A collaboration which brings together two much loved names of independent watchmaking, the Roma Synergy by Schwarz Etienne and Ateliers Kari Voutilainen is a quite stunning piece, which fuses the aesthetic and technical hallmarks of this 120 year old Swiss manufactory and one of the great masters of our time.

Measuring 39mm across, and presented in a round case of polished stainless steel, with a beautifully proportioned three-hand dial featuring small seconds, the Roma Synergy is a classic dress watch which is elegant and sophisticated.

Beneath the gently domed sapphire crystal the dial of the Roma Synergy is a work of traditional watchmaking art. Available in a choice of blue or silvery grey, each one is decorated with three different guilloché patterns, which include a ‘soleil’ finish on the flange, ‘écaille de poisson’ in the centre and ‘vague’ for the small seconds at the six o’clock position. Crafted by hand operated rose engine by Ateliers Kari Voutilainen, the engraved finishings contrast and catch the light. The seasoned collector will instantly recognise the styling of the numerals and indices as signatures of Voutilainen as well, while the tapered lance hands are pure Schwarz Etienne.

Turned over, and a sapphire glass exhibition caseback reveals the superb in-house Schwarz Etienne ASE 200.00 self-winding calibre, which like the dial has been breathed on to beautiful effect by the artisans at Ateliers Kari Voutilainen, and feature a sunray guilloché which emanates from the centre of the balance cock and across the surface of the plate. The barrel cover has a vivid swirled brushed effect and adjacent to it, the mechanism is wound by the micro rotor which is set into the plate, providing an unobstructed view of the movement’s hand finished detail. Beating at 21’600 vib/h, the movement derives an impressive eighty-six hours from the single barrel.

A wonderful piece, and a serious consideration for the connoisseur collector, the Schwarz Etienne Roma Synergy by Kari Voutilainen is exclusive too, as only fifty examples will be manufactured with the blue dial, and another fifty in silvery-grey option.