Masterpiece No. 7

Introduction There are watchmakers today who are craftsmen, but do not innovate, and there are those who innovate, but only in theory and with computers, but leave the actual crafting for others to do, and then there are those who innovate and craft, however, it is not beautiful: it is strictly about function - not about art. This, in fact, is quite normal. We don't usually find, nor expect, one watchmaker to have all of these qualities. To have one is enough to be elevated above the ranks of normal watchmaker. To have all three is, well, quite rare indeed. Kari Voutilainen, the Finish born watchmaker who has made Switzerland his home for over a decade, is that rarest breed of watchmaker that embodies craftsmanship, innovation and artistry in his work. He has been doing this for sometime now in private for collectors and the industry-at-large, but last year he made his first public appearance at BaselWorld 2005, as a candidate member of the AHCI. The watch exhibited was Masterpiece No. 6, which is a decimal repeater (a world first), with up/down indicator.

Masterpiece No. 7 Less than a year later another masterpiece is ready to be unveiled - Masterpiece No. 7. As with Masterpiece No. 6, MP7 is a Decimal Repeater, which means, unlike the standard minute repeaters that divide the time in quarter intervals, Voutilainen's Decimal Repeater sounds the hours, the ten-minute intervals and then the exact minutes. But, unlike MP6, which has a power reserve indicator, MP7 has a second time zone. Always searching for ways to make his work unique and simple to use, he decided to make the second time zone with jumping hours and its adjustment being activated by pushing the crown down, thus advancing the second time zone hour hand ahead one hour. A novel idea inspired by his watchmaking hero A.L. Breguet. MP7 is based on a LeCoultre minute repeating ebauche (MP6 was based on a L. Audemars). The ebauche goes through quite the renovation, with easily over a hundred parts being manufactured upon completion. The following is a sampling - all of the components for the decimal part of the repeater (the snails for the minutes and tens, the surprise piece, canon pinion, center wheel and pinion, minute and tens racks, hook for the minute rack, barrel bridge, modification of hour star, with new bridge made for it), the Geneva stop works, the balance, which is free sprung, from stainless steel and, the 18kt gold weights and adjustment screws that go with it... an additional craft element is the hairspring stud, which is placed behind the balance cock's jewel. The placement doesn't add any performance benefit, but does aid the general aesthetic, he feels. The stud is a tapped square and is fitted into a square hole in the balance cock, so there isn't any turning of the stud when tightening - Nice! And, if that isn't enough, all of the components for the second time zone, with jumping hours, must be made in the Voutilainen atelier, as well. The completed movement is finished to a standard that few others can reach, with the movement plate spotted, bridges adorned with Geneva waves, with their oil sinks polished, flanks straight grained and bevels polished. All of the steel parts have a matte, straight grained or mirror finish, with the flanks straight grained and bevels polished, too. Truly, it is only out of respect that one notates the movement as a LeCoultre or L. Audemars (MP6), since the end result is all Voutilainen. The 18kt white gold case, with tear-drop lugs, is hand crafted by a master casemaker and measures 39.50mm in diameter. The hinged caseback is hand engraved by master engraver Eddy Jaquet, with the Greek myth of the Pleiades - the seven sisters, daughters of Atlas, whom Zeus removed from earth and placed into the sky to escape the advances of Orion The Hunter, per the instructions of the fortunate owner of MP7. The dial is 18kt gold, engine turned, finished in white eggshell with applied numerals. The second time zone has day and night indications hand engraved in 18kt yellow and white gold. Voutilainen makes the hands himself out of gold and then has them plated in a black galvanic color, save the second time zone hour hand, which remains gold in color. The "caps" that are friction fitted to the hands are turned from steel, blued over a flame.

Conclusion The Masterpiece series is planned to be five in total (MP6 - MP10), all being based on Voutilainen's Decimal Minute Repeater caliber, with each having a different additional complication (MP6 - up/down indicator, MP7 - Second Time Zone, Jumping Hours). Also, each watch may be personalized to the purchaser's own wishes, e.g., the hand engraving for MP6 & MP7. It is Voutilainen's wish to keep his production limited; small series and unique pieces allowing him to develop many different types of ideas. "I feel I can be much more creative like this, and that is what I like." And, that's what we like, too, Kari. That's what we like, too! In step with his classical watchmaking philosophy, Kari Voutilainen has co-founded, with Philippe Dufour, Vianney Halter, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey (GreubelForsey) a new creative, strategic alliance - TimeAeon. "Their goal is upholding the highest standards of traditional Swiss watchmaking and revitalizing the art of contemporary horology." All I will say is... Well done, gentlemen, well done! Oh, and by the way, there will be another new watch for BaselWorld 2006...More info next week! Additional info may be found HERE AHCI discussion forum | ThePuristS Homepage Comments, suggestions, and corrections to this article are welcomed. Please e-mail comments or sign the guestbook. Copyright February 2006 - Mr. Curtis D Thomson and ThePuristS.com - all rights reserved Pictures provided by Kari Voutilainen unless otherwise noted.