ArtyA is not a brand that plays by conventional rules. The Geneva-based independent house has built its identity on provocation, material experimentation, and a willingness to go places the mainstream Swiss industry simply won't. With the Purity Moissanite Curvy Tourbillon, it goes further than ever, presenting what it claims is the first tonneau-shaped watch case sculpted entirely from moissanite, a silicon carbide originally discovered in a meteorite crater in 1893. This piece will debut at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026 in the Carré des Horlogers and is limited to just nine examples.
Things to Know About the Watch
Moissanite is not new to ArtyA, it was introduced as the world's first moissanite-cased watch at Only Watch in 2023, though that was a round case. The leap to a curved tonneau architecture is significant: moissanite sits between 9.25 and 9.5 on the Mohs scale—harder than sapphire, second only to diamond—and its melting point exceeds 2,700°C. Machining it into complex curved surfaces requires proprietary processes developed in-house by Stanislas Arpa, the founder's son, who leads both ArtyA's creative direction and its materials R&D. No other watchmaker currently works with this material.
What makes moissanite optically compelling is its dispersion index of 0.104, more than double that of diamond at 0.044. The result is an intense prismatic decomposition of light—a rainbow fire effect that animates the entire case, which measures 41 mm wide, 42 mm long, and 13 mm thick.
ArtyA enhances this with 65 hand-cut facets across the tonneau surfaces, and the crystal’s natural champagne hue adds warmth to the visual presentation. The curved flanks also act as a magnifying lens over the movement, creating an optical depth effect that is central to the design intent.
Inside sits the PUR-T3 Curvy Tourbillon, a manufacture calibre developed specifically to follow the curved geometry of the case. The architecture places hours and minutes offset at 12 o'clock with the tourbillon at 6, framed by an upper cage bridge measuring a substantial 17 mm. The watch is paired with a nubuck strap and an ArtyA pin buckle.
The Movement
Inside sits the PUR-T3 Curvy Tourbillon, a manufacture calibre developed specifically to follow the curved geometry of the case. The architecture places hours and minutes offset at 12 o'clock with the tourbillon at 6, framed by an upper cage bridge measuring a substantial 17mm.
The PUR-T3 Curvy Tourbillon calibre manual-wound movement beats at 4 Hz—notably higher than the 2.5 to 3 Hz frequency typical of most Swiss manufacture tourbillons—which contributes to improved chronometric stability. Power comes from dual barrels mounted in parallel, delivering a minimum power reserve of 65 hours with a practical maximum of 70 to 72 hours. Regulation is handled via traditional timing weights rather than a regulator index, a more demanding approach that allows finer positional adjustment.
Finishing is contemporary but deliberate: bridges and mainplate are fine-sandblasted with cast iron and hand-bevelled, and the tourbillon cage receives the same treatment. A NAC grey galvanic coating rounds out the movement's visual identity. Total component count is 153 across 24 jewels.
On the Wrist & Price
ArtyA operates in a space where very few independents dare to tread — not just designing unconventional watches, but also engineering the materials science that makes them possible. The Purity Moissanite Curvy Tourbillon is a statement piece in every sense, and with nine examples worldwide, it will remain exactly that. Whether the broader market takes notice is almost beside the point. This is a house building its own lane.
Sticker Price USD 216,000. For more info on ArtyA, click here.
