Although the Voutilainen style is rooted in tradition, sometimes it encompasses less-than-conservative watches, like the Voutilainen KV20i Reversed Cherry, a colourful variant of the brand’s signature inverted-movement model.

Kari Voutilainen is one of the most respected contemporary independent watchmakers — and for good reason. He has struck a perfect balance between the artisanal aspects of horology with enough business acumen to guarantee him absolute creative liberty and longevity. Despite his success, Mr Voutilainen didn’t scale up his namesake brand, instead choosing to continue making small-run timepieces. While the KV20i Reversed Cherry is not a limited edition, only a handful will be made, as is typical of the brand.

Initial thoughts

The Vingt-8 Reversed is a staple of the Voutilainen collection, having started five years ago with the 28TI – short for “Titanium Inverse”. An evolution of the Inverse, the KV20i Reversed is remarkably similar, although much has changed in terms of details.

Voutilainen wristwatches are characterised by two key traits: impeccable movements and hand-made guilloche dials sporting deep and rich patterns. The Reversed puts the former in the front, taking the place of the dial, while guilloche is concealed on the back. 

While a guilloché front dial will surely be missed, the visible mechanics more than compensate. The latest incarnation of Voutilainen’s in-house cal. 28 reverses the construction, which required a number tweaks to the standard caliber.

Overall the design works remarkably well, especially with the crimson colour, which serves to underline the fine details of the watch. It’s a colour that pairs well with the grey surfaces of the movement and polished steel. Moreover, the colour scheme feels festive — fitting for a release happening close to the winter holiday season.

Lastly, it’s also worth noting that the Reversed is more symmetrical on the front than the Inverse thanks to a repositioned balance wheel and reworked balance cock. The symmetry, however, comes at the expensive of the full balance bridge found on the Inverse that is both tedious to decorate and visually pleasing.

The 28TI with its full balance bridge

An updated movement

At its core the movement in the KV20i is an evolution of the Inverse movement, which in turn is derived from cal. 28 found in the Vingt-8. The main differences between the latest incarnation and the original Inverse is the use of a balance cock instead of a full balance bridge and tweaks to the double-wheel escapement. 

Admiring the movement directly through the front crystal, the onlooker is greeted by gears and layered dark grey frosted surfaces. The movement architecture has two dominating elements: the barrel click and crown wheels and the large, slow-beating balance. 

The crown wheel and the click wheel are extensively finished, with mirror polishing and a circular light frosting pattern. When the watch is wound, the wearer can easily see the ratcheting interaction of the wheel with the small click. The barrel underneath stores 60 hours’ worth of energy.

The most fascinating element of the movement must be the large free-sprung balance. It measures 13.5 mm in diameter, which is almost half of the movement’s 30 mm diameter. Since it is now fixed by a one-sided cock rather than a full bridge, the oscillator is now more visible. 

The generous balance beats at a classic 2.5 Hz rate and has an impressive construction. The four regulating gold weights are fixed inside special housings inside the rim, which theoretically aids with the aerodynamics of the balance. 

The balance works together with a very special hairspring, which has both a Phillips overcoil and a Grossmann inner curve. The Phillips end curve is the mathematically-validated shape of a Breguet overcoil. It allows the spring’s outer coils to develop concentrically when vibrating. 

The Grossmann inner curve is a lesser-known device that allows the innermost coils of the spring to develop concentrically, unaffected by the collet. A Grossmann interior curve is extremely difficult to execute and was historically reserved for high-grade chronometer movements. The fact that Voutilainen has consistently employed this particular curve since his first in-house movements speaks of his unwavering commitment to quality.

Engaging the balance is Kari’s proprietary take on Breguet’s natural escapement — made using only traditional materials. The two mirrored blue escape wheels can be seen right under the balance. This escapement is more efficient than the common Swiss lever and its implementation impressive, especially when coming from a small manufacture that doesn’t have advanced R&D facilities. 

A reversed construction

Turning the watch over reveals what would normally be found under the dial. The view gives an insight into the elegant keyless works and the main plate architecture. All visible steel parts, like springs, levers or screw-heads are black polished.

The two visible engaged gears make up the reversing gear train. The gear in the centre is actually co-axial with the centre wheel, which turns once per hour. That motion is then transmitted to the opposite side of the movement and reversed. 

The back also contains a small seconds register, decorated Voutlainen’s trademark hand-made guilloché. And around the movement is a chapter ring finished with a barleycorn engine turning. All of the guilloché parts finished in a pleasant dark red, hence the “cherry” moniker. The crimson hue is found on the front as well, in the form of a slim chapter ring for the minute scale encircling the movement.

The case is in titanium — an alloy often employed in Voutilainen’s Reversed pieces. It measures 39 mm in diameter, typical for Vingt-8 models, and on the larger side of most dress watches. But again, the reversed construction means this more than a classical watch, making the size appropriate. 

Key facts and price

Voutilainen KV20i Reversed Cherry

Diameter: 39 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: In-house Voutilainen movement with reversed architecture
Functions: Hours, minutes, and small seconds on the back
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Textile and calfskin hand-sewn strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: From Voutilainen and retailers
Price: CHF124,800 without VAT

For more, visit Voutilainen.ch.