Artime started as a watch decoration and finishing firm founded in 2014 by Manuel Thomas, and then in 2023 under the impetus of Fabrice Deschanel, Artime Créations was established to cover the entire process of watchmaking from beginning to end. Located in Les Brenets and Le Locle, their workshops are specialized in key fields, such as prototyping, hand-finishing and machine decorations, for applications ranging from watchmaking —casing and movement— to accessories for the luxury industry. The combined experience and expertise of the six partners of Artime —Deschanel, Emmenegger, Maturel, Bretin, Jutier, and Thomas— whom have all collaborated in the past within the most renowned brands of the Swiss watch industry, bring a wealth of knowledge that is unparalleled. The ART01 Tourbillon Double Balance Wheel we have here is their inaugural timepiece and the watch is available in titanium/sapphire or 5N red gold/sapphire in a limited of 20 pieces for each model.
The Artime Team
Fabrice Deschanel previously managed Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi for more than 25 years and was on the board of Audemars Piguet for more than a decade. He built the second part of his career as Managing Director of Greubel Forsey. He is a Director at Artime Creation.
Claude Emmenegger is the team’s designer. Besides twice holding the position of Creative Director at Audemars Piguet, he also headed the design and development departments at Movado and Gucci Timepieces. In 2005, he founded his own firm in La Chaux-de-Fonds, soon establishing himself as an expert in watch design and, with his team, collaborating with more than fifty brands.
Stéphane Maturel was previously responsible for the technical department and development operations of the high complications manufacture Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi. He then joined TAG Heuer where he took on a pivotal role at the core of the brand’s processes. Today, as a watchmaker-analyst and process design specialist at Artime.
Didier Bretin is the watchmaker of the Artime team. He started his career at Breguet. His career continued at Audemars Piguet, where he specialized as a Builder and met Fabrice Deschanel. A stint at Philippe Dufour allowed him to perfect his skills and it was at Greubel Forsey that he had the privilege of making timepieces in their entirety and bringing a new vision to the art of watchmaking.
Manuel Thomas, a watchmaker and micro-mechanic by training, also comes from the ranks of the Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi watchmaking establishment. An entrepreneur at heart, Manuel has founded several companies in the luxury watchmaking sector. He brings to the team a strategic industrial vision for Artime.
Emmanuel Jutier has held various positions related to product marketing and sales management, enabled him to accumulate unparalleled experience within the Swatch Group, the Manufacture F.P.Journe and finally at Greubel Forsey. He has contributed to the growth of these major independent brands on an international level. He brings an innate sense of storytelling, a love of fine watchmaking and a knowledge of the main players in the market as well as close relations with collectors, which will enable Artime to approach these key groups within the community.
Photo from Artime (Left to Right): Claude Emmenegger, Stéphane Maturel, Emmanuel Jutier, Didier Bretan, Fabrice Deschanel, and Manuel Thomas.
Things to Know About the Watch
Artime’s inaugural ART01 is a watch that embodies all the principles that define the brand. It touches the most discerning lovers of horology at the core, in all openness, with a choreography of materials, spatial volumes, innovative concepts and finishes that are all at the highest level. Inside this timepiece, an aerial caliber in 5N rose gold, a tourbillon with a double balance spring and an ergonomic crown function selector. The latter is intimately integrated into a perfectly suited 42 mm case that merges 5N rose gold with transparent sapphire crystal.
The crown function selector is a device that is particularly dear to their hearts as most of the team worked closely in the development of this system at APRP —Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi— for brands including AP, Richard Mille and even HYT. It radically modernizes the ergonomics of the watch. The innovation here resides in a column wheel that controls two vertical clutches by means of rockers. A mechanism, fully in the spirit of the ART01's architecture, that is at once robust and quite spectacular. The crown function selector system is operated via a pusher built into the crown.
The crown function selector displays the selected function on a small round aperture at 3 o’clock with the letters R, N, H. R for remontoir, N for neutral and H for Heure —Time Setting. The level of skeletonization of this movement leaves nothing to the imagination with a movement that lacks of mainplate and that is literally suspended inside the case and somewhat sandwiched between sapphire crystal supports.
The tourbillon with double balance spring takes the center stage at 6 o’clock and the mainspring barrel at 12 o’clock. This is one of those watches that is up there with watches from Greubel Forsey and Ferdinand Berthoud.
The dial or lack thereof, includes a sapphire crystal chapter ring with round markers filled with white luminescent material and Hyceram ceramic hands with with white luminescent material that emits a blue light. The finishing of all bridges includes satin brushed finish, anglage, and high polish chamfering. Three out of the four jewels visible on the dial side are set in gold chatons.
The case on the Artime ART01 Tourbillon is a patented concept of a case middle that is half-metal in this case 5N rose gold and half-sapphire allowing a spectacular view of the ART01’s architectural movement. Connecting the case back to the minimalist bezel, we have an elaborate system of tubes and pillars. The metal part of the case middle also serves as a frame for the movement. The strap is integrated into the case seamlessly.
All these innovations give the whole a lightness of architecture rarely reached in watchmaking. Regardless of this construction, the watch still offers a water resistance of 50 meters —5 ATM.
The tourbillon, too, has been rethought from the ground up, in that same architectural spirit. Just as the project was developed in complete freedom, the ART01’s rotating regulating organ was imagined without constraints. Held between a top and bottom bridge, its cage is of an entirely new shape, without the pillars that usually connect the upper and lower parts, thus freeing up the space necessary for the regulating organ. Here, the cage forms a three-dimensional unit whose visual signature, a fundamental differentiator for any watchmaker, is a three-armed design, each arm flaring out like a stylized flower.
The Movement
The ART01 Tourbillon is powered by a manual wound calibre with an impressive 80-hour power reserved. The movement is composed of 261 parts including two balance springs. The balance springs operate in opposition to each other, so that any balance faults generated by the pulsation of one balance spring are compensated by the other, and vice versa.
This is a radical alternative to the Breguet terminal curve, aiming at a perfect balance of the regulating organ and thus at optimal chronometry. At this level, Artime works in close collaboration with Neuhausen, Switzerland-based Precision Engineering, a recognized specialist in this domain.
Fully visible via the sapphire crystal on the back, the movement is an real treat for the eyes.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the ART01 Tourbillon in 5N Rose Gold wears simply out of this world and extremely light considering its gold construction. A true feat of horology and outstanding watch design. A perfect example of a new company and brand pushing the boundaries of traditional horology and breaking the molds. Could it be that this is due to the fact that the majority of the Artime team comes from the wonder years at APRP? or it is just the fact that when you are a brilliant team of noncomformists like the team at Artime you just go above and beyond to create horological magic? Whatever it is we are happy that we got to peruse this new watch during Geneva Watch Days a couple of weeks ago. Available in a limited edition of 20 pieces individually numbered and worth every penny of its price tag.
Sticker Price CHF 225,000 Swiss Francs —approx USD 265,000. More info on Artime here.
