Kari Voutilainen

217QRS Retrograde Date

A limited edition of 10 in platinum, this is one of the most stunning Kari’s I’ve ever seen. First the movement: what looks like a Vingt-8 movement actually houses a completely integrated retrograde calendar mechanism. This is not a date module added, but an entirely new caliber. The date slowly retrogrades back after 31 — it looks like magic!

What you’ll notice first, of course, is the beautiful dial that showcases the best of Kari’s engine turning abilities. The silver and blue color scheme is tasteful, but certainly not boring. It’s probably the most beautiful Kari dial I’ve seen, and I own a decimal repeater!

Get past the dial though, and you’ll realize this watch has a completely new case. The lugs have a new shape — reminiscent of the teardrops, but not teardrops. The bezel is perhaps the biggest change: it is convex vs concave, and it gives the watch a very elegant and sleek appearance. If you can’t tell yet, I am a HUGE fan. Short of the complicated mega-Kari’s, this may be his ultimate watch