Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Antti Rönkkö Son of Tuoni, The Watchman of the Underworld
More an artefact than a watch, a darkly poetic creation that blends Finnish mythology with masterful handcraft.
Among the small constellation of Finnish independent watchmakers, Antti Rönkkö occupies his own mythic orbit. His timepieces, from the Steel Labyrinth to the Minotaur, the Väinämöinen and the Jatulis series, are inspired by ancient myth and crafted in what he calls Finnish silence: a meditative space where time, legend, and mechanics become one. His latest creation, the Son of Tuoni, travels down into the underworld of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. In that masterpiece, Tuonen Poika, the Son of Death, guards the black river of Tuonela, weaving iron and copper nets to keep the dead from returning. His eternal words, “Nobody is to leave Tuonela,” echo through Finnish folklore, and now, through Rönkkö’s hauntingly beautiful watch.
The 41.9mm case takes its inspiration from Kokko, the fire eagle of Finnish legend. It has a fierce, sharp presence, with faceted, talon-like lugs and surfaces that alternate between satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes, all hand-worked in hardened, IP-black-coated stainless steel. A sapphire crystal with AR coating covers both front and back; the dial is protected by one, and the movement is revealed through the other.
The centre of the Son of Tuoni dial is a rotating disc engraved with Rönkkö’s hypnotic Jatuls’ Garden pattern, recalling the underworld’s woven nets, and a medallion bearing the Son of Tuoni symbol. The diamond-cut stiletto hands and faceted indexes, sharp and cold, indicate time.
The moonphase is indicated by the rotation of the dial, which completes a full circle in 29.5 days: when the Son of Tuoni symbol (a single bright full moon, symbolising vigilance, or a single black new moon, representing stillness) reaches the 12 o’clock position, a full moon is at its peak. Also, the watchmaker offers three dual-symbol variations, which express the cycle of light and darkness, life and death. With the two-symbol versions, the interval from symbol to symbol remains 29.5 days, but the dial completes one full rotation in 59 days. Each moon is hand-sculpted in stainless or blackened steel, emerging from the dial like a lunar talisman.
The Antti Rönkkö Son of Tuoni is powered by the modified Soprod A10 calibre, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and offers a 42-hour power reserve. Its Ukonvasara-shaped rotor, inspired by the hammer of Ukko, the god of thunder, is hand-finished and visible through the sapphire back.
The watch is worn on a handmade matte black alligator strap, closed with a black-coated stainless-steel buckle engraved with the Rönkkö logo. Each variation is limited to 20 pieces; pre-order requires a 40% deposit. Prices start at EUR 12,700 for a 1-Moon version, and the 2-Moon is priced at EUR 14,900, excluding VAT. For more details or to order, please visit ronkkowatches.fi.
