Voutilainen 28Sport Sells for $1,016,000 at Phillips New York, Four Times Its High Estimate
Independent watchmaking has scored another auction success. At Phillips' online sale Watches Online: The New York Sessions Fall 2026, which closed on 9 October 2026, a Kari Voutilainen 28Sport in stainless steel sold for $1,016,000. The estimate was $120,000–240,000, so the final price was more than four times the high estimate.
A rare independent watch
The 28Sport was released in 2020 in two small series: eight pieces in titanium and eight in stainless steel. The watch sold in New York (lot 22) is the steel version numbered 5 of 8. It is a sporty interpretation of Voutilainen's classic dress-watch design and is powered by the in-house calibre 28.
Finnish-born Kari Voutilainen has run his own workshop in Môtiers, in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel, since 2002. His workshop makes only a few dozen watches a year, which explains the strong demand from collectors.
Every lot sold
The sale offered 88 lots, and all of them found buyers. The other top results:
- F.P. Journe Octa Lune (lot 4): $304,800
- F.P. Journe lineSport Centigraphe Souverain (lot 40): $304,800
- F.P. Journe Octa Quantième Perpétuel (lot 55): $241,300
- Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Marqueterie "Gustav Klimt" (lot 39): $152,400
- Patek Philippe Ref. 5270J (lot 50): $139,700
The result confirms a trend seen at many auctions over the past few years: watches by independent makers such as Kari Voutilainen and François-Paul Journe now regularly sell alongside, and above, the classic big names.
The main event of the autumn season is still to come: the big Geneva watch auctions take place on 7–9 November 2026.
Source: Phillips, auction results for Watches Online: The New York Sessions Fall 2026 (phillips.com). Prices include buyer's premium.