Kari Voutilainen Minute Repeater 10

Kari Voutilainen created a gorgeous minute repeater, based on a client’s desire for an exceptional and personalized timepiece.

This is not the first repeater coming from Atelier Voutilainen. Minute Repeater 10 is made according to the desires of a client, one of those superb possibilities for bespoke timepieces that artisan watchmakers (or small independent watchmakers) can offer.

Voutilainen has created a new type of repeater, the decimal repeater. Over the past years several unique pieces where made and the Voutilainen Masterpiece 7 and 8 (both decimal repeaters) are in my personal top 10 of most desirable watches ever made. Until now watchmakers have always used the same type of repeating mechanism. Mechanisms which strike initially the hours, than the quarters and next the minutes. Kari Voutilainen developed a new construction able to strike the time like it is read. He has devised a repeating mechanism which sounds the hours, the ten minute interval and than the exact minutes. This unusual and extraordinary watch is the first repeater of this kind.

The new Minute Repeater 10 is a classical minute repeater, meaning it strikes hours, quarters and minutes with two hammers acting on two gongs. Its 38mm  case is made of an unusual, difficult to manufacture, hardened Stainless steel called ‘Stavax’. This case is made to achieve the loud and clear strike of the repeating mechanism.

The new Minute Repeater 10 has an open dial, allowing us to admire the beauty of the repeating mechanism. The two hammers are visible through the sapphire crystal of the case back. Even with the open dial, Minute Repeater 10 has a clear and easily readable dial with the second placed at the 6 o’clock position.

The anthracite grey dial is hand-made of 18 carat gold, that was treated. Atelier Voutilainen always offers the very highest degree of finishing, according the finest Swiss watchmaking traditions. The bridges, springs, hammers and other parts of the movement are hand-finished with anglage. The surfaces of the bridges are finished with Geneva stripes and the mainplate with snail graining. At the different forums dedicated to independent haute horlogerie, watches made by Kari Voutilainen are always praised for the outstanding level of finish.

The following photos where made by Peter Chong, who also made beautiful photos of the Voutilainen Observatoire, one of the true classics.

Here you can see the mechanics of the minute repeater and several parts with gorgeous frosted finish.

And a close-up of the hammers of the minute repeater. For those who have no clue where the hammers are, they are to the left and right of the piece with engraved “voutilainen”, close to the outside of the movement.

Technical Characteristics Voutilainen Minute repeater 10

• Minute repeater movement, beating at 18,000 v.p.h. showing hours, minutes and small seconds. Strikes hours, quarters and minutes with two hammers acting on two gongs.
• Free sprung variable inertia balance wheel, diameter 9.70mm with 18-carat gold adjustment weights and Breguet-Phillips hairspring.
• 38mm diameter x 11mm thick case, made from hardened stainless steel Stavax.
• Ruby endstones for the escapement wheel.
• 29 jewels.
• Hand made 18-carat white gold hands.
• 38 hours of power reserve.
• 18-carat gold dial, open centre in anthracite grey colour.
• Sapphire glass front and back with anti-reflective coating on front.
• Hand sewn, crocodile leather strap.

More information can be found at the Voutilainen website.