Today, I would like to shed light on the work of two watchmakers from the “Land of a Thousand Lakes” — Finland. When people think of this country, names like Kari Voutilainen, Reima Koivukoski or Stepan Sarpaneva often come to mind. However, today I want to introduce the work of two watchmakers who are currently structuring their project: Kortela Valta. Before presenting their first model, let me tell you about the journey that led them to develop this watchmaking venture.
The paths of Roope Kortela and René Valta first crossed at the Finnish School of Watchmaking, where they began their training in traditional maintenance and repair. In the first year, they barely spent time together, but during the second year something clicked — they discovered a shared passion for precision craftsmanship. They started collaborating on projects like the precision micro-vise. Before long, every spare moment was devoted to meticulously machining components on an Aciera F1 milling machine and honing their technical skills.
René had long been convinced of his vocation in watchmaking, but it was those first precise cuts on the milling machine that shifted Roope’s perspective, showing him that servicing and repairs alone would not fulfil his creative ambitions. This shared realisation became the catalyst for their watchmaking partnership, launched even before graduating in June 2023. Notably, to complete their course, Roope spent three weeks in the workshop of Christian Lass in Denmark, while René spent four weeks with Torsti Laine in Switzerland, gaining valuable expertise from renowned watchmakers.
For a long time, they believed they would need to relocate to Switzerland after graduation, spending three to five years gaining experience before even dreaming of making their own watches. A first encouraging sign came when they obtained special permission to dedicate the last six months of their training to creating their own school watch rather than focusing on repairs — laying the foundations for their future creations. But it was thanks to the support of a mentor, who had temporarily replaced a teacher for six months during their third year, that they were able to realise their dream immediately after graduation by opening their own workshop in Porvoo, Finland. They consider themselves fortunate to be guided by someone who spent a decade working with Kari Voutilainen and is currently employed at Petermann Bédat.
Roope Kortela followed a long professional path before becoming a watchmaker. He spent years working for Fiskars, a Finnish premium consumer goods company, in various roles ranging from financial control to B2B sales account management. Exhausted, he eventually left the job to take a six-month parental leave, using the time to reflect on what he truly wanted to do with his life. Passion soon outweighed reason, and the idea of attending the Finnish School of Watchmaking took root. Creating something with his own hands felt instantly right. At Kortela Valta, he oversees art direction, design, and 3D modelling, as well as most of the in-house machining, particularly fibre-laser work. The hand-finishing of the movement and watch components is an area where both René and Roope are equally involved.
René Valta, on the other hand, is a multi-talented young man — equally capable of filing exquisite inward angles as he is of restoring a wrecked Mercedes-Benz W124. Since childhood, he has enjoyed working with metal and tinkering with both mechanical and aesthetic projects — from building tiny trebuchets as a boy to later pursuing mechanics and knifemaking, and now watchmaking. In short, anything mechanical is possible. His true interest in watchmaking began at the Finnish School of Watchmaking, as he had no prior knowledge of the craft. René appears impervious to the fear of failure, which is why he naturally leads prototyping at Kortela Valta. He also restores vintage Omega movements and carries out the final assembly of all their watches, although the duo is now learning each other’s strengths to become more versatile.
The launch of their first watch, the Kortela Valta EKA, in 2024 embodies Roope and René’s commitment to transparency, exceptional craftsmanship, and Finnish watchmaking tradition. Named after the Finnish word for “first”, the EKA reflects Nordic precision and minimalism. This debut watch combines a restored vintage movement from the 1950s with an impressive list of components entirely made in-house or machined in Finland before being reworked in the workshop. Now, let’s move on to its presentation.
Table of Contents – Kortela Valta EKA
What are the features of the Kortela Valta EKA?
Case
The Kortela Valta EKA features a straightforward stainless steel 316L case. Alternating between two surface finishes, the case is produced by a partner company located near their Porvoo workshop and finished in-house. Measuring 38.5 mm in diameter, 9.5 mm in thickness, and 47 mm lug-to-lug, the EKA wears comfortably and discreetly on the wrist. The crown is entirely made in-house, although I personally found its grip less than optimal. I could imagine this watch with a more elaborate case finish — perhaps a straight-grained satin finish on the caseband, sharper lug angles, and a more streamlined crown design.
