ArtyA’s Purity Moissanite Curvy Tourbillon turns silicon carbide into theater. The brand claims a first for watchmaking with a moissanite – silicon carbide – case, shaped into a curved, 65-facet crystal that behaves like an optical lens. Light does not so much pass as perform, breaking into rainbow fire while the movement seems to float inside.
Moissanite, discovered in 1893 in a meteorite crater by Henri Moissan, brings serious material chops. With a Mohs hardness of 9.25 to 9.5 and a melting point beyond 2,700°C, it is far tougher to machine than sapphire. Its party trick is dispersion at 0.104, more than double diamond, which explains the vivid spectral play. ArtyA previously cut a round moissanite case for Only Watch 2023. Here it escalates to a curvilinear tonneau with polished planes that naturally magnify the mechanism. The crystal’s subtle champagne hue keeps the spectacle refined rather than gaudy.
Inside is the manufacture PUR-T3 Curvy Tourbillon, built to follow the case’s arc. Hours and minutes sit off-center at 12, the tourbillon turns at 6. The movement runs at 4 Hz – uncommon for tourbillons that often sit between 2.5 and 3 Hz – and draws on two parallel barrels for a 65-hour guaranteed reserve, stretching to 70-72 hours. Regulation uses timing weights on an Atokalpa balance rather than a regulator index, a traditional route that favors fine, positional adjustment. The upper tourbillon bridge spans a striking 17 mm, lending structure and stage.
Finishing is modern but respectful. Bridges and mainplate are finely shot-blasted, then hand-bevelled. The tourbillon cage receives the same sequence, its edges bright against a grey NAC treatment. It is not baroque decoration, more an architectural clarity that suits the crystalline surround.
Proportions are compact for the effect delivered: 41 mm wide, 42 mm long, 13 mm high. The movement measures 32.40 x 27.80 mm and 5.51 mm thick, with 153 components and 24 jewels. The watch comes on nubuck with an ArtyA pin buckle.
Production is limited to 9 pieces, designed and made between Geneva and the Swiss Jura. Pricing is 170’000 CHF, 189’000 €, or 216’000 $. For those who like their mechanics illuminated from every angle, this is less a case than a prism. If sapphire is a window, moissanite here is a cathedral of light. And yes, it will make you check the time more than strictly necessary.
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