Independents

The Moonshine over Helsinki: Getting there, the workshops and the drinks

 

is starting to become one of my favorite independent watchmakers: he manages to merge viciously cool designs immediately identifiable as his, interesting complications, real horology in conception and implementation (he may not be Swiss but this man was working in the Parmigiani’s complication and bespoke workshops where only one other watchmaker had the talent to work in: Kari Voutilainen. He also worked in prototyping and assembly at Christophe Claret whose least complicated movement is a tourbillon chronograph!! Believe me Sarpaneva is a not a good watchmaker but a GREAT one) and at prices where you don’t need to sell an organ to finance his watches and probably one of the best bang for your buck for someone looking for a horological watch, with a bold design and something you won’t see on some one else’s wrist.

 

At Basel fair this year I was visiting Stepan he showed me this really cool watch with a testosterone injected version of his signature moon face covering almost 4/5^th of the dial, the time being read via wandering hours at the bottom.

 

My first words were “I want to order one “followed by “hi Stepan how are you”.  This is the conversation that followed:

 

Him: it’s just a test, I don’t think I’ll make one

 

Me: don’t play with my nerves, then why the hell are you showing this?

 

Him: It’s a conversation piece, I’m just testing reactions, don’t think I will make it.

 

Me: but I want one

 

Him: Get out of my booth weirdo

 

I did get out but returned the next day with my friend Alberto, Stepan had been out partying with his buddies from AHCI and was in a lets say more “open to discussion” state and we even started talking about how to implement a funky moonphase display in the watch.

 

My friend Alberto had ordered a special unique version of the Harvest Moon and was due to pick it up in August. I mailed Stepan saying that I was coming to Helsinki to pick up the watch with the big moon face, later to be named the Moonshine. Stepan wasn’t sure that he wanted to make one and he didn’t want to make it in steel.

 

Aaaarrrrrrgggggg!!!!!

 

To make a long story short we went back and forth and Stepan accepted to make a Moonshine in steel  -RG  with the dark grey moon would also be a killer IMHO – but I wanted a steel case with a sand blasted finish (don’t ask him to make you a steel sand blasted case coz it’s mine J ) and we all agreed to meet up in Helsinki to pick up our watches.

 

I hadn’t been this excited about a watch since my Simplicity in 2004! I was literally counting the days to get there and had even asked Stepan NOT to send pictures to keep the surprise.

 

 

 Time had come and ready to fly:

Greeted at the Airport by 2/3 of ZZ Top 

 

Stepan's workshops are at what used to be a Nokia cable factory turned into offices and workshops

 

On Stepan's floor there are many artists and designer who have their workshops and some exhibit

 

Stepan is a one man show who makes only 20 watches a year! His workshops look like anything but a traditional watchmakers' workshop.

 

A Harley emblem made into a lamp!

 components for his watches, Stepan works mostly on Soprod ebauches which he completely reworks from A to Z

 
DLC plated mainplates

the movement rings are all circular grained and certain gold plated

 

his garage? no where he does the sand blasting!

 

milling the plates

 

My friend Alberto had graced us with some amazing bottles so before seeing our watches we decided to celebrate the moment.

 

 

Alberto's unique Harvest Moon all black, with black grills and hands. The case is DLC coated and look graphite color not black. Gorgeous!

 

the box

 

My Moonshine

 

a prtototype of a DLC Moonshine 
 

 

Black Moonshine and Harvest Moon

The new KO diving watch 

 

A Rose gold/DLC K1

 

The stunning Supernova which is now sold out

 

K3

 

Stepan meditating

 

We decided to continue celebrating with another amazing wine, Italian this time, sweet with a slight taste of apricot and safron!

 

the wine was the same color as the dial of Stepan's K2!

 

I didn't know Stepan was in the Guiness Book of Records

 

We decided to continue celebrating in a nearby restaurant

 with scrumptious Finnish food

and more drinks

 

two happy owners

 

and as they say, "What goes on in Helsinki, stays in Helsinki"