The renowned watchmaker Sarpaneva has for years been creating limited-edition Moomin watches. The latest designs honoured illustrations from the book Moominsummer Madness, including a prestigious Moomin 75th anniversary watch with a prototype sold to benefit the #OURSEA charity at the Phillips auction. This year's release is inspired by the novel Comet in Moominland.
New Moomin watch by Sarpaneva released in April 2024
The new Sarpaneva Moomin watch captures the essence of storytelling through the novel Comet in Moominland (originally published in 1946). At the centre of the watch dial is an illustration of Moomintroll diving underwater.
The watch is protected by the new S.U.F Helsinki Diver’s watch case. Three layers of hand-finished dial parts, Superluminova colours and a turning bezel with a “Comet” engraving add a touch of character to this timeless piece.
The watch is available in two versions, each limited to just 26 watches. It has already sold out at S.U.F Helsinki’s webshop but might be available at retailers – you can get more details from the S.U.F team.
In the scene of the book, Moomintroll has followed a mysterious path to the sea and gone pearl-fishing.
“Pooh” said Moomintroll diving into a big wave and swimming down through green bubbles of light. He went deeper and came upon forests of crinkly seaweed swaying gently in the current – seaweed that was decorated with beautiful white and pink shells – and even farther down the green twilight deepened until he could see only a black hole that seemed to have no bottom. Moomintroll turned round and shot up to the surface where a big wave carried him right back to the beach.”
Comet in Moominland (1946)
Moomin watch by Sarpaneva – 2021
The 2021 release is a handcrafted steel wristwatch with a dial inspired by Tove Jansson’s illustration in the book Moominsummer Madness (1954). In the original illustration, Moomintroll is seen dreaming among reeds on a summer day. The reeds on the watch dial are hand-painted with Swiss Super-Luminova® emission colours in varying order, creating unique combinations.
The watch is available in four different hand colours: steel rhodium, flame blue, red gold and pitch black. The strap is a handmade black Salmon leather strap with a width of 22 millimetres. Each colour edition is limited to 25 pieces, meaning that there are only 100 watches available.
Sarpaneva Moomin 75th anniversary watch – 2020
The Sarpaneva Moomin watch was released in 2020 celebrated 75 years of the Moomin stories. In accordance of the anniversary year, only 75 pieces were made.
The watch, designed and manufactured by Stepan Sarpaneva, was also noticed at Switzerland’s “Oscar gala for watches” (the Grand Prix d´Horlogerie de Genève -competition) as well as at the world’s most prestigious auction house for watches. Sarpaneva’s Moomin watches have been extremely popular among watch collectors.
The design of the watch’s dial is inspired by the novel Moominsummer Madness (1954). In the original illustration, Moomintroll is seen dreaming among reeds on a summer day.
“I had an idea that the original, black and white illustration could also be made in colour, with respect for the original version, through Moominous magic”, says Sarpaneva. The hand-painted colours illuminate in the dark and create a new atmosphere: “Now that the evenings darken dreams change, they get colour and maybe get brought to life in a different way”.
Fascinating storytelling through technology
The 75th anniversary watch is a fascinating example of how a fairytale’s power can be maximised in technical pieces as well, such as in watches.
“There are eight different Swiss Superluminova colours that are painted by hand on the three-pieced steel dial. This creates the watch’s unique combination of colours”, Sarpaneva tells.
Moominous packaging designed by Pieteet
Even the packaging of the anniversary watch depicts the brave and relatable world of the Moomin stories.
The watch slides playfully in to the pocket under the Moomin comic strip, and the envelope-looking case is decorated with the map of Moominvalley and can be wrapped nicely with ribbons.
Sarpaneva Moomin anniversary watch sold to benefit the #OURSEA charity
In 2021, the prototype of the sold-out Moomin anniversary watch by Sarpaneva Watches was sold for a remarkable price of 33 000 euros. The proceeds from the auction went directly to Moomin Characters’ and the John Nurminen Foundation’s joint campaign, #OURSEA, that collected funds to clean the Baltic Sea and protect its heritage.
The prototype of the prestigious watch was auctioned off at the famous Phillips auction house, regarded as one of the world’s most significant auction houses focused on finest collectors’ watches. The watch was sold for 315 000 Hong Kong Dollars, which equals 33 125,55 Euros.
”I’m humbled by this kind of dedication and kindness from a watch enthusiast: the watch will be in good hands. Taking care of our one and only planet, and here especially one of its beautiful and magical seas is a deed of great importance and something we owe to the future generations”, says Stepan Sarpaneva, the designer of the watch.
Exclusive anniversary watch for The Hour Glass – 2021
The Hour Glass, one of the world’s leading specialty luxury watch retail groups joined forces with Sarpaneva in celebration of the Moomins’ 75th anniversary.
The watch, released in 2021, is designed based on Sarpaneva’s original anniversary Moomin watch – featuring a pink goldbezel and pink gold crown atop the stainless steel case instead of being completely housed in stainless steel.
The design of the watch’s dial is the same as in Sarpaneva’s 75th anniversary Moomin watch – a day-dreaming Moomintroll from the novel Moominsummer Madness (1954). Only 20 pieces were made and only sold at The Hours Glass webstore.
Moomin watch for Finland’s 100th anniversary – 2017
In 2017, Sarpaneva together with the Watch Enthusiasts Community Finland created a collector timepiece that was sold out faster than any such watch before that year in Finland. The limited batch of 50 timepieces sold out in one minute and 36 seconds!
The timepiece was born as a cooperation between internationally acknowledged watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva and Watch Enthusiast Community Finland, a community consisting over 14 000 Finnish wristwatch enthusiasts.
The display caseback is decorated with an image of The Groke. The watch, which goes by the name Mörkö-Myrsky, is based on Sarpaneva’s S.U.F Myrsky watch series. Myrsky is the Finnish word for Storm, Mörkö meaning The Groke.
When ordering the watch, the collectors knew only that the watch would pay tribute to Finland, Finnish art history and universal watchmaking traditions. The surprise character hidden in the caseback of the watch was revealed in Helsinki at the Finnish watch enthusiasts’ yearly event on Saturday December 16th 2017, when the timepieces were handed over to their new owners.
“Our 14 000 member strong community wanted to create a specialty timepiece for Finland’s 100th independency anniversary combining quality, Finnish heritage and the playfulness typically associated with speciality watches”, says Joonas Kokko, founder and moderator of the Finnish Watch Enthusiasts Community.
The watch is handcrafted in Finland, with parts made from Finnish steel and a hand-made wristband made from Finnish reindeer skin.
“The Myrsky was inspired by an airplane originally produced in Finland”, Sarpaneva says. “Wanting to feature Finnish culture, we included The Groke from Tove Jansson’s Moomin stories at the back of the watch as a tribute to this important Finnish artist”, Sarpaneva continues.
Sophia Jansson, the previous Creative Director at Moomin Characters together with the CEO Roleff Kråkström immediately wanted to be part of the project. “Community, sustainability and quality are values that are important to us as well. With one of the watches being auctioned in benefit of the New children’s hospital in Helsinki, we definitely wanted to take part in this unique project”, Jansson states.
The numbered S.U.F Helsinki x Watch Enthusiasts Finland Mörkö-Myrsky series sold out immediately, except for the piece number 1, which was sold in a charity auction in the spring of 2018. The benefits of the auction were donated to the New children’s hospital in Helsinki.
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