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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
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ArtyA’s CEO, Yvan Arpa, arrived a night earlier for the 7th edition of Dubai Watch Week, which took place at Burj Park, Dubai, overlooking the magnificent Burj Khalifa. Among the over 90 brands that participated in the expansive event, ArtyA arrived from Geneva and had already sold a number of its timepieces. Arpa says that the quality of people in Dubai is very high. Indeed!
So far, the brand’s Purity collection has performed the best in the market among its four core lines - the other three being the diving watches in the Aqua, the skeletonised timepieces of the Luminity, and the unique, handcrafted artistic pieces of the Art. The Purity stands out with exclusive manufacture movements housed inside cases made from materials like sapphire, ceramic, forged carbon, titanium, and steel - creating a catalogue of sturdy timepieces, not just in existence but also in appearance.
The collection was born in 2021 when founder Arpa took his two kids to work with him, and at that moment the other collections felt too linked to himself. He wanted something new this time - something more artistic - and so the new collection began from scratch. “So we really designed everything for the movement, which always has two barrels for very strong reliability and stability. It goes to four hertz. Even the tourbillon is four hertz,” says Arpa. “And the design, I wanted it to be like a sculpture in space. I’ll take all the space that is available inside the watch, not flat, but really like architecture.” For him, the star of the product is the movement, fully in-house, shining in glory inside the newly designed wavy-shaped case, which was designed by his son, Jérémie Arpa, crafted in materials like titanium and extending to more complex ones like moissanite and sapphire - also seen in ArtyA’s latest two timepieces developed for Dubai Watch Week 2025 in collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi, celebrating the United Arab Emirates.
One is a 10-piece limited edition crafted entirely from emerald-green sapphire, while the other is a unique one-of-a-kind model featuring a four-colour NanoSapphire bezel replicating the UAE flag. Both watches follow the signature AquaSaphir design, built around a 41 mm case made almost entirely of sapphire crystal - including the bezel, case middle, crown, and both crystals. The dials are shimmering aventurine, and the movement is the La Joux-Perret G100, beating at 4 Hz with a 68-hour power reserve.
Today, ArtyA stands strong as an independent - It is not dictated by money, but by passion. “Nobody needs a watch to tell the time. So it’s a piece of art or history on your wrist. And this is important. Many independents have to stay mono-concept because the investment is so high to make one concept that they stick to one. I wanted to make my own brand, which is multi-concept. If you like watchmaking, you will find something that will match your taste,” Arpa emphasises, speaking about the freedom of creativity that independence offers. Yet, he doesn’t neglect the challenges. “You don’t have any financial backup, you don’t have the power of a group, so you have to be your own financial backup.” He adds, “Don’t get me wrong, I love the big brands as well, but when you become too big, the finance takes over the creative. So this is not what we want. We want the creative to be before the finance. So this is a big challenge.”
Despite the challenges, ArtyA is expanding its global presence. Currently, the brand has its boutique presence in Geneva, Mexico, and Tokyo, and 67 retail points in over 30 countries - and yes, India is in the plans. For Arpa, a pleasant brand-retailer relationship is important. He says, “The people who choose to represent ArtyA must be passionate. They must have knowledge of what we do. There must be a pleasure to see them, and they must have a pleasure to see us. We very rarely go to someone to say, ‘Oh, please, can we work together?’ We make extremely good products, and this attracts people who come.”
For ArtyA, an ideal customer is someone who can understand the newness in the brand - the materials, movement, and concept. The brand is well known for using unconventional materials like real, ethically sourced butterfly wings or coprolite (fossilised dinosaur dung). That’s crazy shit! Arpa says, “Because nobody needs a watch to tell the time, so you need to bring different values. And the good thing about watches is that it’s very philosophical. It’s linked to the time we are here on this planet. It is an emotion; it’s also a tradition.”
The brand makes about 500 watches a year, and is not rooted in a rigid DNA of design. “If you write a DNA, you must behave according to the DNA you wrote. So I made this for 12 brands, important brands, and then I said, for my brand, the DNA must be passion.” Arpa continues, “It allows me to go from one end to the other, as long as it's authentic and different from what exists already. This is our DNA, and this works well.”
In the middle of this year, ArtyA launched its Luminity Wavy collection of 40 mm sculpture-like watches crafted in Grade 5 titanium or sapphire. With this debuted its very first micro-rotor movement, the AMR-02, developed in collaboration with Swiss-based movement maker Télôs Watch S.A. The ultra-thin calibre measures 3.6 mm and features a tungsten micro-rotor for improved winding efficiency. It beats at 4 Hz or 28,800 vph, and its impressive 82-hour power reserve comes from twin barrels working in parallel, each equipped with longer, finer springs that release energy more smoothly for a steadier and more linear output.
