A unique edition of Voutilainen's 28Sport series, this piece was commissioned in a chosen dial configuration, adding a special touch to a watch from this established collection. The series was intended to be a more lightweight, modern version of Voutilainen's aesthetics, while retaining the robust workings of the Vingt-8 movement.
The dial has a "sandwich" construction, with several different sections present. Both the centre of the dial and small seconds are made from hand-finished and highly-polished onyx, giving marvellous depth and a smooth texture. This contrasts with the blue-toned guilloche pattern on the outermost section of the dial, and this is encircled by a small scales in brushed blue with white markers. The outer blue pattern and shiny onyx surface reflect light differently, giving the dial a mixture of tones and fantastic depth.
Meanwhile, applied orange index markers add to this watch's sporty appearance, while the Breguet hands feature a blued loop instead of being consistently white the whole way through. Both the index markers and hands are filled with luminous material, bringing some of the vibrant tones typically found on contemporary sports watches. This is complemented by matching superluminova around the periphery of the index markers and centre dial portion. This creates a visually striking effect in low light, with the illuminating green standing out against the glossy, dark surface.
The 44mm titanium case is perhaps one of Voutilainen's largest case sizes, with more angular, sculpted lugs that demonstrate the watchmaker's uncompromising attention to detail and craftsmanship. The mid-case is polished titanium, whereas the caseback is brushed. It is also engraved with "Unique Piece" and "28Sport 1/1".
The movement can be viewed through the sapphire caseback, revealing rose gold plated bridges that contrast very nicely against the white metal wheels and accents. It is beautifully finished, as we have come to expect from Voutilainen's work, demonstrating a range of techniques such as Geneva stripes across the bridges, sharp bevelling throughout, black polishing, as well as a hint of perlage seen on the baseplate.
Through the combination of a free-sprung balance with Breguet over-coil and a Grossmann interior curve, and the signature direct impulse escapement with two large (13.6mm) escapement wheels, a high degree of engineering ingenuity is accomplished. One of the hallmarks of Voutilainen's manufacture is their superlative hand-finishing; with expert anglage and a mixture of polished, brushed and frosted surfaces, the aesthetics of the movement is as impressive as the mechanics. The watch has a 50-hour power reserve.
If sold within the United Kingdom, this Voutilainen 28Sport will be subject to 20% VAT