The name Ilmari 40 connects directly to Andreas Prepula’s family history.
Ilmari Prepula was born in 1906 in Lapua and spent his childhood in Ostrobothnia.
As a young man, Ilmari toured Finland on various construction sites, working as a blacksmith and riveter.
Construction sites were often taken far from home and often lasted for months, if not years at a time. Life was hard than today, earnings were made by doing hard labor.
The joy of life pulsed with Ilmari in the form of telling constantly many funny stories. Ilmari also was known as a very tough pipe tobacco smoker, like many workers at the time, he could even get him in the middle of the night to burn a pipe or a couple.
Finland was involved in the Winter War of 1939, and Ilmari’s part was to fight in the harsh frozen forests in the northern Salla cavalry troops.
The war ended in March 1940. Ilmari returned home, it was time for a truce.
Ilmari found his future wife Aili Marja Erkkilä from Kokkola and they were married in the spring of 1941.
In many ways, 1941 was a time of turmoil in Finland. Aili and Ilmari, who got married in the spring of 1941, had their first children that summer, Seppo Ilmari Prepula. Unfortunately, Seppo’s twin sister died in childbirth.
Three weeks later, the new father had to go back to the frontline again when the Finnish Continuation War began.
The path of war progressed towards the east, the Finns took back the areas lost in the Winter War. Deeply patriotic Ilmari Prepula fell two months later on the Karelian Isthmus in Sotjärvi in fierce battles against Soviet forces.
Young Aili became a widow, and she settled in Kokkola with her son Seppo Ilmari.
The time of the upheaval in 1941, it lasted only for just a few weeks.
Above all, this watch honors the memory of Ilmari Prepula, Andreas’ grandfather.
Ilmari40 watches have a 3-year warranty, orders can be placed from today. Production time, from the order placed 1-5 weeks
We offer an automatic watch called Ilmari40, designed by Andreas Prepula. The watch has a sapphire crystal, a SWISS ETA 2824-2 automatic movement, and a stainless steel body.
The dial of the Ilmari 40 watch is made from the magazine of a Finnish submachine gun.
Crown with turntable, and water tightness at 100 meters. The watch has a 3-year warranty.
The watch is built for each order separately, this is not store product.