Kari Voutilainen Will Present His Voutilainen 28 R12 Watch at WatchTime New York 2017

Kari Voutilainen — one of the true rock stars of independent watchmaking — has confirmed his presence at America’s biggest watch show, WatchTime New York 2017, which will be held on October 13-14 at Manhattan’s Gotham Hall. One of the pieces Kari will be showcasing is the new Voutilainen 28 R12 wristwatch. Here’s what you should know about it.

Like other exceptional pieces by the Finnish watchmaker, the Voutilainen 28 R12 features a movement designed, built, assembled, and finished entirely in his workshop in the Swiss Jura. The movement, which measures 30 mm in diameter and 5.6 mm thick, is distinguished by its very large (13.6 mm diameter), in-house-made balance wheel, which allows the watch’s timekeeping precision to be regulated within very strict tolerances. Voutilainen also uses a rare balance-spring system in which the exterior uses a traditional Phillips overcoil while internal curve uses a much lesser known Grossman curve. This watch’s movement is the first to employ two escapement wheels in this specific configuration, which is designed for the wheels to deliver a direct impulse to the balance through the impulse roller/jewel. According to Voutilainen, this system makes the escapement extremely efficient and requires less energy than a traditional lever escapement, thus conferring benefits in terms of longevity and stability to the watch for day-to-day use.

The movement’s balance wheel bridge is designed to offer an unimpeded view of the escapement and balance through the sapphire caseback. The mainplate and bridges are made of German silver and finished by hand, while the wheels, whose surfaces are completely flat and polished to within highly uniform tolerances, are made from materials including rose gold, German silver, and steel. A power-reserve indicator, displaying the state of the watch’s 64 hours of running autonomy, is integrated into the mainplate and incorporates a planetary wheel with satellite wheels.

That power-reserve indication appears on the watch’s dial at 12 o’clock, with a small hand sweeping over a semicircular subdial reading “UP” to “DOWN” with fractional increments in between. The dial is made of silver and sports an eye-catching engine-turned finish, along with gold applied numerals and gold hands. The case — made of white gold, including the crown, and measuring 39 mm in diameter and 11.5 mm in thickness — is mounted on a hand-sewn crocodile leather strap with an 18k gold buckle.

Intrigued? If you’d like to discover what the Voutilainen 28 R12 looks and feels like on your own wrist, and to meet its creator in person, order tickets now for WatchTime New York 2017!