The collection then expanded with a 35 mm model - a unisex size also entirely new to the brand. Also offered in titanium or a full-sapphire case, the ArtyA Luminity Wavy 35 mm presents another micro-rotor movement, the AMR-01, with the same power reserve and frequency as the AMR-02. To make things more interesting, the dial of this model is offered in two variations - a transparent sapphire dial to allow full visibility of the movement, and mother-of-pearl or amazonite stone featured on the dial’s central inlay. “Because those movements are interesting, I wanted a sapphire dial or a little stone in the middle, so you can still have the pleasure of looking at the dial,” comments Arpa.
For ArtyA, Arpa sees India as the next big market. The buying power of Indians has grown exponentially and is expected to grow 11–12% annually, based on research by SOIC and reported by The Economic Times. But Arpa’s admiration for India does not stem from this fact, but from a more thoughtful reason. “I was with my friends by motorbike in Rajasthan. We did 4,000 kilometres to catch the energy. It's only a very small part of India, but with this energy, this, for me, is one of the most fantastic countries. I don’t say so because you're Indian. I say so for a very simple reason. In Europe and in many countries, we become too Americanised - the same music, the same food, slowly - which is not good. And countries like India and Japan, but India in particular, you have such a strong, long, powerful history that you don’t need to and you don’t want to rely on American history. This for me is something fabulous.” He continues, “By motorbike, you could go to very small villages in very remote areas. And I was amazed by the beauty of the people, not only, of course, physically, but inside. We made so many good friends. This is something that really touched me. It was not for business, but I like to mix business and pleasure. I want to come back, but I still need to have a little bit of a reason. So I think, yes, India would be fantastic. But again, we are not in a hurry. We will find the right partner, definitely.”
For the future, Arpa believes that good energies sent out come back. “I want my people around me to be happy - suppliers, clients, team, and family - and to have good energy with them. They will give me back good energy, and we will go the good way for sure, yes, and not be arrogant, but to be self-sure it is the way to follow.”
ArtyA’s philosophy on watchmaking revolves around emotions. Arpa explains, “What is the best time of your life? I think it was when you were a kid and went to bed, and your mother told you a bed story. This is something very emotional, for you to have a nice dream during your sleep. This is a little bit the goal of ArtyA. It’s to give you an emotion with every watch. There is a certificate explaining why we did this watch, and when you look at your watch, it gives you a nice emotion.” He adds, “With nice emotions, maybe you are nicer with the people around you, and the world would be a little bit better. Maybe this is the ultimate goal.”
ArtyA’s CEO, Yvan Arpa, arrived a night earlier for the 7th edition of Dubai Watch Week, which took place at Burj Park, Dubai, overlooking the magnificent Burj Khalifa. Among the over 90 brands that participated in the expansive event, ArtyA arrived from Geneva and had already sold a number of its timepieces. Arpa says that the quality of people in Dubai is very high. Indeed!
So far, the brand’s Purity collection has performed the best in the market among its four core lines - the other three being the diving watches in the Aqua, the skeletonised timepieces of the Luminity, and the unique, handcrafted artistic pieces of the Art. The Purity stands out with exclusive manufacture movements housed inside cases made from materials like sapphire, ceramic, forged carbon, titanium, and steel - creating a catalogue of sturdy timepieces, not just in existence but also in appearance.
The collection was born in 2021 when founder Arpa took his two kids to work with him, and at that moment the other collections felt too linked to himself. He wanted something new this time - something more artistic - and so the new collection began from scratch. “So we really designed everything for the movement, which always has two barrels for very strong reliability and stability. It goes to four hertz. Even the tourbillon is four hertz,” says Arpa. “And the design, I wanted it to be like a sculpture in space. I’ll take all the space that is available inside the watch, not flat, but really like architecture.” For him, the star of the product is the movement, fully in-house, shining in glory inside the newly designed wavy-shaped case, which was designed by his son, Jérémie Arpa, crafted in materials like titanium and extending to more complex ones like moissanite and sapphire - also seen in ArtyA’s latest two timepieces developed for Dubai Watch Week 2025 in collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi, celebrating the United Arab Emirates.
One is a 10-piece limited edition crafted entirely from emerald-green sapphire, while the other is a unique one-of-a-kind model featuring a four-colour NanoSapphire bezel replicating the UAE flag. Both watches follow the signature AquaSaphir design, built around a 41 mm case made almost entirely of sapphire crystal - including the bezel, case middle, crown, and both crystals. The dials are shimmering aventurine, and the movement is the La Joux-Perret G100, beating at 4 Hz with a 68-hour power reserve.
