Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
7136
BREAKING: Kari Voutilainen partners with Chinese mobile phone maker 8848!
Announced in Bejing in October 2016, AHCI member and acclaimed master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen partnered with Chinese mobile phone maker 8848 to create a limited series of Voutilainen-customised smart phones. Overall, 180 pieces will be made.
The KariPhone (not the official name!) is based upon the companies 8848 Titanium model and can be customised with a choice of fine calfskin, lizard, crocodile and alligator leather choices, colours, ornamentation, and even engravings typical for watchmaking finishing.
Furthermore, each of the Kariphones comes with an original Kari Voutilainen dial placed on the device's back side. Note that this dial only covers the numbers 1 to 8, with the latter beign in red colour:
Kari Voutilainen stresses the fact that this collaboration is a sign of mututal respect between the watchmaker and one of his clients, 8848's company founder, Du Yingying, and should not hint at a new business model for his watch manufactory.
I still cannot grasp all this...
Speechlessly yours,
Magnus
P.S: This collaboration was first covered in Chinese blogs and on Horologium.
BREAKING: Kari Voutilainen partners with Chinese mobile phone maker 8848!
Announced in Bejing in October 2016, AHCI member and acclaimed master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen partnered with Chinese mobile phone maker 8848 to create a limited series of Voutilainen-customised smart phones. Overall, 180 pieces will be made. The KariP...
Not even in the Chinese calendar...
plus there are ample candid amateur images of the Master and his new kid(s)... But I confess, that was my first thought as well... Magnus
That's what I thought too
I\'m...uh...really really really not quite sure what to think...
Very Cool!!
Nice Collaboration and reminds me of a Steampunk dream I had once, where my cellphone was powered by a watch movement instead of a battery.
I am not sure about this.
As much as I love KV and his watches, this kind of cooperation always makes me apprehensive. I am certain the finish and quality will be top-notch, as well as some finishing touches from the master, but this is a gimmick. I am glad this is simply somethin...
Oh Dear
This feels like a very unnatural partnership. This is not Breitling for Bentley or some other collaboration between two brands I can sort of understand how they relate. What next? Roger Smith hand engraving Huawei phones?
Fortunately!
that will never happen with Roger Smith with his ethos as it is not in line with the Daniels method Great guy Kari and amazing watches but this will not help his brand. Helping out MB&F and Urban Jurgensen is understandable but this is a risky move.
A man got to make a living
To be fair, everything I read says that being a low volume, independent watchmaker is a tough business. If this is his way of cashing in and making a few £££s, good for him.
Terrible! Horrible!!
someone will probably die because otherone is doing something different...? Oh you boys, there is a watchdial on a telephone.
Does the dial have any function? Or just decorative?
I think it seems somewhat bizarre to Western sensibilities, but if it helps to fund Kari's work, I'm all for it. I don't think it hurts the brand at all.
Does it have any sense?
it's so easy to lose credibility. p.s. the phone reminds me a bit of Vertu....am i the only one seeing this? Thumb down
I remember the song of an ad when I was young, "Money makes the world go around, world go
around, world go around....." repeat. That's the reality, let's face it. Until some day when human beings don't have to eat (physically eating), maybe such temptations to succumb to wealth will go away. Rgds Raymond
Ah well....if they have customers for a watch dial on a phone....why not?
Does it have a function? Or is it purely decorative? Let\'s not forget; stuff like this has been done many many times before. Look everybody: with Swarovski Of course...a tourbillon in a dashboard by Parmigiani ...
look at his face and expression...
I feel him deeply. I wouldn't make him do this if I treat him also as a friend or respect him as a master! Joseph
Well, his expression is not that unconventional...
for him, that is: Some people enjoy being photohgraphed, others feel a bit uncomfortable. Best, Magnus ...
Sigh. What the hell happened?
I don\'t even want to comment. Look, I don\'t own a KV watch and may never afford one BUT that doesn\'t make me want a to buy a KV phone. Just the opposite, if I ever get the sort of money that buys a KV watch, knowing that this stupid venture exist will ...
I'm sad...
It is a phone that will run an old android version which can never be adapted for future... Why would....seriously?! I aspire to own a KV some day but not a phone for sure ! Jus see the dial...think again... Best, mahesh., ...
I see, I see... at least there is some functionality to it...
and then, the Voutilainen, Sarpaneva and Gronefeld guys sit in one booth in Basel - no wonder some weird collaboration transpired with all these sstrange dutch beers they enjoy ;-) Thanks for the additional info, Magnus
I don't see what the fuss is all about..I applaud Kari for venturing out..
I don't think Kari and Stepan s credibility as two incredible watchmakers will be tarnished by this operation. The device is a sim card cover,why not?Kari has a dial factory facility and Stepan is a genius,they joined together to create another product ,w...
Kari rescued that dial factory from going bust..
Kept people employed , did a good thing! Trying to keep them busy by venturing out is an act of honour in my view... what\'s wrong with doing business? See you next week Mo
I'm not sure if being independent is a tragedy but other than that
I wholeheartedly agree!
A very measured response
Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't think this is a big deal.
with all the feigned "outrage" over this, I'm expecting to see
a bumper crop of Observatoires come up for sale. Any of you critics want to sell one to me, so you can get the heck out before KV's reputation "tanks"? Yeah. I didn't think so. ( But if you do, send me a PM! )
I don't believe someone would venture
Towards this phone unless they were already a client of his? There are plenty of diamond encrusted phones to keep the majority of super wealthy clients occupied. So, perhaps, in this vein he is thinking that they will end up as collector items among his l...