AB-05 Skylight Sun

The AB-05 Skylight Sun marks Qian GuoBiao’s first foray into partial skeletonisation, representing a refined evolution of his “Facing the Sky” philosophy. Inspired by the poetic interplay of light and mechanical rhythm, the Skylight Sun captures the warmth and vitality of sunlight filtering through an open sky — a metaphor for clarity, openness, and the living heartbeat of a timepiece. Building upon earlier dial-side balance concepts, this model invites the wearer to witness the direct transmission of energy from the mainspring through the gear train to the prominently displayed balance wheel, embodying the brand’s core pursuit of mechanical transparency and emotional connection.

Housed in a compact and wearable 39mm stainless steel case (10mm thick, 46mm lug-to-lug) with a stepped bezel and sapphire crystals on both front and back, the AB-05 Skylight Sun features a distinctive copper openworked dial with a hand-engraved gold-coloured tremblage surface. This labor-intensive finishing technique, requiring over twenty hours per dial, creates a radiant, textured “sun-like” effect that contrasts beautifully with the visible portions of the movement. Blued steel lance-shaped hands complete the elegant and luminous composition, while maintaining excellent legibility.

At its core lies the in-house hand-wound calibre AB-05, developed and finished by Qian GuoBiao in his atelier. Operating at a deliberate 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz) with a 40-hour power reserve and 17 jewels, the movement is designed with a clear, architectural layout that prioritises visibility and harmony. The balance wheel is positioned at 8:30 on the dial side, allowing the wearer to observe its steady oscillation and the flowing energy of the gear train in real time — a restrained yet captivating display of horological poetry.

Water resistant to 50 meters and presented on a custom JeaYou blue textile strap, the AB-05 Skylight Sun is limited to just 18 pieces. It stands as a confident expression of Chinese independent watchmaking: technically precise, visually poetic, and deeply human in its celebration of light, time, and craftsmanship.