Blame my name, but I have always had a thing for watches with green. Often not the most obvious choice for a watch, but almost always it leads to an interesting combination, or at least a conversation piece. With the new Kari Voutilainen GMT debuting in Baselworld, green is indeed the color of the dial, crafted in perfect guilloche, and combined with red accents. There is reason to believe that these unusual color combinations are going to be a trademark of Voutilainen. Since he acquired a dial manufacture last year, his capabilities in this field have expanded and leave it up to Voutilainen to make the most out of that!

Interesting also is the fact that Voutilainen chose red for the accents on the watch. An unusual combination of colors, that is highly legible, and makes me actually think of a 1950’s British race car, battling the fierce conditions of Le Mans or perhaps Spa-Francorchamps, with roaring engines, rain forced off the dark green bodywork by the air forced over the car, while red hands frantically jump over the dials of the dashboard. Vivid imagination? Perhaps, but that is the business Voutilainen is in; building dream machines!

Based on the Vingt-8 Chronometer calibre, the new watch features a GMT function on the sub dial at 6 o’clock. The inventive thing here is that this second time zone is set by the crown in hour intervals, not disturbing the accuracy of the local time display. With a movement crafted from German Silver, decorated with Côtes de Genève and hand chamfered, it also features the large balance wheel with Grossman interior curve and Philips exterior curve.

The case has a timeless size of 39mm in diameter and is available in platinum and rose gold. Only 12 will be made, and that brings me back to the dial again. Here no “Swiss Made” to be seen, but “Hand Made”, proudly printed in small script at the bottom of the dial. Perhaps even more prestigious than Swiss Made, especially because in combination with the name Voutilainen you know that everything is crafted in the Swiss village of  Môtiers.

Martin Green
Eclectic taste in Haute Horlogerie, passion for diamond set watches, loves the classics

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