The Artya Multicolored Shams Crystal Adds A Splash Of Sunshine To Its Impressive Sapphire Watch Case
There are some watch brands out there that stick to the formula. These brands have found what works for them, and they stick to it. I won’t name names (and don’t necessarily think that there’s anything wrong with following that path), but, every now and then, life calls for something a little more, shall we say, “out there”. That’s where ArtyA comes into the picture. The ambitious Swiss brand is unafraid to innovate and keep things interesting. With its latest creation, the ArtyA Multicolored Shams Crystal, the brand throws caution to the wind in favor of making a statement.
The statement brings together some pretty serious watchmaking techniques and materials to create a unique timepiece in every sense. But what is the statement behind it? Well, ArtyA calls this watch “a sun on the wrist”, and the name reflects this, as “Shams” in Arabic means sun. This connection to everyone’s favorite star comes from the fact that skeletonized dials require light for visibility of the mechanical workings underneath. So this watch is one that is best enjoyed in full sunlight.
Multicolored Shams Crystal: a watch built for sunshine
Unobstructed and out of the shadows, that’s how the ArtyA Multicolored Shams Crystal should be enjoyed. And what better way to make this possible than to use a fully transparent sapphire case? Now, the case might ring a bell. That’s because it’s the same case we saw on the equally impressive Purity Tourbillon earlier this year. Whereas the only color accents on that particular model came from the rose gold hands and some of the elements of the tourbillon, the Multicolored Shams Crystal is a whole different story.
Here, the intricately skeletonized base plate of the movement, which serves as the watch’s dial, is bathed in color. A tie-dye oil-slick paint job that gives an otherwise rather serious watch a fun side. I can’t help but imagine that without this kaleidoscope-like cobweb inside it, the watch would be slightly too sterile and fall a bit flat. But luckily ArtyA is willing to make brave decisions that more often than not lead to stunning results. A full sapphire case is impressive, but on its own means nothing. A skeletonized movement and a colorful dial are eye-catching elements but place them in the wrong watch and you end up with an unremarkable, yawn/vomit-inducing timepiece. But bring those three things together in the right way and you might just find you have a winning combination.
ArtyA’s Purity Tourbillon also featured the stunning sapphire case
Sapphire all over
I won’t bore you with the technical details regarding the sapphire case, as we already covered them when we discussed the Purity Tourbillon. But as a quick recap, I will mention that the man-made sapphire (corundum) is incredibly hard and resilient. It received a rating of nine on the Moh’s scale (approximately 1,800 Vickers). This places sapphire third on the scale, behind diamond at 10 and moissanite at 9.5. And if you like sapphire you’ll get plenty of it, as the 46mm case means that this piece will have plenty of presence on the wrist. This is not a watch for the faint of heart or the small of wrist!
The movement inside is an exclusive in-house ArtyA hand-winding movement, specially manufactured for the Multicolored Shams Crystal watch. It indicates hours and minutes, with no running seconds indicator. A 52-hour power reserve is provided by the single mainspring found inside. The back of the movement will be visible through a sapphire case back which provides the watch with 30 meters of water resistance. The watch is delivered on a handmade leather strap with special ArtyA stitching.
Final thoughts
This exclusive piece unique comes with a CHF 29,400 price tag, but seems to have already been spoken for (don’t despair, however: Artya is happy to entertain your call should you want something similar). As always, these more conceptual watches are hard to properly get a feel for, as they are so far from what I personally wear. But there’s a special factor that makes a watch like this so different and wild that I can’t help but smile when I see it. I’d compare it, on a smaller scale, to the Sinn with the baby blue mother of pearl dial. It’s polarizing, not for everyone, and for those reasons I can’t help but give it a special place in my heart. For more information check out the ArtyA website here.
Last but not least, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the ArtyA Multicolored Shams Crystal. Are you brave enough to even dare to like it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
