Description

Kari Voutilainen, a teacher, watchmaker, expert in repeater timepieces and passionate created about a decade ago his own atelier in order to satisfy the hunger of all the passionate/enthusiast around the globe.
The collections are a true work of art created in his independent atelier in Môtiers, Switzerland. Inspired by the tradition and love for the watchmaking, he created elegant watches famous for their finish and the spectacular guilloché hand-work on the dials. But the beauty and hard work lies under with the movement also handmade with extremely high technical and aesthetic standard.
As these masterpieces are entirely handmade, their numbers remains very limited and rare. Therefore, only lucky and passionate collectors can have the joy and pleasure to wear a Kari Voutilainen that honors the traditional watchmaking with an artistic touch and innovative creation.

*The present watch is a classical and elegant 39mm case, the signature “water drop” style lugs which tend to give the impression it is almost a 40mm watch, it is one of those watches that sit perfectly on the wrist.

This Vingt-8 differs from standard model due to the 65-hour power-reserve indicator located at 12 o’clock giving a perfect balance on this dial with the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock.  The watch is believed to be 1 of 8 of which only 2 made in platinum and only one with enamel which is our piece.
As most of Voutilainen watches have a lacquer dial, this astonishing combination of guilloché and center blue enamel can leave the most critical voices speechless, enamelling it not only makes the manufacturing process more complex but also more expensive.
Firstly, Voutilainen dials are all in German silver but this doesn’t work with blue enamel as the silver reacts with the enamel and changes the enamel colour.  It is therefore necessary for the dial to be gold versus german silver. The entire dial is not enamelled but only the centre piece hence necessary to cut the centre piece out of the silver dial and then to replicate that exact insert in gold and then to enamel.  Enough tolerance must be created to allow for the enamel whilst giving a perfect fit.
We can always notice a narrow band on his dials that holds the enamel insert in place, if there is no band the dial is normally lacquer.
All the dials are made in the workshop of “Les Comblémines” the daughter company owned by Kari Voutilainen.

On the side of the case, the two bands are Voutilainen trademarks, this allows the watch to sit on its side without the surface actually touching the case and causing scratches.  The lugs and case have curved edges to allow the watch to be polished in the future without giving the signs of softened sharp edges.
While looking at the movement, one can’t miss this beautiful large balance wheel and the stunning view with côtes de Genève finish on the bridges.
The in-house movement of the Vingt-8 was designed, built, fabricated, hand-finished and assembled in its entirety in Voutilainen workshops.

– Available for viewing by prior appointment.

Kari Voutilainen – bio

Kari Voutilainen is born in Finland in 1962. He started to work in Switzerland in 1990.
Motivated and fulfilled by passion, he completed his first watch in 1994, after his school watch made in Finland. This watch was one minute tourbillion with power reserve indication, made entirely by him by hand. He was teaching in Watchmaking School in Switzerland during 3 years until 2002 when he started to work as independent watchmaker.
He exhibited in Basel first time in 2005. He is fabricating unique pieces as well small series. In 2010 he presented his in house movement, “Vingt-8” with his own direct impulse escapement. Today he is making everything in house, fabricating and finishing every component to his watches, guilloché dials included.