Brown Guilloché Dial Voutilainen Observatoire, White Gold

Despite sharing a strong family resemblance, this Observatoire is not a Vingt-8. It’s what came before, in tiny numbers, powered by a thoroughly reworked and beautifully-finished Peseux 260 before Kari’s own calibre 28 was ready. There's a huge degree of variance in early Kari and it's really beginning to pick up steam. There were fewer than 50 examples of the Observatoire made before the Vingt-8 took over the throne. It was so carefully made that the combination of this calibre, the 38mm case with teardrop lugs, and triple guilloché dial earned it the ‘Men’s Watch’ award at the GPHG in 2007. It’s an interesting watch not for rarity alone, but as the start of Voutilainen’s own efforts and design ethos. This is the watch that began an empire of independent watchmaking.

The actual example offered at auction next month, other photos supplemental and of an example sold earlier by A Collected Man. 

The Peseux 260 is a rather interesting ébauche as well, it was never commercially for sale but only supplied to watchmakers in fewer than 3300 movements in total. This was an observatory chronometer-grade calibre made to compete at Neuchâtel and later Geneva (the clue’s in the name). Prior it had never been in a wristwatch. This was, to run with an overused analogy lazily, truly the F1 car of calibres in its day: bred for competition. The calibre is less ornate but if anything even more purposeful than the calibre 28, it deserved the attention it receives here fully. One detail I adore: all the sensitive timing screws were made again in platinum as well. In fact, Kari swapped out the whole balance, hairspring, and escapement for his own. This effort in every detail meant just 50 examples (roughly) were made over 4 years.

You could have you selection of metals and 38 or 40mm, with an array of dials. In fact, the majority of Observatoires have distinct looks which is rather lovely in itself. This copper-brown has been seen on a few examples. Interesting this is the third time this one has appeared at auction. In this era, it was Kari Voutilainen doing just about everything himself and that’s what most collectors are magnetically drawn towards. It is often said that one of these hands took a complete day of work (hand, not handset). So yes, this is a Voutilainen with an ébauche, not his own calibre. But the degree of effort he invested in each watch is what makes these so special today. The Voutilainen we know and love began here, and it’s not difficult to see why waves of success followed. 

This example looks lovely. White gold, its case appears to be in just as strong condition as last time we saw it. The lot comes as part of Phillips upcoming NY sale, full set.