A Watch Like A Chameleon: The New Transparent ArtyA Purity Tourbillon Sport In Four Changeable Colors
Changing the colors of the ArtyA Purity Tourbillon Sport is easy. Just like a chameleon, it adapts to its surroundings. So, if you want your watch to match, let’s say, your new red suede loafers, but you’re wearing the Purity Tourbillon Sport Luminous Orange, you simply head down to the nearest ArtyA retailer and have the gaskets replaced with Deep Red ones and the matching strap. Deep Blue and Electric Turquoise are the other available color options. And before you say that this is all very gimmicky, the Tourbillon Purity Sport is powered by a skeletonized, double-barrel, in-house caliber featuring a large 18mm flying tourbillon, entirely manufactured by ArtyA. And the watch’s Wavy case, made of super-hard Absolute Sapphire, guarantees optimal transparency.
The ArtyA Purity Tourbillon Sport’s party trick is the color concept, which allows for the replacement of the colorful gaskets and straps. The case back gaskets, also visible from the front and sides, are an exuberant, customizable chromatic signature. At launch, four colors are available — Deep Red, Luminous Orange, Deep Blue, and Electric Turquoise. Because the case is crafted from perfectly transparent Absolute Sapphire, which ensures unobstructed clarity, the colors have a strong impact. The colored gaskets seem to flow in a vacuum. Okay, the color-changing concept lets you match the watch to your mood, attire, or surroundings, but it isn’t exactly a chameleon that can change its look in an instant. Changing the gaskets is a job best left to a trained watchmaker, so a bit of forward thinking is required.
The new ArtyA Purity Tourbillon Sport
The best reason not to tinker with the gaskets of the sapphire case is what lies inside — the skeletonized tourbillon movement. Its highlight is undoubtedly the impressive flying tourbillon with an 18mm cage, making it one of the largest available in a wristwatch. Despite its generous size, the tourbillon cage makes a full rotation every minute. This large tourbillon is not there just for show, though. A larger cage improves the dynamic stability of the movement’s regulating parts and gives the movement better shock resistance. A remarkable feature for this generously proportioned tourbillon is the 4Hz frequency. Yes, this giant is lightfooted. It’s also quite powerful. Two parallel, hand-engraved barrels deliver a 70-hour power reserve.
The hand-wound caliber PUR-T1, developed in collaboration with Telos, is not just about performance. The movement, with a distinct circular design, features skeletonized bridges that proudly show hand-applied bevels. Each edge is manually finished and polished until light reflects off it. The result is a sculptural movement beating inside a fully transparent showcase.
The Purity Tourbillon Sport makes a wave
The Wavy in sapphire — an ArtyA specialty — reveals what is ordinarily hidden. But it also protects. Besides being unbelievably transparent, it has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale (approximately 1,800 Vickers), making it the third-hardest mineral after diamond (10) and moissanite (9.5). The hardness makes the 44mm case virtually immune to scratches. The case, with its flowing circular lines, also features a screw-fastened sapphire case back and a sapphire crown.
With the Purity Tourbillon Sport, Geneva-based brand ArtyA created a mix of watchmaking art and contemporary expression. This is the watch for those who don’t see Haute Horlogerie as sacred but dare to enjoy fine craftsmanship in a more daring, unconventional manner.
ArtyA is producing the Purity Tourbillon Sport Edition (CHF 130,000) in a limited run of just nine pieces. The shades you see here are just the initial ones, but more colors are on their way. You can find out more on ArtyA’s official website.
