Voutilainen – Ji-Ku

One of the greatest lacquer artists of Japan, Kitamura creates works of lacquer art that stand at the pinnacle of a hundreds of years-old Japanese tradition, one that requires exceptional patience and dedication.

Framed by a 39 mm x 11.30 mm platinum case with teardrop lugs, the dial of the Ji-Ku required several months of work to be completed. The raw materials for the creation of the central area are Kinpun (gold dust), Jyunkin-taken (gold leaf), Yakou-gai (shell of great green turban), and Awabi-gai (abalone shell from New Zealand). The hours and minutes hands are made of white gold and blued steel.

Around it, we find the 24-hour disc that, used in combination with the outer disc indicating the reference locations, makes it possible to simultaneously read the time in 24 time zones. All corrections can be performed using the crown.

Visible through a transparent sapphire crystal, the 3 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour) calibre is designed, manufactured, finished and assembled in the Voutilainen workshops.

Offering a power reserve of 60 hours, this hand-wound movement is equipped with a free sprung balance (wheel diameter 13.50 mm) with Grossman interior curve and Philips exterior curve.

Limited to one example, the Voutilainen Ji-Ku ref. 216TMZ 1/1 has a price of CHF 365,000. voutilainen.ch