Kari Voutilainen | |
---|---|
Born | June 1962 Rovaniemi, Finland |
Nationality | Finnish |
Occupation | watchmaker |
Website | http://www.voutilainen.ch/ |
Kari Voutilainen, AHCI (born in 1962) is a Finnish watchmaker residing in Môtiers, Switzerland. Voutilainen is generally considered to be one of the greatest living watchmakers. Altogether ten watches by Voutilainen have been awarded The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix).
Career
Voutilainen graduated from the Finnish School of Watchmaking in 1986, and later continued his studies at WOSTEP. After his studies Voutilainen worked for Parmigiani Mesure et Art du Temps between 1990 and 1999 restoring complicated and rare watches. Voutilainen also worked as a teacher at the WOSTEP between the years 1999-2002.
Voutilainen started an independent watchmaking business in 2002, building a limited number of handmade timekeepers. In 2005, he introduced the world's first decimal repeater sounding hours, ten-minute intervals and then minutes. In 2012 Voutilainen together with Andreas Strehler created the watch "Chapter III" for Maîtres du Temps.
In 2013, Voutilainen began collaborating with Tatsuo Kitamura, head of the Japanese lacquer art studio Unryuan, and by 2022 had introduced several watches with dials decorated using traditional Japanese lacquer techniques.
In 2021 Voutilainen together with a group of investors acquired watchmaking company Urban Jürgensen and was appointed as the CEO of the company.
Notes
- Kazan, Zach (2022-06-07). "Zenith Revives a Classic Caliber with the Help of Kari Voutilainen and Phillips". Worn & Wound. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- Kauzlarich, Mark. "Interview: What Kari Voutilainen Wears On A Trip to New York". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- Stephen (2023-11-14). "A Night of Surprises at the 2023 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie". Grail Watch. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "Kari Voutilainen". Voutilainen X Leijona: the Leijona Heritage 1907 Collection. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- "Kari Voutilainen – The master watchmaker who came from the North". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- JJS. "The Finnish School of Watchmaking / Kelloseppäkoulu". 'Generations Together' Blog / Blog 'Générations Ensemble' (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- "Artisan d'Horlogerie d'Art Voutilainen". Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- "Interview of Kari Voutilainen (in French)". Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- Thomson, Curtis D., "Decimal Points" (PDF), International Watch (May, 2006): 137–140, retrieved 2010-09-26
- Watch Worldwide Magazine, Thailand, Volume 08, No95, February 2013, Page 70-73
- "Kari Voutilainen and Tatsuo Kitamura: a meeting of minds". Europa Star. June 2022. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- "Exciting Breaking News: Urban Jürgensen acquired by Kari Voutilainen -". DEPLOYANT. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2021-12-14.