One of the revered and revered names on the earth of watchmaking, and positively within the unbiased watchmaking scene, is Kari Voutilainen. The Finnish watchmaker is an skilled in ‘wrapping’ essentially the most brilliantly hand-finished actions in lovely discrete circumstances with tear-drop lugs. With 20 years of monitor document as an Unbiased watchmaker and greater than 30 years in whole, it’s time to look again. To have a good time the twentieth anniversary of his firm, Kari Voutilainen introduces a brand new tourbillon watch that’s impressed by his first-ever watch (a pocket watch), which he accomplished in 1994. Let’s check out the Voutilainen Tourbillon 22 with a brand new motion that echoes that of his pocket watch.
After graduating from watchmaking faculty in Finland, the place he then labored for a restore store, Kari Voutilainen moved to Switzerland to attend WOSTEP programs, together with the famend problems course. Like many others again within the days, Voutilainen began his Swiss profession on the restoration workshop of the one-and-only Michel Parmigiani – one of many founders of contemporary indie watchmaking alongside Roth, Daniels or Pratt. He labored there from 1990 to 1999, a time when he determined to finish his first personal watch, too, being impressed by the work of those males and likewise nice historic watchmakers (Breguet, initially).
Working after-hours, utilizing Parmigiani’s workshop, Kari accomplished his first watch, a one-minute tourbillon pocket watch, in 1994. Three years within the making, this watch was a part of an exhibit on the famend Worldwide Museum of Watchmaking in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1996. This acquired the eye of many, together with Peter Baumberger, then proprietor of City Jürgensen relaunched along with Derek Pratt, which led to a collaboration on a detent-escapement motion launched in 2011 (notably, Voutilainen not too long ago acquired City Jürgensen). Within the Nineteen Nineties, Kari met Charles Meylan, who grew to become his mentor and inspired him to create his personal model – which he did in 2002, with the primary watches introduced in 2004… 20 years in the past.
Twenty years later, Kari Voutilainen presents (with utmost discretion) a watch to have a good time twenty years of independence and to pay tribute to his first watch, the one-minute tourbillon pocket watch. Sixty-one items will likely be made, outfitted with a model new motion impressed by the structure of the calibre present in his pocket watch. They are going to be housed in a comparatively classical case and point out the time on a good-looking hand-guilloché dial. What else would you anticipate from somebody who additionally occurs to personal Comblémine, an organization specializing in high-end dial-making?
Design-wise, this new Tourbillon twentieth Anniversary stands aside from his current creations, primarily as a result of it doesn’t include the teardrop-shaped lugs we’ve lengthy related to Voutilainen. As a substitute, the 40mm x 13mm case depends on straight lugs and contains a knurled sample on the facet as a tribute to his 1994 pocket watch. The watch is offered in 950 platinum, 18k white gold, 18k rose gold or stainless-steel – the latter being a singular piece – with fully polished surfaces.
No main surprises for the dial since every part is traditional Kari. The stable silver base is adorned with a number of hand-guilloché patterns – which might be chosen from amongst dozens of motifs – and the color can be per request of the consumer. The mannequin chosen by the model to showcase this Kari Voutilainen Tourbillon twentieth Anniversary has a traditional darkish blue color, with silver-toned tracks, Breguet numerals and partially blued metal open-tipped fingers. Curiously, Kari additionally selected to replace the show of his pocket watch, utilizing the identical indications (off-centred small seconds, energy reserve) however in another way positioned.
The again is the place issues get actually fascinating, with the brand new calibre Tourbillon 22, immediately modelled after the motion of Kari’s pocket watch – in a smaller measurement. Measuring 32.5mm, this huge hand-wound motion depends on the identical twin-barrel structure, related to the centre wheel pinion, and using a portion of the obtainable energy reserve to maximise torque stability. The ability reserve is 72 hours. The principle attraction is the one-minute tourbillon, seen solely by means of the caseback. Geared up with a hairspring with a Phillips terminal curve and a Grossman inner curve, it runs at a gradual 2.5Hz frequency. The motion is executed classically, with grained and gilded bridges, hand-polished bevels, black polished metal elements and a hand-engraved Voutilainen signature.
Solely 61 items of the Kari Voutilainen Tourbillon twentieth Anniversary will likely be produced (20 items in platinum, white gold and rose gold, and one piece in metal) and might be tailor-made to particular person requests. The value is barely obtainable upon request. For extra particulars, please go to www.voutilainen.ch.
