"The idea was to make something simple and a bit brutal, but beautiful…like life in Finland.”
-Stepan Sarpaneva
Originally inspired by a Harley Davidson kickstart pinion, Sarpaneva's Loiste II made from Stavax ESR steel is actually a cog itself. The first variation was built as a pocket watch, followed by the Loiste and now the Loiste II. Customizing fascinating functions like the foreboding looking double black moonphase complication, it measures both northern and southern hemispheres and Stepan further explained that the owner can also use the display for representing the physical moon on top (12 0'clock) or by its shadow on the bottom (6 o'clock). The other ingenious feature is his own 'Turbini' winding mass, a turbine style rotor that spins with guillotine efficiency while revealing the movement. The metallic icing of this ticking cake is the intricately machined three-dimensional dial in brass or aluminum. Overall, very interesting and dangerous looking elements to this watch.
Before launching his own brand, Stepan's talents were perfected at Piaget, Parmigiani, Christophe Claret, and Vianney Halter.
Sarpaneva's Custom 'Turbini' Rotor- 25 jewel ETA 2824-A2 calibre 11 1/2 lines modified by SW, Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Phases of the moon. 28 800 vibrations per hour (4hz) 42-hour power reserve.
Stepan's original inspiration - a Harley Davidson kickstart pinion
Double Black Moons
Last but not least, see my previous feature of Sarpaneva's watch for sixties design icon, Eero Aarnio-->Link
