The Wild One Skeleton 42 mm Hakuna Mipaka features a multi-layered, shock-absorbing case, an open-worked dial with a minimalist palette and a handcrafted rubber strap with a geometric pattern.
Norqain’s Wild One Skeleton 42 mm Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition marks the brand’s latest release in a series of watches created in collaboration with Swiss wildlife ambassador Dean Schneider. This limited edition of 200 pieces was designed in collaboration with industry legend Jean-Claude Biver and combines advanced materials with a charitable cause. Ten percent of the proceeds are channelled to support wildlife rescue and conservation, lending a genuine purpose to what might otherwise be another luxury timepiece.
The Wild One Skeleton’s case architecture is a standout feature, combining 25 distinct parts into a shock-absorbing cage. The outer shell is fashioned from Norteq, a patented Norqain carbon fibre composite infused with 60 per cent bio-sourced polymer, making it 6.25 times lighter than steel and 3.5 times lighter than titanium. Inside, a black rubber shock absorber cushions a sandblasted titanium container and caseback, a pairing that offers surprising resilience against impacts up to 5 000 g, corrosion and magnetic fields while remaining exceptionally light.
Measuring 42 mm in diameter and 12.30 mm in height, the case strikes a balance between presence and wearability. Water resistance is rated at 200 metres, aided by a screw-down crown overmoulded in rubber and stamped with the Norqain logo. A subtle rubber plate engraved with the Norqain logo adorns the left flank, echoing the fauna-inspired theme. Both front and back are sealed with scratch-proof flat sapphire crystals, treated with double anti-reflective coating and featuring printed logos –white on the dial side, red on the caseback reading ‘Hakuna Mipaka, ONE of 200’.
The open-worked black dial of the Wild One Skeleton creates a window into the N08S movement, with a restrained palette of black, white, red and occasional orange accents. White and red printings on the dial plate underscore key elements without clutter, while diamond-cut skeleton indexes in rhodium plating are tipped with white X1 Super-LumiNova for low-light visibility.
The hands are equally nuanced: the hour and minute pair are faceted, rhodium-plated diamond cuts with red-filled X1 Super-LumiNova tips, ensuring legibility against the skeleton backdrop. The seconds hand – a slim, diamond-cut baton –carries a white-filled tip outlined in orange, aiding a quick time reading.
Powering this limited edition is the Norqain Calibre N08S (Sellita SW200-1 base), a mechanical automatic skeleton movement certified by COSC as a chronometer. Operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and equipped with 26 rubies, it promises reliable timekeeping and reduced friction.
Norqain adds a personalised oscillating weight, visible through the sapphire caseback, which both affirms the watch’s exclusivity. Despite its open-worked architecture, the Sellita movement retains a solid 41-hour power reserve, on par with many modern automatic watches.
The Wild One Skeleton Hakuna Mipaka is paired with a bespoke rubber strap that underlines its conservation ethos. Inspired by the wilderness of the Hakuna Mipaka sanctuary, the strap bears a bold geometric ‘safari’ pattern. Each strap’s motif is hand-applied, lending a unique finish to every piece and reinforcing the artisanal nature of this limited edition.
Constructed from robust but flexible black rubber, the strap is designed to complement the sports-watch intent. It moulds comfortably to the wrist, offers resistance to water and sweat, and integrates seamlessly with the 22 mm lugs. The rubber’s tone and texture echo the black Norteq case, while the embossed pattern adds a tactile dimension. The colour and texture of the rubber echoes the black Norteq case and its sportiness, while the pattern gives the strap a unique aesthetic and creates a direct link to the timepiece’s charitable purpose.
The Norqain Wild One Skeleton 42 mm Hakuna Mipaka Limited Edition comes with a price tag of 5,750 euros on the safari-pattern rubber strap. Production is strictly limited to 200 pieces, each individually numbered and part of a release that underscores Norqain’s partnership with wildlife ambassador Dean Schneider. Ten percent of sales proceeds are donated to the Hakuna Mipaka animal sanctuary in South Africa, a gesture that adds philanthropic weight to the purchase. Thus, every watch is supporting lions, hyenas and a variety of rehabilitated species across the 400-hectare reserve, which is not open to tourists and relies entirely on donations.
