Kari Voutilainen
BornJune 1962
Rovaniemi, Finland
NationalityFinnish
Occupationwatchmaker
Websitehttp://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.[1][2] Altogether ten watches by Voutilainen have been awarded The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix).[3]

Career

Voutilainen graduated from the Finnish School of Watchmaking in 1986, and later continued his studies at WOSTEP.[4][5] After his studies Voutilainen worked for Parmigiani Mesure et Art du Temps between 1990 and 1999 restoring complicated and rare watches.[4] Voutilainen also worked as a teacher at the WOSTEP between the years 1999-2002.[6]

Voutilainen started an independent watchmaking business in 2002, building a limited number of handmade timekeepers.[7][8] In 2005, he introduced the world's first decimal repeater sounding hours, ten-minute intervals and then minutes.[9] In 2012 Voutilainen together with Andreas Strehler created the watch "Chapter III" for Maîtres du Temps.[10]

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.[11]

In 2021 Voutilainen together with a group of investors acquired watchmaking company Urban Jürgensen and was appointed as the CEO of the company.[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Kazan, Zach (2022-06-07). "Zenith Revives a Classic Caliber with the Help of Kari Voutilainen and Phillips". Worn & Wound. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  2. ↑ Kauzlarich, Mark. "Interview: What Kari Voutilainen Wears On A Trip to New York". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  3. ↑ Stephen (2023-11-14). "A Night of Surprises at the 2023 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie". Grail Watch. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  4. 1 2 "Kari Voutilainen". Voutilainen X Leijona: the Leijona Heritage 1907 Collection. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  5. ↑ "Kari Voutilainen – The master watchmaker who came from the North". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  6. ↑ JJS. "The Finnish School of Watchmaking / Kelloseppäkoulu". 'Generations Together' Blog / Blog 'Générations Ensemble' (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  7. ↑ "Artisan d'Horlogerie d'Art Voutilainen". Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  8. ↑ "Interview of Kari Voutilainen (in French)". Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  9. ↑ Thomson, Curtis D., "Decimal Points" (PDF), International Watch (May, 2006): 137–140, retrieved 2010-09-26
  10. ↑ Watch Worldwide Magazine, Thailand, Volume 08, No95, February 2013, Page 70-73
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Exciting Breaking News: Urban Jürgensen acquired by Kari Voutilainen -". DEPLOYANT. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
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