New: ArtyA AquaSaphir

ArtyA extends their AquaSaphir collection with four new references in a new cyan colour-way.

Press Release information with commentary in italics.

New: ArtyA AquaSaphir

Retail pricing is as follows:

• Model with bezel in white sapphire crystal : CHF 29,900 / USD 33,900 / EUR 30,900
• Model with bezel in Cyan NanoSaphir^TM: CHF 39,900 / USD 44,900 / EUR 40,900 

Prices are before taxes. The dial options do not appear to affect the pricing.

Commentary

Interesting new release from an independent brand – ArtyA, founded in 2010 by Yvan Arpa in Geneva. ArtyA stands for ART + Yvan Arpa. Yvan himself is a colorful industry veteran who have worked in Hublot, Jacob & Co., and Baume & Mercier, among others). The brand has a huge range of some 12 collections, and have been offering sapphire cased watches for a decade. All their watches are rather reasonably priced targeted at the entry level for independents.

In this release, 4 references are announced. All the novelties are created with the same sapphire crystal case, and use the same movement. One reference is with a white sapphire crystal, and the other is with a cyal NanoSaphir bezel, with two dial variants – the first with a gradient cyan to white dial, and the other in a meteorite dial.

As mentioned, the collection is not new to ArtyA. The AquaSaphir collection has been running for a while, and has a starting price of only CHF 30k. For example the model in the existing catalog shows the same watch with a green to black gradient dial. The novelty in this release is the cyan enamel dial with blue gradations. Even the meteorite dial has been used in the collection earlier. What is new in this novelty release is the use of cyan in the palette. The base model with white sapphire bezel comes with a cyan to white gradient dial, while the meteorite dial is fitted with a cyan NanoSapphir bezel.

The movement is described as exclusive made in Switzerland, suggesting that this is produced by a contractor who is not named. The movement looks good, with a play of materials and finishings ranging from rose gold, to NAC and Côtes de Genève. It is also COSC certified.

In comparison to offerings from other maisons, the immediate one which come to mind is Hublot. Hublot has been offering their sapphire cased watches in their catalog. Hublots current catalog lists sapphire cased watches with their Unico in-house chronograph and Tourbillons, and start at CHF 65k for the Big Bang. Water resistance of the ArtyA is rated to 60m, also more than the 50m offered by Hublot.

Press Release

Why it’s so special? The AquaSaphir is the first ‘aquatic’ watch with a case made of sapphire crystal that is rated to a depth of 60 meters. A marriage of cutting-edge technology and traditional craftsmanship, its dial comes either hand-enameled in a superb shade of blue, or carved from a meteorite discovered in Namibia. 

Available in a diameter of 41mm, the AquaSaphir is powered by an exclusive COSC-certified automatic mechanical movement. 

Summertime is on! 

It’s a new kind of sapphire crystal watch. When the temperature rises… it’s time to slip into the summer spirit with ArtyA’s AquaSaphir collection of sapphire crystal aquatic watches. 

Back in 2013, ArtyA was one of the very first brands to develop sapphire crystal watches. Over the past 10 years the brand has acquired unique expertise and know-how, notably in the development of sapphire crystal cases, and in the mastery of tinted sapphire crystal. 

Rated to 6 ATM, the AquaSaphir is the first sapphire crystal aquatic watch on the market capable of withstanding the pressure down to a depth of 60 meters (over 195 feet). How it does this? It’s the first watch to have been ingeniously designed without any steel elements in the sapphire crystal case. No visible screws, no metal casing, nothing to block the watch’s transparency. A technically complex and daring choice that allows for an unprecedented and unparalleled aesthetic. And thanks to the remarkable hardness of sapphire – 9 on the Mohs scale, the hardest mineral right after diamond and moissanite – it also translates into a case that is naturally scratch-resistant.   

To accentuate the AquaSaphir’s summery visual vibe, the bezel has been crafted in cyan-tinted NanoSaphir^TM, giving the crystal’s transparency a vibrant, turquoise hue that in turn emphasizes the watch’s affinity with the surf and beyond. At its center, entirely handcrafted by Swiss master enamellers, the enamel dial mesmerizes with a magnificent blue gradient, from intense at the top to pure white at the bottom, like diving down to a sandy seafloor. The visually powerful color underscores the watch’s aquatic character and works beautifully with the sapphire crystal’s transparency. 

A second version of the AquaSaphir features a dial made from a Gibeon meteorite discovered in Namibia. The characteristic patterns – known as Widmanstätten patterns – created by the crystalline structure of metal alloys cooling very, very slowly over millions of years in space – bring out an organic aspect in this natural, timeless dial, lending a singular and distinctive character to this AquaSaphir. 

Inside, the beating heart of a mechanical self-winding movement with 3 hands and date: an ArtyOn exclusive made in Switzerland. It shines with a range of particularly meticulous finishes such as the presence of rose gold, NAC to darken the gray steel, and the traditional Côtes de Genève, all of which superbly showcase the movement’s architecture, its spatial volumes, the way it plays light, with reflections and shadows magnifying the beautiful mechanism – whose precision is certified by COSC, the prestigious Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. 

Ultimately, these two iterations of AquaSaphir express the interplay of cutting-edge technology and visual artistry, a combination so dear to – an emblematic of – Yvan Arpa, founder of the independent, Geneva-based brand ArtyA, a symbol of boundary-pushing creativity. 

Every ArtyA timepiece is a creation inspired by a bold combination of pioneering horology and artistic expression, and crafted by passionate artisans. Rare materials and innovative techniques come together to infuse life into unique timepieces, where imagination meets precision. An eccentric and captivating universe where the exceptional becomes the norm and each watch tells a story, as unique as its wearer. 

Creative! Innovative! Appealing! Intensely free and independent! The ArtyA watch brand, founded in 2010 by Yvan Arpa in Geneva, is synonymous with avant-garde horology. All ArtyA products are created with a passion that is Yvan Arpa’s hallmark, in collaboration with skilled artists, engineers and master watchmakers, carefully selecting the finest materials and living up to the highest levels of craftsmanship. 

Artya AquaSaphir Technical Specifications 

Model name: AquaSaphir 

Case: Sapphire crystal, no metal elements 

Diameter: 41mm or 43 mm 

Bezel: Cyan NanoSaphir™  

Dial: Hand-crafted/finished enamel with blue gradient, or  

Gibeon meteorite from Namibia 

Movement : Self-winding, ArtyOn exclusive, COSC-certified 

Swiss Made 

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date 

Power reserve: 42 h 

Case back: Sapphire crystal with antireflective coating 

Crown: Sapphire crystal 

Strap: Rubber 

Water resistance: 6 ATM, approximately 60 meters or 180 feet