Born in 1962 in the Finnish Lapland, Voutilainen’s love for mechanics goes way back. “I have been interested in watchmaking already as a young boy. We had a family friend who had a watch shop and I was quite often over there as my watch was always broken - I suppose I was too wild! And, later on it was sort of a natural choice, Watchmaking School, as I have always liked to make mechanical things.”

Entering the Tapiola Watchmaking School, one of the world’s finest, in 1983, Voutilainen proved himself to be a superior student graduating with an understanding and horological maturity normally found in more experienced watchmakers. Following his graduation in 1986 he began his career repairing and restoring antique pieces, with stints teaching watchmaking in Finland. During this time he made two trips to WOSTEP in Neuchatel, Switzerland for their Refresher Course followed by their Complicated Course the following year. During his time in the Complicated Course he was approached, and eventually hired, by Parmigiani Mesure et Temps SA (pre-Sandoz), which led to what would be a permanent move to Switzerland.

Spending nine years in the Michel Parmigiani atelier provided Kari with the most valuable experience of his career. “Where I learned the most after Watchmaking School was with Parmigiani. When I started over there I worked in a small workshop with a watchmaker, Charles Meylan, who was, at the time, 70 years old. He taught me so much in the field of complicated watches and his methods on how to make things that were learned from decades of experience, methods that are not taught today. A person like Mr. Meylan motivates and inspires me.” So much so that Kari began making a pocket watch with up/down indicator and detent escapement fitted in a one-minute tourbillon with his spare time, for his own pleasure, as well as to make a tourbillon with constant force escapement, which was fitted to a marine chronometer - a piece that was purchased by an enthusiastic collector.

At Parmigiani Mesure et Temps (1990-1999) he was responsible for the unique watch construction department (piece unique), restoration of antique pieces, including all manner of complications - repeaters, tourbillons, complication cocktails, the finishing and construction of complicated ebauches for other brands, as well as designing and conceiving additional mechanisms.

This period was followed by three years of teaching at WOSTEP in Neuchatel where he headed up their complicated watch department. In 2002 Kari decided to take the leap and opened his own workshop: Voutilainen- Artisan d’Horlogerie d’Art, where he provided first class restoration services to a select clientele as well as conducting work for the industry. All of this work was to provide him the opportunity to launch his own watches.