Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Sporty Transparent Summer Vibe Of The Artya AquaSaphir (Live Pics)
Fully transparent sapphire cases and dive watch looks for fun in the sun.
Artya was founded in 2010 in Geneva by Yvan Arpa, a Swiss watch designer with a wild, eccentric imagination. Using unusual materials like real bullets, dinosaur dung, tobacco, and even a case that was struck by a lightning bolt generated by a giant Tesla coil, Yvan Arpa’s watch designs are hard to categorise. His latest project is the AquaSaphir, a collection of sapphire crystal watches with summery colours. Touted as the “first aquatic watch with a case made of sapphire crystal“, it’s worth pointing out that it is not a bona fide diver; the case’s water resistance is limited to 60 metres and the bezel is fixed. However, if you’re on the hunt for a summer-ready watch with a cool turquoise transparent sapphire case powered by a COSC chronometer-certified movement and have a spare EUR 40,000, the AquaSaphir is an attractive candidate.
Unlike the Artya Depth Gauge introduced in 2022 with its 300m water-resistant case, the graduated bezel of the AquaSaphir might make it look like a dive watch – and it is promoted as the first sapphire crystal watch on the market that can withstand pressures of 60 metres but it’s not a proper dive watch as defined by the ISO 6425 norm.
Artya’s AquaSaphir exalts its transparency by eliminating any steel elements in the case construction; even the crown is crafted in sapphire crystal. There are no visible screws, no metal casing, just a sensation of sheer transparency – until you turn the watch over. Scoring a nine on the Mohs scale, sapphire crystal is the hardest mineral after diamond and moissanite and is extremely resilient to scratches. The 41mm sapphire crystal case comes in transparent and cyan-tinted flavours. The cyan-tinted NanoSaphire™ or turquoise model’s bezel captures the watery colours of a refreshing pool or lagoon and features white markings on the graduated bezel.
The cyan-tinted NanoSaphire™ model can be paired with a meteorite dial from Namibia or a blue gradient enamel dial that is more saturated at the top and fades to white at the bottom of the dial. The transparent sapphire model is paired with a blue gradient dial. Like the large, luminous indices found on diver watches, the hour markers mix rectangular and triangular shapes and are treated with Super-LumiNova (BGW9) that emits a blue-green glow in the dark. There is a date window at 3 o’clock, and the three central hands are also treated with SLN.
The reverse side reveals the 3-hand automatic Artyon movement designed by Artya with its rose gold rotor and NAC-coated Côte de Genève bridges. COSC chronometer-certified, the frequency is 4Hz and the power reserve is 42 hours.
Availability & Price
Available with turquoise or white rubber straps, the AquaSaphir Cyan NanoSaphir ™ bezel models with a meteorite or gradient dial retail for CHF 39,900 / EUR 40,900 (excl. tax). The AquaSaphir with a transparent bezel and gradient dial retails for CHF 29,900 / EUR 30,900 (excl. tax). For more information, please visit artya.com.