Dial
The EKA’s dial is crafted from a 925 solid silver base, entirely made in-house, laser-engraved, and hand-finished. The hands, made from carbon steel, are laser-cut, bevelled, and polished by hand. Strongly inspired by an image found in one of the classrooms at the Finnish School of Watchmaking, this four-part dial is well executed. What I particularly appreciate here is the artisanal and experimental feel, especially in the original shape of the indexes complementing the numerals at 12, 3, and 9 o’clock.
Movement
Inside the Kortela Valta EKA beats a fully transformed Omega calibre 266. This movement is considered one of the best serially produced mechanical watch movements ever made. Its size is ideal for cases between 35 and 39 millimetres. The materials used in the 1950s were of exceptional quality, allowing pivots to be polished back to a like-new shine and even enabling bevels to be applied to wheel spokes if required. The balance is fitted with a Breguet hairspring and screws, and the movement was originally chronometer-certified, offering a 40-hour power reserve.
In terms of modifications, the original mainplate and wheels have been retained, but the steel components on the bridges have been remade to match the watch’s high hand-finishing standards. The custom bridges were designed by the duo and machined by Kupias Watches from German silver — a material that is pleasant to work by hand and delivers an exceptional polish when used with the right abrasives. The bevels are filed and polished by hand, while the flanks are given a fine straight-grained finish. Final polishing of bevels and countersinks is done manually using hardwood or boxwood with an abrasive. The Geneva stripes are applied using wood and abrasive, resulting in a refined finish.
The only mechanical improvement made by Kortela Valta to the movement is the mobile stud holder. It was part of the original balance bridge, but to simplify fine regulation of the watch, they chose to modernise it by making it mobile. This component is entirely made in-house, requiring the drilling of a 0.29 mm hole and cutting a 0.35 mm thread. It is hardened and tempered, measuring less than 0.20 mm at its thinnest point, yet it still features tiny hand-polished bevels and a black-polished top surface.
Strap
The Kortela Valta EKA comes with a brown alligator leather strap, which I have not tried on, as you can see from the photos I took.
How much does the Kortela Valta EKA?
As their first model, the Kortela Valta EKA is produced in only eight numbered pieces and priced at €15,000 excluding taxes.
Kortela Valta EKA: a watch that embodies Nordic precision and minimalism
The Kortela Valta EKA is a strong debut piece. With its balanced design and high-quality hand-polished surfaces, the EKA reflects their vision: to create durable timepieces with unique character that honour the art of authentic watchmaking. I appreciate the project’s transparency — they even livestreamed the making of a watch — and the minimalist spirit of this handcrafted piece, which offers something with great sensitivity. For this first creation, they poured their hearts into the work, and it shows in the soul of the watch, which revives a vintage mechanical movement.
Every component is meticulously crafted and hand-finished, showcasing traditional techniques rarely seen in modern watchmaking at this price point. Their passion for horology lies in the pursuit of perfection and the highest quality hand-finishing. Since then, they have released a second model, the Kortela Valta OMA, which reinterprets a traditional craft, and are currently working on the prototype of a third model, the Kortela Valta TOKA.
Their goal with this project is clear: to create a fully hand-finished watch, with more unique designs and one or two complications, conceived from A to Z and entirely made in Finland. I wish them the best of luck in this venture, as the road is long, but the destination will be all the more rewarding. My thanks to them for the time they gave me when we met earlier this year in Geneva.
Kortela Valta EKA – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Kortela Valta
- Model: EKA
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Dial: Solid piece of 925 silver
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds
- Movement: Custom Omega calibre 266, Manual-Winding, 21’600vph frequency (3Hz)
- Power Reserve: 40 Hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 38,5 mm × 9.5 mm
- Strap: Brown Alligator with Stainless Steel Pin Buckle
- Availability : Limited Production of 8 Pieces
- Retail Price: €15,000 (excluding VAT)
Have you heard of this watchmaking project from these two Finns? Do you appreciate their approach? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
For more information about Kortela Valta, click here.
