We’ve started ask you, the reader, to share the amazing watches on your wrists and we’ve gotten our first submission from Michael K in Australia. This week he shows us his amazing Sarpaneva Korona K3 Northern Stars from Helsinki, Finland. This handmade piece is a beautiful moon phase watch with a striking case design. Great stuff. If you’d like to submit a WoMW photo please drop us a line at [email protected].


My wife and I are watch collectors from Australia, with a focus on independent brands and military/classic reissues from major brands. Our desire is to attain independent pieces from all over the globe. The watch on my wrist is the Sarpaneva Korona K3 Northern Stars from Helsinki Finland.

This watch is currently my most cherished. Firstly, it is lovingly hand made and crafted by watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva; who happens to be a really nice guy. Being independent gives Stepan the opportunity to make a watch exactly the way he likes it; it is bold, unique, crazy, wild…. and completely unapologetic about it. From the unique case shape based off a Harley Davidson kick-start pinion (loves all things mechanical, especially if they go fast!), to his amazing crafted and multilayered dial (featuring the Little Bear constellation), and of course his well-known moonface.

Stepan gave me the opportunity to personalise the watch in some aspects. We went for the daring purple DLC dials, 18ct rose gold moonfaces, microblasted the case to a fine matt finish, and matched with a purple bullfrog leather strap to compliment it.

We love all types of timepieces; from classics, sport, tool, military, pilot, contemporary etc. But this Sarpaneva Korona K3 Northern Stars really is special to me, as I built a friendship with a great guy who happens to make cool watches; to know someone painstakingly hand made the piece with passion for us.

ByJohn Biggs

John lives in Brooklyn and has loved watches since he got his first Swatch Irony automatic in 1998. He is the editor of WristWatchReview.

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