Sarpaneva Watches celebrates Moomins, the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson in a series of 4 watches, each limited to 25 pieces.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
Commentary
Interesting twist to the Sarpaneva story, with this new collaboration. Stepan Sarpaneva has always been a curious creature in the watchmaking scene. Fiercely independent, Stepan works out of his workshop in Finland, often alone. He stands as a an enigmatic character. Huge in stature, with a face which could threaten a gangster, but yet, a mild and gentle person. The signature face transcribed onto the image of the moon is the calling sign of this watchmaker. And found on the rotor of this new series, visible on the case back.
The watches are time only, but very interesting, as the story is told on the dial which is decorated with the characters of the series of books by Finnish author Trove Janssen about the Moomins. Written and illustrated in a total of nine books released in the series, together with four picture books and a comic strip published between 1954 and 1975.
All four watches carry the same scene depiction, of one of the key characters – Moominmamma. The scene shows the always calm and collected mother who never lets little things get on her nerves, lying serenely surrounded by foliage. The hands are the key differentiation among the 4 novelties – being in either rhodium, blue, gold or black. But what is most interesting on this new series is the use of multi-colour SuperLuminova on the decorations of the dial, to showcase the foliage. The colourful glow gives the watch a playful character, perhaps in line with the mood of the children’s book depiction.
The watch is in a sustainable stainless steel case from a Finnish steel mill known as Outokumpu. The dial also in stainless steel, hand painted in 8 different SuperLuminova colours. The movement is a Sporod A10, with a customized rotor, also in stainless steel with the signature Sarpaneva Moon, executed in the 9th SuperLuminova colour to be found in the watch. The watch comes with a salmon strap and a special treasure roll made by Finlayson™
Sarpaneva x Moomin
Price 12 000€ excluding VAT.
This handcrafted steel wristwatch features three-layered skeletonized dials with 8 hand-painted Swiss Super- Luminova® emission colours in varying order creating unique combinations. © Moomin Characters™ Moomin is a trademark of Moomin Characters Oy, Ltd.
“ Moominmamma was sitting on the front steps in the sun, rigging a model bark schooner. ‘One big sail on the mainmast, and one on the mizzen, and several small three-cornered ones to the bowsprit, if I remember rightly,’ she thought. The rudder was a ticklish job, and the hold an odder one. Moominmamma had cut a tiny bark hatch, and when she laid it on it fitted snugly and neatly over the hold. ‘Just in case of a hurricane,’ she said to herself with a happy sigh. – – –
Moomintroll was lying in his customary place (or one of his places) curled up on the green-and-yellow moss with his tail carefully tucked in under him. He looked gravely and contentedly down into the water while he listened to the rustle of wings and the drowsy buzz of bees around him. It’s for me, he thought. I’m sure it’s for me. She always makes the first bark boat of the summer for the one she likes most.”
Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson 1955
Find out more about Tove Jansson and the Moomins here:
Sarpaneva x Moomin Specifications
Limited to 25 pieces / color: Steel Rhodium, Flame Blue, Red Gold & Pitch Black
Total series 100 pieces
Movement
Modified Swiss Made Soprod A10 Calibre, 11.5 lines, 28800 mph (4 Hz)
Mechanical Automatic winding
Hours, Minutes
25 jewels
42 Hours power reserve
Rhodium plated, Perlage finishing
Stainless steel winding mass with Sarpaneva Moonface, white gold weights, Swiss Super-Luminova®
Case
Sarpaneva case in high-grade Outokumpu stainless steel from Finland (SUPRA 316L/4435)
Case size: 42 mm
Case thickness: 11,4 mm
Lug to lug length: 46 mm
Front and back sapphire crystals with multi anti-reflective coating on the inside
Screw-down Sarpaneva crown at 4 0´clock
Water-resistant to 10 ATM
Dial
3 Part Stainless Steel, Hand Finished, Hand Painted Swiss (8) Swiss Super-Luminova®
Hand finished stainless steel index ring
Total 9 different Swiss Super-Luminova® including the new Sarpaneva Moonface winding mass
Hands
Two-tone hands in Steel Rhodium, Flame Blue, Red Gold or Pitch Black with Swiss Super-Luminova®
Strap
Handmade black Salmon leather strap, 22mm
Sarpaneva stainless steel pin buckle 18mm
Lug width: 22 mm
The watch is delivered in a treasure roll made by Finlayson™
