Nothing charmed us at Baselworld this year quite like Finnish independent watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva’s collaboration with Black Badger Studio’s James Thompson.
The Korona K0 was born out of a brainstorming session at Sarpaneva’s Helsinki studio, when the watchmaker laid one of his signature lattice dials on top of a broken piece of Thompson’s proprietary solid luminous material.
The effect was immediately significant and a photograph sent to a customer on the other side of the world resulted in the first confirmed sale of a Korona K0, just minutes later.
This watch represents the very best kind of collaboration, resulting in a finished piece that displays the signature approach of both parties without diluting either’s enthusiasm.
The Korona K0 features Sarpaneva’s instantly recognisable scalloped steel case, modified Soprod movement with in-house moonphase complication and that distinctive Sarpaneva moon face while Thompson’s work with luminous material completely lights up the dial in three different vivid shades with a long lasting glow. The Korona K0 perfectly illustrates the kind of wit and free-thinking still evident in independent watchmaking.
