Kari Voutilainen Observatoire

This is a watch I am sure many of you know but few have the pleasure of owning. It is one of Kari Voutilainen's Observatoires, a limited production watch that was quickly sold out and almost immediately oversubscribed. This particular piece is in rose gold with a unique opaline dial that looks like slightly translucent fired enamel. From one angle it's white, from another it's a milky texture with depth. When you look at it with a loupe the markers and text seem to float above the dial. Pictures really do not do this dial justice. The watch comes with box and all papers, and a rose gold deployant buckle.

From Kari Voutilaine's site:
Timekeeping was once a domain dedicated to the achievement of pure accuracy, and to this end, so-called ‘Observatory watches’ were created. These watches were not particularly finely finished to the naked eye, but what they did have was exceptional accuracy concerning all the important technical areas of movement production. The surfaces of pinions and wheels were completely true and highly polished and with exceptionally even tolerances; springs were pre-tested and hand chosen, the dimensions of shafts and bearings perfectly realized. Watches such as these, created solely for accuracy and nothing else, are capable of a mean accuracy of only tenths of a second per week, something virtually unheard of in present day mechanical watchmaking.

Kari has taken these vintage observatory movements and finished them to the highest degree possible, but also added his special touch...

Befitting such exceptional timepieces, a very rare and unique system of balance spring has been used. The exterior of the spring uses a typical Breguet overcoil, whilst the internal curve uses the little known Grosmann curve. Grosmann was a teacher at the watchmaking school at Le Locle in the late early 20th century, and he codified a technique that gives the same amount of attention to the internal curve of the balance spring as the external overcoil. Virtually unknown and fallen into disuse, the OBSERVATOIRE wristwatch marks the first use of this curve in the 21st century, underlining the fact that many of the older watchmaking techniques still have their place of honor in the present day.


Movement: Observatory quality hand finished Peseux movement. 21 jewels. Large, 13.3mm free-sprung balance wheel with Breguet & Grossman coiled balance spring. 18,000 vph.
Functions: time, seconds
Case: Rose Gold, 38mm x 10.5mm
Band: Hand sewn black croc strap
Buckle: Rose gold deployant buckle

I am selling it for USD 65,000 including insured shipping worldwide. Payment via bank wire transfer only. I have many references. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. The watch is in New Jersey.

thanks,
Jay