A unique piece from Voutilainen's 28Sport series, commissioned by a collector. The dial has a "sandwich" construction typical of the 28Sport series, with several different sections typically separated by different guilloché patterns. But with this example, these sections are unified by the art that stretches across the dial as a whole, a beautifully hand-engraved surface, hand-painted by Terttu Voutilainen.
We see the contours of a planetary body on the upper right of the dial, with scattered stars across the deep black backdrop and swirling lines on the left that bring to mind the shape of the Milky Way. At the sub-seconds, there is a small moon placed in a nod to where a typical moonphase is usually found, encircled by the dotted indications on the chapter ring which are in the same style of the painted stars. Luminous material has been applied throughout, allowing the watch's appearance to transform in the dark.
The rest of the dial remains minimal to allow the art to shine – Voutilainen's usual hallmark is absent from the dial, and the applied indices are relatively unobtrusive, merely framing the piece. The hands, true to the Voutilainen aesthetic, are of the observatoire variety. They feature a high contrast, frosted silver finish, with heat-blued inserts in the hours and minutes hands. Both the index markers and hands are filled with luminous material, and this is complemented by matching luminous material around the periphery of the index markers
The tantalum case is a deep grey tone that complements the dial, and is also a more rarely seen metal within Voutilainen's work, due to how difficult it is to work with. This lustrous material is also known for its incredible density and scratch resistance, making it a suitably futuristic material for the watch. The angular, sculpted lugs, polished midcase, and brushed caseback are all further hallmarks of the series captured in tantalum.
The movement can be viewed through the sapphire caseback, revealing rose gold plated bridges that contrast very nicely against the white metal wheels and accents. It is beautifully finished, as we have come to expect from Voutilainen's work, demonstrating a range of techniques such as Geneva stripes across the bridges, sharp bevelling throughout, black polishing, as well as a hint of perlage seen on the baseplate.
Through the combination of a free-sprung balance with Breguet over-coil and a Grossmann interior curve, and the signature direct impulse escapement with two large (13.6mm) escapement wheels, a high degree of engineering ingenuity is accomplished. One of the hallmarks of Voutilainen's manufacture is their superlative hand-finishing; with expert anglage and a mixture of polished, brushed and frosted surfaces, the aesthetics of the movement is as impressive as the mechanics. The watch has a 50-hour power reserve. Screwed-on rose gold plaques on the baseplate bear the brand mark as well as the serial number. Finally, the outer rim of the case is engraved with Voutilainen's name, in addition to its unique piece status and the series the watch is part of.
If sold within the United Kingdom, this Voutilainen 28Sport Unique Piece will be subject to 20% VAT
