Renowned independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen has unveiled the 28 Kohan, an exceptional one-off commission that fuses Switzerland’s finest handmade watchmaking with ancient Japanese crafts of urushi lacquer and maki-e. Created for a private Finnish collector, this unique piece celebrates both artistic collaboration and Finland’s natural beauty.
The 37mm white gold case features Voutilainen’s signature teardrop lugs and a fluted crown set with granite stone, nodding to Finnish heritage. A hinged protective cover displays hand-engraved Coccinella Septempunctata ladybugs on birch leaves, while inside reveals Holly Blue butterflies feeding on Lily of the Valley flowers, all crafted in mother-of-pearl and urushi by Kitamura Studio.
The dial presents the masterpiece’s most breathtaking element. Inspired by Finnish Lake Saimaa in autumn (“Kohan” means lakeside in Japanese), the scene transforms with changing light conditions. Master lacquer artist Tatsuo Kitamura used dozens of tiny shell fragments from green turban and abalone, combined with layers of fine gold, platinum leaf, and colored lacquer set into multiple urushi layers.
In bright light, the dial reveals a vivid blue sky with clouds drifting above shimmering water. In shadow, it deepens into a calm night scene with a faint glow on the lake’s surface, achieved through secret techniques that create this remarkable transformation effect.
Powering the timepiece is Voutilainen’s in-house Calibre 218RSV, beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour with an oversized 13.5mm balance wheel and patented direct impulse escapement. In an unprecedented artistic touch, the main bridge features urushi lacquer decoration echoing the dial’s lakeside motif, a detail almost unheard of in mechanical movements.
Traditional haute horlogerie decoration includes black-polished steel parts, sharp anglage, wide Geneva stripes, and immaculate jewel sinks, all finished by hand using classic tools and methods few watchmakers still master today.
The 28 Kohan represents independent watchmaking at its pinnacle, demonstrating the freedom to create something simultaneously mechanical, artistic, and deeply personal at a level few brands can match.
