Torsti Laine’s rise to stardom has been a road that is reserved only for the greats; the Finnish watchmaker worked at A. Lange & Sohne and Kari Voutilainen, and in 2014 he earned the Lange Watchmaking Excellence Award. He is no ordinary watchmaker; his finishing is among the best on the planet, certainly the very best at his price points. Torsti manufactures a great many of the components himself, including the dial—the level of customization generally reserved for watches that are six figures and above. Many of his movements are based on a Unitas, however they are so heavily modified and so many components are added that it is not even fair to mention them in the same breath.
It is hard to deny that as an entry level independent watchmaker, Torsti is approaching best in class. Where Habring brings a heavy dose of complications, Torsti brings an unrivaled level of finishing that hearkens back to classical watchmaking at its finest. Further, Torsti is open to any idea and even the wildest ones, he will take a stab at. Sooner, rather than later, Torsti will have a following (and waiting list) akin to Kari Voutilainen, Max Busser, and Philippe Dufour himself.
