We usually don’t use the term “supergroup” for watches. It’s almost always reserved for musical acts, like The Highwomen, The Traveling Wilburys, or Them Crooked Vultures—groups made up of names that alone would generate excitement and together send fans into a frenzy. In watchmaking, these groups are far less common, and that’s perhaps why we haven’t used the term much (one that does come to mind is THA, the movement workshop co-founded by F.P. Journe, Vianney Halter, and Denis Flageollet; while that venture never produced its own watches, it did develop, among others, the 045MC monopusher chronograph movement for Cartier). Few and far between as they are, it’s exciting to learn about such a meeting of the minds. That’s just the case with Artime, a new brand from industry veterans whose names you likely don’t know, but whose work history includes Audemars Piguet, Breguet, F.P. Journe, and Greubel Forsey, among others. And from such a supergroup, you may not be surprised that the resulting watch, the Artime ART01, is an architectural design with impeccable finishing and a suspended tourbillon movement.
While the watch is the result of a collaboration, it bears Didier Bretin’s name. The way the brand sees it, each watch—and the language the press release uses implies this is the first of many to come—is a group effort, but invariably one member is the main inspiration. Think of it as Ringo Starr getting songwriter credit on “Octopus’s Garden.” With the help of his colleagues Claude Emmenegger (designer of the Royal Oak Concept) and Stéphane Maturel (former manager at renowned movement house Renaud & Papi), Frabrice Deschanel and Emmanuel Jutier (both having worked at Greubel Forsey), and Manuel Thomas (also of Renaud & Papi, Minerva, and other esteemed brands), Bretin created a highly structural watch that is crafted of titanium and sapphire, with a movement on full display.
The 42mm case features alternating bands of titanium and sapphire The titanium mid-case forms the foundation with its brushed finish and polished chamfered edges. It gives way to a sapphire band that offers a glimpse at the movement; this is more than just an added layer, instead forming an integral part of the case and continuing its silhouette up to the slim polished titanium bezel. The flat sapphire (complemented by a sapphire caseback) reinforces the modern look of this watch. At 11.4mm, with downturned lugs and an integrated black calfskin leather strap, the case shouldn’t provide too many wearability issues except for the slightest of wrists. The strap itself is closed with a titanium butterfly clasp itself that appears to do its best to keep things slim and features an equally high design as the case and dial—in so far as there even is a dial.