In watchmaking there is nothing more exclusive than a “Piece Unique”, nothing more unattainable than the inscription “One of one”. The Voutilainen 28 Hisui not only falls into this category, but it is also a masterpiece – inside and out.
The beginnings
First though a little background information on the creator of the Voutilainen 28 Hisui, the Independent Watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. Born in Finland in 1962 he attended the much respected watchmaking school in Tapiola followed by a move to Switzerland to pursue his studies further with a WOSTEP complicated watch course in 1989.
Kari Voutilainen
After graduation, Kari spent ten challenging yet rewarding years at Parmigiani Mesure de Art du Temps where he helped to restore some of the world’s rarest horological treasures. He also spent three years at WOSTEP sharing his knowledge through teaching and in a classic case of the student becoming the Master, he became the head of the complicated watchmaking department. During this time he was also responsible for giving beginners their first taste of structured watchmaking lessons, leaving behind a legacy of new courses which he devised, when he left to begin his eponymous watchmaking company in 2002. At Basel 2005 he exhibited for the first time with the AHCI.
The modern days
In 2010 Kari Voutilainen realised a personal ambition when he presented his first in-house movement, the Vingt-8. Unusually the calibre uses two escapement wheels which provide a “direct impulse system” to the balance resulting in improved accuracy and dispels with the need for lubrication. The movement which is characterised by its German Silver plates and bridges, generous free sprung balance and 18 carat rose gold wheels is hand-finished to exceptionally high standards, befitting of a watchmaker of his experience and reputation.
Unique pieces have been part of Kari Voutilainen’s portfolio of work ever since his days at Parmigiani Mesure de Art du Temps where he was, occasionally required to create new and original one-off pieces for clients. From his workshop in Môtiers, everything which bears the name Voutilainen has been entirely handmade, limited in number due to the artisan construction methods and über exclusive – nevertheless, the Voutilainen 28 Hisui still stands apart as something very special indeed.
Introducing the Voutilainen 28 Hisui
Voutilainen 28 Hisui Watch
For his Hisui, Kari chooses to “outsource” the artistic crafting, enlisting the services of Unryuan, one of the greatest lacquer studios of Japan. More than one thousand hours have been invested in the creation of this piece, with craftsmanship on both the dial and also the bridges so that inside and out the Hisui is exquisite. The name “Hisui” signifies Emerald and Jade, so the materials used are chosen to replicate the richness of these precious stones. The supreme artistry of the lacquer-work coupled with the in-house Voutilainen movement ensures that this remarkable wristwatch is a superlative representation of Swiss Haute Horlogerie and Japanese traditional culture. The Voutilainen Hisui, comes presented in a 39mm 18k white gold case and will be limited to one unique example. The price is 220,000 Swiss Francs.
You will find the unique Hands-On review of the Voutilainen 28 Hisui Watch on ABTW.
