Manufacturer: Voutilainen
Year: 2012
Reference No: B.12.1038
Case No: Caseback engraved: Unique Piece
Model Name: L'Esprit du Bois
Material: 18k white gold
Calibre: Manual wind, 28 jewels
Bracelet/Strap: Leather
Clasp/Buckle: 18 white gold Voutilainen pin buckle
Dimensions: 43mm Diameter
Signed: Case,dial, movement and pin buckle signed
Accessories: Accompanied by original Voutilainen warranty dated December 2012, product literature, outer box and fitted presentation box.
Literature: Kari Voutilainen and his works are featured in Kari Voutilainen Horlogerie d'Art by Theodore Diehl as well as in Watchmakers, The Masters of Art Horology by Maxima Gallery pp 228-247 and in Twelve faces of Time, Horological Virtuosos by Elisabeth Doerr and Ralf Baumgarten pp. 90-105
Catalogue Essay
Kari Voutilainen is without any discussion, one of the most talented living watchmakers of our time. His signature being complex mechanisms with superlative handmade finishing. Every component in his watches, from the bridges to the tiniest of screws, involves manual labor, may it be adjusted tolerances, polishing, angling and so on.

After spending a decade restoring the finest horological creations of the past three centuries Kari Voutilainen became a rising star in the watchmaking scene in the early 2000s with his unique decimal minute repeaters. These watches were soon followed by his Observatory models with a movement finish often compared to that of the great Philippe Dufour.

Voutilainen created the world’s very first decimal minute repeater wrist watch, a horological feat and a very intuitive way of chiming time where the movement chimes the ten minutes and no longer the quarter hours contrary to all repeating wristwatches available at the time. For example, if the time is 6.47 then the decimal repeater will strike 6 low tones representing the hours, 4 sequence tones representing 40 minutes, and 7 high tones representing 9 minutes.

Needless to say, the chimes of this piece are crisp, loud and incredibly pleasing to the ear.

The present unique piece in white gold - commissioned by a collector of impeccable taste- is a true piece of horology and visual arts combined.

The dial features a superb engraved GMT indicator representing the day and night, that advances in one hour increments via a push on the crown.

The officer style caseback features a sumptuous scene in hand engraved by a theme inspired from Pleiades seven daughters of Atlas on an enamel background. The intricate hand engraving is done by Eddy Jaquet, an artist having worked with the greatest brands in the creation of unique bespoke pieces.

An outstanding timepiece, this unique masterpiece from one of horology’s greatest masters will certainly have a place of choice in the collection of the discerning esthete.