The Roma Synergy by Kari Voutilainen was rolled out two years ago to a very eager market – Voutilainen watches are extremely rare – making a few lucky buyers exceedingly happy. Schwarz Etienne’s prestige and development grew in consequence. “Following the first Roma Synergy by Kari Voutilainen, retailers from around the world asked us for versions with coloured guilloche dials. This ‘green’ collaboration with Oster Jewelers is our first,” explains Mauro Egermini, CEO of Schwarz Etienne. The new Roma Synergy by Kari Voutilainen Schwarz Etienne X Oster Jewelers comes with the same beautiful guillochage on the dial, but this time tinted an intense green. A total of 16 pieces will be made: eight in a 39 mm diameter and eight in 42 mm. A number of these USD 34,300 and USD 36,800 watches have already been reserved. If you want to put your name down for one, you’ll have to be very quick, and very persuasive!
Transcendent finishes and decorations
Kari Voutilainen already supplied exceptional guilloché dials to Schwarz Etienne through Comblémine, its dial manufactory in the Val-de-Travers. But the reinterpretation of the Roma Synergy with its small seconds counter marks a step up in elegance and simplicity. On the front, the silver guilloché dial (a speciality of the Finnish watchmaker) is punctuated by Arabic numerals at 12, 3 and 9 o’clock (reminiscent of the 28 SC model). The expected symphony of guilloché patterns goes from a “12-part sunburst” to illuminate the hour flange, “fish scales” across the main dial to a “wave” motif on the small seconds. Looking at the movement – entirely designed and produced by Schwarz Etienne – Kari’s fingerprints can be found on the three main bridges (hand chamfered, with brushed sides and block-polished surfaces to accentuate the contrast), the ratchet and the micro-rotor.
Not your usual green
It’s no secret: Jeremy Oster, head of the eponymous boutique in Denver, is very fond of green. And Kari Voutilainen isn’t afraid of a little green himself. While his guilloché dials are generally the epitome of high classicism and elegance, the craftsman is not averse to taking the occasional colourful detour, as witness the use of pink, burgundy and emerald green on his Vingt-8 model. For this latest Roma Synergy exercise for Oster Jewelers, the green in question is a pine green. “We gave Kari’s workshops the exact Pantone reference. It was a pretty tall order to match the colour exactly, given that, depending on the light, and the pattern of the guillochage, the eye perceives three different shades,” Mauro Egermini notes.
Another special feature is the micro-rotor, this time in gold, at Jeremy Oster’s request. And given that he is celebrating 20 years in business, his wishes are not to be taken lightly. Finally, the aged leather strap has green stitching to echo the dial. The temptation to ride off into the Colorado sunset and show Jeremy Oster some green is almost impossible to resist!
For more information and online orders, please visit : www.oster-jewelers.com