Today, ArtyA stands strong as an independent - It is not dictated by money, but by passion. “Nobody needs a watch to tell the time. So it’s a piece of art or history on your wrist. And this is important. Many independents have to stay mono-concept because the investment is so high to make one concept that they stick to one. I wanted to make my own brand, which is multi-concept. If you like watchmaking, you will find something that will match your taste,” Arpa emphasises, speaking about the freedom of creativity that independence offers. Yet, he doesn’t neglect the challenges. “You don’t have any financial backup, you don’t have the power of a group, so you have to be your own financial backup.” He adds, “Don’t get me wrong, I love the big brands as well, but when you become too big, the finance takes over the creative. So this is not what we want. We want the creative to be before the finance. So this is a big challenge.”
Despite the challenges, ArtyA is expanding its global presence. Currently, the brand has its boutique presence in Geneva, Mexico, and Tokyo, and 67 retail points in over 30 countries - and yes, India is in the plans. For Arpa, a pleasant brand-retailer relationship is important. He says, “The people who choose to represent ArtyA must be passionate. They must have knowledge of what we do. There must be a pleasure to see them, and they must have a pleasure to see us. We very rarely go to someone to say, ‘Oh, please, can we work together?’ We make extremely good products, and this attracts people who come.”
For ArtyA, an ideal customer is someone who can understand the newness in the brand - the materials, movement, and concept. The brand is well known for using unconventional materials like real, ethically sourced butterfly wings or coprolite (fossilised dinosaur dung). That’s crazy shit! Arpa says, “Because nobody needs a watch to tell the time, so you need to bring different values. And the good thing about watches is that it’s very philosophical. It’s linked to the time we are here on this planet. It is an emotion; it’s also a tradition.”
The brand makes about 500 watches a year, and is not rooted in a rigid DNA of design. “If you write a DNA, you must behave according to the DNA you wrote. So I made this for 12 brands, important brands, and then I said, for my brand, the DNA must be passion.” Arpa continues, “It allows me to go from one end to the other, as long as it's authentic and different from what exists already. This is our DNA, and this works well.”
In the middle of this year, ArtyA launched its Luminity Wavy collection of 40 mm sculpture-like watches crafted in Grade 5 titanium or sapphire. With this debuted its very first micro-rotor movement, the AMR-02, developed in collaboration with Swiss-based movement maker Télôs Watch S.A. The ultra-thin calibre measures 3.6 mm and features a tungsten micro-rotor for improved winding efficiency. It beats at 4 Hz or 28,800 vph, and its impressive 82-hour power reserve comes from twin barrels working in parallel, each equipped with longer, finer springs that release energy more smoothly for a steadier and more linear output.
The collection then expanded with a 35 mm model - a unisex size also entirely new to the brand. Also offered in titanium or a full-sapphire case, the ArtyA Luminity Wavy 35 mm presents another micro-rotor movement, the AMR-01, with the same power reserve and frequency as the AMR-02. To make things more interesting, the dial of this model is offered in two variations - a transparent sapphire dial to allow full visibility of the movement, and mother-of-pearl or amazonite stone featured on the dial’s central inlay. “Because those movements are interesting, I wanted a sapphire dial or a little stone in the middle, so you can still have the pleasure of looking at the dial,” comments Arpa.
For ArtyA, Arpa sees India as the next big market. The buying power of Indians has grown exponentially and is expected to grow 11–12% annually, based on research by SOIC and reported by The Economic Times. But Arpa’s admiration for India does not stem from this fact, but from a more thoughtful reason. “I was with my friends by motorbike in Rajasthan. We did 4,000 kilometres to catch the energy. It's only a very small part of India, but with this energy, this, for me, is one of the most fantastic countries. I don’t say so because you're Indian. I say so for a very simple reason. In Europe and in many countries, we become too Americanised - the same music, the same food, slowly - which is not good. And countries like India and Japan, but India in particular, you have such a strong, long, powerful history that you don’t need to and you don’t want to rely on American history. This for me is something fabulous.” He continues, “By motorbike, you could go to very small villages in very remote areas. And I was amazed by the beauty of the people, not only, of course, physically, but inside. We made so many good friends. This is something that really touched me. It was not for business, but I like to mix business and pleasure. I want to come back, but I still need to have a little bit of a reason. So I think, yes, India would be fantastic. But again, we are not in a hurry. We will find the right partner, definitely.”
For the future, Arpa believes that good energies sent out come back. “I want my people around me to be happy - suppliers, clients, team, and family - and to have good energy with them. They will give me back good energy, and we will go the good way for sure, yes, and not be arrogant, but to be self-sure it is the way to follow.”
ArtyA’s philosophy on watchmaking revolves around emotions. Arpa explains, “What is the best time of your life? I think it was when you were a kid and went to bed, and your mother told you a bed story. This is something very emotional, for you to have a nice dream during your sleep. This is a little bit the goal of ArtyA. It’s to give you an emotion with every watch. There is a certificate explaining why we did this watch, and when you look at your watch, it gives you a nice emotion.” He adds, “With nice emotions, maybe you are nicer with the people around you, and the world would be a little bit better. Maybe this is the ultimate goal.”
