WATCH REVIEW S.U.F (SarpanevaUhrenFabrik) Flying Finn

Foreword

It’s impossible to discuss the SarpanevaUhrenFabrik (S.U.F.) without first introducing its creator, Stepan Sarpaneva.

A Finish graduate of the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program (WOSTEP) at Neuchâtel (an independent watchmaker’s training institute), Stepan Sarpaneva has worked with some of the greatest Swiss watchmakers (Michel Parmigiani, Vianney Halter, and Christophe Claret) before working as an independent starting in 2003.

Stepan Sarpaneva has been influenced by many, but he has, by his own admission, a soft spot for Harley-Davidson.
For example, he used a kickstarter gearwheel as a case for his first creation, the Time Tramp.

With their manufacturing production limited to a few dozen copies a year, the Sarpaneva watches have a very good reputation with collectors, particularly the Korona model, with its moon phase’s enigmatic smile.

The only downside, given the extreme care given to its design and manufacturing, is its stiff price, starting at about 10,000 Euros.
Subtantially more than what most watch enthusiasts would be willing to pay!

A production of high quality

In 2006, Stepan Sarpaneva created a second line of watches, the SarpanevaUhrenFabrik (S.U.F.). More reasonably priced, the S.U.F. gives the hardcore fans without the financial means an opportunity to enjoy its high-end characteristics.

An interesting particularity is that the S.U.F.’s are not made in Switzerland, but are instead manufactured in Helsinki, in an old cable factory that once belonged to Nokia before the phone era.

The automatic watch we reviewed for this article is a S.U.F. Flying Finn, made out of steel that’s been treated with Diamond Like Carbon (DLC), a chemical coating that is more scratch-resistant than a regular PVD.

The first pleasant surprise is that the unique Sarpaneva style is still very much present, even though this is a lower-end model.
The bezel, with its very unique and peculiar shape, seems to come straight out of an engine or some other industrial machine.
Its execution is perfect, with a very clean manufacturing quality, and a high-level finish that is somewhat unexpected for a watch in this price range.

The same is true for the crown which seems identical to the one on the Korona model: it is both original, and very pleasant to the touch.

The case’s mat DLC treatment also contributes to the watch’s industrial look.

Movement

In order to keep the cost down, the movement used is a Swiss-made Soprod A10, a large production movement equivalent to the classic ETA 2892.

While this movement is not handmade, it is nevertheless still extremely solid and reliable. Incidentally, Stepan Sarpaneva also uses it as a standard in its Korona models.

Its design, while industrial-looking, is still very clean and doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of when compared to other, more reputable brands with a similar price.

With a reasonable 11.5 line diameter, it is well integrated within the watch and doesn’t seem to “float” in its 44mm casing, thanks to a well-designed case ring.

Stepan Sarpaneva was particularly attentive to details when he included in this Flying Finn a metal date disk with openings usually reserved for more expensive models.

A comfortable watch

With a thickness that is less than 10mm, and despite a generous diameter, the S.U.F. sits well on the wrist, and can be worn on any occasion.

The alligator wristband, flexible and comfortable, is of a much higher quality than what one would usually expect from a similarly-priced watch.
The pin buckle is also well-designed – a perfect score!