The New and Mesmerizing ArtyA Purity Central Tourbillon

The brainchild of the prolific Yvan Arpa, independent brand ArtyA has carved a unique niche in the watch industry, thanks to its bold creativity and willingness to break away from convention. Among its many avant-garde creations, the Purity collection stands out for its relatively more understated aesthetic, featuring elegantly skeletonized movements displayed within transparent sapphire crystal cases. Non-conformist in all its aspects, the latest addition to the collection captivates with a spectacular central tourbillon. Let’s discover this new ArtyA Purity Central Tourbillon.

The first thing to catch your eye with the ArtyA Purity Central Tourbillon is its oversized flying tourbillon. A truly mesmerizing representation of passing time, the 20mm cage holds the balance wheel operating at a remarkable 28,800 vibrations per hour – which is quite a feat for such a large cage. The time is elegantly indicated at the outer edge of the dial via a coloured disc, with the hands almost entirely hidden beneath the dial, allowing an unimpeded view of the hypnotic movement. The tourbillon itself, which completes a full rotation every minute, doubles as a second indication.

On the reverse, the movement reveals an openworked tungsten rotor and two barrels mounted in parallel that provide a robust 60-hour power reserve. Unlike earlier models in the Purity collection, this movement is not skeletonized, instead featuring a more minimalist and modern decoration that balances the watch’s avant-garde design.

Although the Purity Central Tourbillon is not the first central tourbillon ever created, these timepieces remain exceptionally rare and consistently awe-inspiring. Omega pioneered the first central tourbillon in 1994. Later in 2020, the brand launched a new version- the Omega De Ville Tourbillon -featuring a centrally-mounted Co-Axial tourbillon with Master Chronometer certification. Other notable central tourbillon watches include the Bulgari Octo Roma Papillon, the MB&F HM7 Aquapod, the Haldimann H1 Flying Central Tourbillon or the slow-beat Kerbedanz Maximus and its massive 27mm tourbillon cage.

ArtyA’s interpretation of the central tourbillon concept is distinguished by its 4Hz frequency, particularly notable given the large size of the tourbillon. Most tourbillons of comparable dimensions operate at a lower frequency. This higher beat rate is made possible by the two parallel-mounted barrels, which deliver a consistent and ample driving force. Additionally, characteristic of ArtyA’s style, the Purity Central Tourbillon is housed in a 43mm full sapphire case, providing an unobstructed view of its mesmerizing movement.

The watch is worn on a nubuck strap with a pin buckle. As is often the case with ArtyA, the Purity Central Tourbillon is presented as unique pieces. The watch we had to get our hands on comes in green and there are also red and blue versions. The latter was presented at GPHG 2024 (and has been preselected in the Men’s Complication category). The price is set at EUR 138,000.

For more information, please visit www.artya.com.