenue will be donated to UNICEF and its efforts to reestablish peace in Ukraine.

Commenting on the collaboration, CEO of Ineichen Auctioneers Artemy Lechbinsky said: “This auction is the result of united work of Russian and Ukrainian creators. Peace is what made this cooperation possible and is what we want to support with united efforts.”
 

Register to Bid Now

Before and during the live event, bids for the Lot Joker XXX (Car + Watch + NFT) can be placed on the Ineichen Auctioneers website and via the company’s new Android and iOS app. Bids can also be registered via telephone (+41 44 298 11 44) in the run-up to Saturday’s auction. Cryptocurrency bids are accepted. It should also be noted there is a 24 percent buyer’s premium. To find out more, please visit the Ineichen Auctioneers website.

(Photography by Pierre Vogel)

And receive each week a custom selection of articles.

The Hottest Lots from Ineichen’s Upcoming “Complications: Skeletons & Tourbillons” Auction

By Marco GabellaChairman & Executive Publisher
The Zürich-based auction house is gearing up for its “Complications: Skeletons & Tourbillons” auction, which begins on Saturday, October 29th...

How Ineichen Auctioneers is Changing the Rules in the Auction World

By Marco GabellaChairman & Executive Publisher
With the relaunch of the venerable Zürich-based auction house, Ineichen Auctioneers, CEO Artemy Lechbinsky and his team breathe new life into traditional...

Top Lots: Ineichen Auctioneer’s Upcoming “Royal 50” Auction

By Marco GabellaChairman & Executive Publisher
On Saturday, May 28th, Zurich-based auction house Ineichen Auctioneers is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak by hosting one of...