Kari Voutilainen
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DETAILS
Kari Voutilainen's watches are crafted for collectors and connoisseurs of fine watchmaking, making the release of new timepieces from this watchmaker especially exciting and intriguing. Kari primarily uses the calibre 28, a fully in-house developed base calibre first introduced in 2008. Recent news adds to the intrigue, as the watchmaker has announced that production of the Vingt-8 series of watches based on this calibre will end in 2025. Thus, the calibre 28, as we have known it for about 17 years, will become part of history, but the remarkable examples of watchmaking craftsmanship created with it, like this watch, will endure.
A distinctive feature of the calibre 28, which clearly sets Kari Voutilainen's products apart, is its aesthetically pleasing technical design. When developing this calibre, Kari was inspired by wristwatch-sized chronometer calibres produced throughout the 20th century. Foremost among these is the Peseux 260 calibre, which he used in a redesigned form for the Observatoire series of watches launched in 2007. Production continued for four years before it was replaced by the in-house calibre 28, which retains the characteristic and highly attractive appearance of a chronometer calibre, with a large balance wheel occupying approximately half the movement's diameter.
Beyond the adaptations, mainly seen in the reshaping of the bridges, Voutilainen's version of the Peseux 260 calibre has always been regarded as a masterpiece of fine movement finishing, a field in which Kari is revered as one of the most outstanding craftsmen and experts. This aspect of Kari Voutilainen's talent is fully evident in the in-house finishing of his calibre 28, as seen in the movement of this 28QDRSC Piece Unique.
REASONS TO BUY
This Voutilainen 28QDRSC Piece Unique in stainless steel with a mother-of-pearl dial captivates with its contrasting yet harmonious design, featuring a steel case with teardrop-shaped lugs – typical of Kari Voutilainen's impeccable craftsmanship – and a superb calibre with the extremely rare central seconds hand of indirect drive. Before this watch, it would have been hard to imagine a Voutilainen timepiece with a date display using a rotating peripheral ring, as the watchmaker typically prefers a retrograde date display. This unusual and extremely rare, if not unique, combination of complications truly makes the 28QDRSC a unique piece – an exceptionally attractive, high-end collector's item crafted by Kari Voutilainen, one of the greatest contemporary watchmakers.
This one-of 28QDRSC watch features an extremely rare, possibly unique, combination of complications. First, there is the peripheral date display ring, which replaces the relatively uncommon, though still occasionally seen, retrograde date found in Kari Voutilainen's timepieces. The second complication is indirect central seconds, a very rare feature in Kari Voutilainen's watches, as he typically prefers the traditional layout of a standard hand-wound calibre with a small seconds hand. Remarkably, the presence of this rare feature is evident not only on the dial but also in the movement's appearance, thanks to the addition of a top bridge designed to accommodate the central seconds drive wheel.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
The calibre 28, developed entirely in-house and regulated by a two-wheel escapement, will undoubtedly always be regarded as Kari Voutilainen's signature movement. It features a free-sprung balance with a Breguet hairspring, an inner coil with a Grossmann curve, and a direct impulse escapement with two large escape wheels – a proprietary advanced version of Breguet's natural escapement, which has proved its relevance in recent years when combined with the capabilities of modern micromechanical technologies. In this context, the aesthetic appeal of the calibre 28 is convincingly matched by the high technical specifications available only to the finest watchmakers capable of developing and manufacturing their own escapement.
The peripheral date display on the rotating ring, combined with the central seconds hand, enables the 28QDRSC Piece Unique to achieve a dial structure as uncluttered as time-only models. This allows the mastery of artisanal dial finishing – another hallmark of Kari Voutilainen's watchmaking – to be showcased to its fullest, without distractions such as a small seconds subdial or a date window. In the 28QDRSC Piece Unique, this is evident in its unusual design, which combines a sporty style with a central seconds hand and a peripheral date ring. Voutilainen pioneered this sporty style with the 28Sport, released in 2020 in two limited editions of eight pieces each, available in titanium or stainless steel, and naturally adapted the design for the 28SC-SB two-zone dial configuration – Voutilainen's first models with a central seconds hand – also launched in 2020.
The 28SC-SB's contrasting two-zone, two-tone dial design is further refined in the 28QDRSC Piece Unique. The dark blue chapter ring, outlined in black for the date ring, is, as expected from a Kari Voutilainen watch, decorated with guilloché in a checkerboard pattern. The chapter ring features radially positioned indexes with luminescent backlighting, while the central zone of the dial is crafted from exquisite Tahitian mother-of-pearl and bordered with luminescent material. The characteristic Voutilainen three-part hour and minute Breguet (or Observatoire) hands, crafted from gold and blued steel, are also luminescent – a design first introduced in the 28Sport.
Beyond the dial's impressive aesthetic qualities, the movement is also a masterpiece. It offers not only high engineering precision but also superb hand-finishing. The bridges and mainplate feature a matte yet sparkling textured finish, with polished bevels and several precisely defined sharp inner and outer corners. The ratchet wheel is solarised with a polished interior, while the crown wheel is flat-polished. The visible gear wheels are crafted from solid gold. The calibre's multi-layered structure adds visual depth. A rose gold plate bearing the brand's hallmark and serial number is screwed to the mainplate next to the balance. Finally, the brand name, reference number, and unique status of the watch are engraved on the outer caseband.
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