Voutilainen Observatoire Peseux 260 “White Gold, Gray Guilloche Dial”

Up for grabs is a Kari Voutilainen’s Observatoire in white gold.

Introduced in 2007, the Observatoire was produced in an extremely limited run of approximately 50 examples. That same year, it received the GPHG Best Men’s Watch award before ultimately being succeeded by the Vingt-8 in 2011.

Prior to Kari’s fully in-house Calibre 28, the Observatoire was powered by the legendary Peseux 260, an observatory-grade movement from the mid-20th century. Extensively reworked, modified, and hand-finished by Kari Voutilainen, it became the foundation for one of the most important early independent wristwatches of the modern era.

This particular example displays several characteristics seen only on very few Observatoire models. Most notably, the movement features the distinctive tapered balance bridge reminiscent of Kari’s original tourbillon pocket watch, a design later replaced on subsequent production. A remarkably similar example, only six serial numbers away, was recently sold by Phillips, though that watch featured a frosted movement finish. The present watch instead has a rhodium-plated movement with traditional Côtes de Genève.

The white gold case was manufactured in Kari Voutilainen’s own workshops, while the hand-guilloché dial combines two different patterns to create exceptional depth and contrast.

Also worth noting is the original white gold double-folding clasp, a design found only on these early Observatoire watches.

Offered as a complete set with its large wooden presentation box, original Kari Voutilainen leather strap, and original papers dated in 2009.