New Microbrand Cherkas Launches with an Original Watch, the Module One

So, we have another first watch from a new microbrand, but this one truly stands out with a unique, retro/contemporary approach that drew inspiration from the early space race. Cherkas was founded by Vasily Kuybar, born in the USSR and fascinated by aerospace, who designed the Cherkas Module One with a retro sci-fi aesthetic that’s anything but ordinary. It’s quirky for sure, but not over the top with a spacecraft-like titanium case that’s both blocky and rounded with a uniform matte finish. It would look right at home in a 1960s sci-fi movie, but it’s also very contemporary – quite a design achievement. 

The bead-blasted grade 5 titanium case has a “floating bezel” that surrounds the convex anti-reflective sapphire crystal like a spacecraft window, maintaining soft and organic curves throughout. A sizeable gap sits between this and the one-piece integrated lugs and caseback, which introduce a more angular aesthetic. The contrast works well and a titanium crown sits at 12 o’clock within a machined gap in the integrated lug arm. The move from 3 o’clock prevents an interruption of the design and is also ideal for either arm. At 38mm in width and 13mm in height (46mm lug-to-lug), it’s compact and very lightweight. The solid rectangular case back is secured via four screws and water resistance is rated at 100 metres. 

The minimalistic dial is both simple and futuristic with a time-only display. The Apogee-shaped hour and minute hands have Super-LumiNova inserts with a blue glow – stripe on the minute hand and circle on the hour hand. The matte black sandwich dial underneath has cutout indices with Super-LumiNova that glows green. Again, a nice play of contrast. The brand name and logo are seen above 6 o’clock with the latter being an image of Sputnik 1, the first space satellite from the Soviet Union (launched in 1957).  The brand also offers the possibility to order a no-logo dial version on their on-line ordering platform.

Powering the Module One is a Sellita SW300-1 automatic (ETA 2892 alternative) with 25 jewels, a beat rate of 28,800vph (4Hz) and a 42-hour power reserve. Functions normally include central hours, minutes, seconds and date, but only the hours and minutes are utilized here. 

The 24mm strap is a proprietary “Adjust-n-Fasten” piece made from nylon seatbelt material. It has a titanium buckle and Velcro fastener for quick adjustments. The wide strap on a relatively small case adds to the contemporary, sci-fi vibe and any 24mm NATO variant can be used as well. 

The Cherkas Module One is limited to 300 pieces with a retail price of EUR 2,550. Preorders start on June 15^th with deliveries scheduled for Q2 2025. For more information, please visit cherkaswatches.com. 

Sponsored post: This article is sponsored by Cherkas Watches. However, it reflects the writer’s opinion and has been written according to MONOCHROME’s editorial policy.