Interesting new release from ArtyA featuring a claimed fully in-house caliber designed to be showcased in front of a full mirror on the dial side.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: ArtyA Purity Wavy HMS Mirror
The ArtyA Purity Wavy HMS Mirror in Titanium & Black Titanium retails at CHF 25,900 excluding tax. Limited Edition of 99 pieces.
Commentary
Not a new watch per say, but a re-interpretation to add to their Purity collection. The Purity Stairway to Heaven collection is the basis for this novelty which is available in Titanium and Black Titanium. The original collection had the entry level pegged at the steel cased model, but the model is also available in black steel, ceramic as well as ArtyA’s signature sapphire cases in various colour options.
The novelty of this release is that now, the case back’s sapphire glass is now treated such that as viewed from the dial side is a full reflective mirror. This creates an interesting effect to the skeleton movement as it appears to float above the mirrored surface.
And from the case back, the sapphire glass which is full mirrored on the dial side, is finished to be a one way mirror, allowing the back of the movement to be merely hinted, suggesting complexity, but not fully revealing it.
The case is the usual Purity case. Now in natural titanium or in a black titanium. Both feature a transparent DLC coating for additional resistance to scratches. It is now stylised with a mirror polished chamfer tracing the case side from lug to lug, looking like a wave. This high polished chamfer is set against the satin finished which is microbead blasted for a frosted finished (rest of the) case. Creating also a very 3 dimensional effect on the case. The case measures a nicely sized 40mm diameter with a 13mm thickness.
The movement is not new either, as it is adopted from the HMS Purity Stairway to Heaven HMS movement. But it does have an interesting architecture with twin barrels running in parallel to power the movement train running from 3 o’clock to the balance at 9 o’clock. The bridge structure is anchored at two places to a ring-like structure which acts as the perimeter rehaut. The entire movement looks like it is suspended above the full reflective mirror.
We understand that in addition to these two titanium cased versions, Artya has also released the same watch with mirror on their transparent, hued or NanoSapphire cases. But no mention of these other versions, and thus have no further information except for the price would be CHF 44.9k. The non-mirror versions already exist in the collection, but we do not know how the wave is implemented on the case chamfer. The press release does not contain photographs of these additional novelties either.
Release information
ArtyA unveils an avant-garde horological creation: “Purity Wavy HMS Mirror”
A fully in-house caliber reimagined through masterful handcraftsmanship.
The perfect union of design and comfort, encased in the groundbreaking Wavy case, crafted from titanium with a transparent protective DLC coating.
The first-ever mirror caseback
With this limited edition of just 99 pieces, ArtyA Geneva brings its expertise to discerning collectors, meeting their highest expectations. From the lightness and comfort of titanium to the refined opacity of the mirrored caseback – behind each innovation, there is a precise purpose.
Stairway To Heaven: The Movement
At the heart of this exceptional timepiece, ArtyA’s latest in-house caliber: Stairway To Heaven HMS. This manual-winding movement embodies the Manufacture‘s dedication to both visual spectacle and horological excellence:
- Microbead-frosted and hand-chamfered minute wheel train and balance bridges.
- Pulsing at 4 Hz, the spectacularly “starified” escapement is positioned like a podium centerpiece, suspended in mid-air.
- Traditional fine regulation – a hallmark of haute horlogerie that ensures optimal precision. This process involves meticulously adjusting the balance wheel’s inertia using peripheral weights (inertia blocks) to maintain the hairspring’s steady and consistent oscillation. The result: optimized caliber performance and lasting chronometric stability.
- Twin barrels, working in parallel, equipped with longer, finer mainsprings for a more stable and linear energy release. The polished barrel blade reduces friction for improved efficiency. The redesigned drum barrels, with fluid, curving lines, seamlessly integrate with the bold bridge architecture of the movement. Proudly bearing the manufacture’s name and caliber designation, this subtle detail completes the movement’s refined aesthetic.
Wavy Titanium Case
A bold evolution in the Wavy collection, this is the first case crafted from grade 5 titanium, a material prized for its strength and lightness.
- Ultra-light yet incredibly strong, titanium embodies both modernity and innovation, delivering exceptional comfort without compromising durability.
- The matte finish results from meticulous hand polishing, followed by microbead frosting for a refined texture.
- A transparent DLC coating boosts resistance to scratches, shocks, and fingerprints. For comparison, stainless steel has a Vickers hardness of 200 HV, titanium 400 HV, and transparent DLC-treated titanium an impressive 1,200 HV (1,800 HV for the black DLC version).
- A mirror-polished lug-to-lug contour adds a discreet yet sophisticated touch, enhancing the timepiece’s elegance without diluting its avant-garde appeal. This meticulous finish – exceptionally complex to achieve on titanium – creates a striking contrast with the case’s matte surface, balancing power with refinement.
- Designed by Jérémie Arpa, son of Yvan Arpa, the case embodies independent, family-driven watchmaking at its finest. Its flowing, organic contours evoke the power of ocean waves, an effect heightened by titanium’s natural opacity – delivering a case design unlike anything seen before in haute horlogerie.
Mirror Effects
The Wavy Titanium’s mirror caseback introduces an unprecedented innovation, a world first in watchmaking:
- A fully reflective surface that offers a striking new way to experience the movement.
- From the front, seeing through to the mirrored bottom creates the illusion of depth, with the movement seemingly floating in space, enhancing the ethereal purity of the skeletonized caliber’s aesthetic.
- From the back, the one-way mirror effect teases the complexity of the movement without fully revealing it complexity, adding an element of mystery and sophistication.
ArtyA Purity Wavy Titanium Mirror Technical Specifications
Edition Limited Edition of 99 pieces
Case Grade 5 titanium, satin-finished, mirror-polished lug-to-lug contour * Transparent or black DLC protective coating * Diameter 40 mm * Thickness 13 mm * Water resistance 50 meters
Caseback Screw-in, engraved, fitted with a one-way mirror
Crystal Sapphire, triple ant-reflective coating, laser-engraved chapter ring
Hands Brushed and diamond-polished
Crown Engraved with the ArtyA signet
Caliber ArtyA Purity Stairway To Heaven HMS in-house movement * Winding Manual * Indications Hours, minutes, and central seconds * Power reserve Minimum 72 hours, thanks to twin parallel barrels * Frequency 4 Hz (28,800 vph) * Finishes Fine regulation through precision adjustment of inertia blocks on the balance wheel * Microbead-frosted minute wheel train and balance bridges * Hand-chamfered edges * Polished mainsprings to optimize friction in the barrel assemblies
Strap Alligator or grey nubuck leather
Buckle ArtyA pin buckle, available with or without black DLC coating
Swiss Made Entirely designed and crafted between Geneva and the Swiss Jura
