S.U.F Helsinki - Vetehinen 2024 – Posts

Vetehinen brings both Finland’s mythological water spirit and the legendary WWII submarine back to life.

To be the captain of a submarine patrolling freezing Finnish waters during World War II takes certain guts.

Artwork: Toni Kysenius

But to be a captain who’s willing to conserve his torpedoes and instead order a steep, fast dive to ram his underwater adversary takes something else. Which is precisely what happened one night in 1942, on board Finland’s formidable “Vetehinen” vessel. This is just another tale of hard-bitten, but enterprising “sisu” to which S.U.F’s latest creation pays tribute.

Water-resistant to 300 metres, the Vetehinen watch is a tiny submarine for your wrist, crafted with high-grade Supra 316L/4435 stainless steel from Finland’s worldrenowned steel giant, Outokumpu – forged in Helsinki, impregnated with anti-corrosive nickel mined from the Finnish ground.

Even the chrome is mined in Finland, outside the remote coastal town of Kemi. Which also happens to be the birthplace of world-renowned independent watchmakers, Kari Voutilainen – mentor to Stepan Sarpaneva during his early years.

The S.U.F Vetehinen doesn’t just get its name from the 500-tonne WWII submarine. The vessels, both horological and naval, get their names from Finnish mythology’s legendary “Näkki”, or water spirit.

Sometimes portrayed as a magical, bearded man with the tail of a fish, the Vetehinen appears on Midsummer’s Night to cure illnesses, lift curses and brew potions. But also cause unintended harm by becoming too curious about humans…"

The diving watch embodies the whole, mercurial spectrum of “Finnishness”.

Each of the colourways are limited to just 26 pieces, so there isn’t much time. If this watch is for you, act fast – just as that submarine captain did back in 1942.