As the watch world eagerly awaits WatchTime New York 2023, less than two weeks away, several names stand out as rare icons participating in the show. Among them is certainly Finnish independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, who will once again present her latest creations at Gotham Hall in Manhattan on October 20-22.
Famous for creating watches of exquisite sophistication, Voutilainen has always delighted watch enthusiasts with the uniqueness of its craftsmanship. This year, the Finnish watchmaker introduced an attractive new model that redefines the brand’s aesthetic while retaining its signature craftsmanship. Meet the Voutilainen TMZ CSW, where “TMZ” refers to its movement and “CSW” stands for Cushion Shape Worldtime.
The Voutilainen CSW is a departure from the brand’s previous design motifs, which often opted for classic round shapes and unique teardrop-shaped lugs. Instead, in the new design, Kari Voutilainen envisioned a watch for the 21st century—youthful, simple, and crafted in stainless steel.
Although this watch has a distinctly modern look, it still retains the general essence of Voutilainen watches. The CSW has a rounded square cushion case with short lugs and a size of 39mm x 39mm, which comes with a slim 12mm profile. Four graceful functional screws at each corner of the case, decorated with the brand’s signature three-hole design, echo the back of the case to secure the assembly. What’s interesting is that this case design isn’t entirely new; it made its debut in a unique pocket watch created for Only Watch 2019 (below), itself a collaboration between Kari Voutilainen and his daughter, Venla. Voutilainen has also created a unique variation of the latest CSW for this year’s Only Watch event.
The CSW’s sportier case houses a dial in Voutilainen’s signature style while also introducing world time. The dial’s creativity combines traditional techniques with a modern design, featuring an engine-turned pattern on a solid silver base that enhances legibility. Twenty-four engraved divisions represent the world’s time zones. In the center, a subtle casual wave pattern adds a touch of luxury. Plated with ruthenium, the dial is a modern anthracite color.
The dial displays central hours and minutes, embellished by Kari’s finely handcrafted blued steel and white gold hollow hands. The world time function is the highlight, controlled by a 24-hour rotating dial with day and night zones and a peripheral city ring. Ôtiers, the Swiss village where Kari’s workshop is located, and Kemi, his hometown in Finland, are highlights. CSW is a smart watch that allows world time adjustment via the crown, eliminating the need for additional buttons.Powering the Voutilainen CSW is the caliber 216TMZ, a substantial hand-wound movement with a new escapement featuring two direct impulse escapement wheels. It boasts an oversized 13.5mm free-sprung balance wheel with Grossman inner curve and Philips outer curve, beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour. Power reserve is 60 hours. The German silver mainplates and bridges are hand-finished with generous bevels and sharp internal corners. The wheel is made of solid rose gold with beveled spokes, demonstrating the finest craftsmanship.
