Why I Love It: Stepan Sarpaneva’s new “Nocturne”

When I say watches should be fun, I mean it. Too often, I see people taking this hobby far too seriously. Scrutinizing every detail of a watch down to the smallest possible measurement, arguing about the merits of one watch genre over another, and, worst of all, acting as gatekeepers in some fashion for a hobby with plenty of room for everyone. The people who tell you on a forum that a certain watch or entire brand isn’t worthy, and that to be a real collector you have to buy into something specific rather than simply following your taste. Anyway, this attitude in general irks me, as I’m sure it does many of you, and I’m always on the lookout for watches that have a strange, niche appeal rooted in fun and individual expression. With that in mind, I’m particularly fond of the latest release from Stepan Sarpaneva. His new “Nocturne” is a whimsical, lume filled watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but is filled with high craft. 

To put this watch in context, it’s probably worthwhile to begin the discussion by pointing out that the Nocturne feels like a spiritual sequel of sorts to a pair of watches made under Sarpaneva’s SUF Helsinki brand using characters from the “Moomin” series, a well known comic in Sarpaneva’s native Finland. These watches featured scenes inspired by the comic and artwork lifted from its pages via a dial with laser cut segments filled with different shades of lume. When the dials of these watches are fully charged, their colorful comic inspiration is readily apparent, as is the technical precision involved in creating such a dial. The details must have been maddeningly complex to render in a watch dial. 

The Nocturne, while not part of what I hope is still an ongoing Moomin series, resembles those watches in spirit. The dial is constructed in a similar fashion, with a total of 233 apertures, almost all of which are filled with luminescent material. The scene depicted here was created by comic book artist Ville Tietäväinen, and prominently features a very large owl in the lower left quadrant. A total of 9 different lume colors are used throughout the dial, creating a vivid nighttime scene. 

Unlike the Moomin watches, the Nocturne uses this style of laser cut and lume filled dial to highlight Sarpaneva’s signature moonphase complication. The new Nocturne takes this Sarpaneva staple and combines it with the comic style art and innovative lume application to elevate the moonphase to a starring role. The moon disc, when representing a full moon, takes up most of the upper right quadrant of the watch dial, so that it stands directly opposite the owl below it. It’s expressive, whimsical, and a lot of fun. And if the craftsmanship of the dial is at least the equal of the earlier Moomin watches, it will be a sight to behold when the lume is at its brightest. 

It’s easy to dismiss a watch like this as something that is completely frivolous. It’s certainly quite niche, and the low production number and high price of the limited edition reflects that (60 total pieces across two variants – one with a moon that glows white, the other with a moon that glows orange, both retailing for €19,000). But when it comes to high end independent watchmaking, this is the stuff that I enjoy the most. I see a watch like this as being under the same umbrella as an MB&F or an Urwerk, as it’s the product of one person’s (or a small team’s) absolute commitment to doing something incredibly creative in their own way. There are wonderful independent watchmakers who make beautiful watches in a classical style, the way watches have been made for centuries, more or less. But I love risk taking, and seeing things I haven’t considered before executed at a high level. More than anything, I love watches that simply put a smile on my face, and that’s what the Nocturne does whenever I take a look at it. Sarpaneva