Sarpaneva Presents Näkki Blue Moon for The Hour Glass

The latest opus by the Finnish watchmaker retells a Scandinavian folk legend in brilliant technicolour using Super-LumiNova. This special edition for The Hour Glass is limited to 30 pieces only.

The Finnish independent watchmaker presents a special edition of the Sarpaneva Näkki for The Hour Glass. Having first innovated the artistic use of Super-LumiNova in 2020 with the Moomin watch, followed by the Sarpaneva Nocturne in 2022, this third act draws inspiration from Finland.

The design features a dial based on an illustration of the Scandinavian water spirit by Finnish comic book artist Ville Tietäväinen, presented in the Korona-styled stainless steel case.

The Cerulean Betrayal

In Finnish folklore, the Näkki is a shape-shifting water spirit that lives under bridges, luring unsuspecting victims into their watery domains with their music. The illustration by Ville Tietäväinen depicts of a fateful night when the Näkki encountered the full moon, and mysteriously vanishing into the darkness. This edition for The Hour Glass tells of a further story.

One night, an extraordinary event unfolded: the murky swamp waters began to bathe in an otherworldly blue radiance. Näkki, sensing a celestial anomaly, rose from the depths to investigate and witnessed the moon casting an enchanting azure glow upon the waters.

Contemplating why the moon had turned blue proved fruitless, for as its cerulean light pierced Näkki’s being, it realized it had fallen victim to an astronomical betrayal.

This occurrence was of exceptional rarity that it gave birth to the adage “Once in a Blue Moon”.

All in the Details

To depict this nuanced story, the dial is exceptionally detailed. The blued hour and minute hands, tipped in green Super-LumiNova, sit atop this vignette. The lower plate is hand-painted with a palette of 15 different Super-LumiNova colours to form the base of the vibrant illustration.

This colourful base is overlaid with multiple layers of open worked steel plates. Over 650 openings are laser cut, then painstakingly finished by hand with polishing or painted with Super-LumiNova, to bring the Näkki tale to life.

The Sarpaneva Moonface, serving as an icon of the brand and central to the story, appears white in normal light and glows in cerulean in darkness. It is also a moonphase indicator, a modification made by Sarpaneva to the Soprod A10 calibre.

A display case back shows the movement, hand-decorated with perlage, rhodium-plated parts, and a customised Sarpaneva stainless steel rotor. The 42mm case in Korona style, with sharp scalloped sides and the crown at 4 o’clock, is made from high-grade Outokumpu stainless steel manufactured in Finland.

The Sarpaneva Näkki Blue Moon is limited to 30 pieces available at The Hour Glass. Discover Sarpaneva at The Hour Glass today.