By participating in the Tour Auto during the week preceding the launch of his ALTO brand, Thibaud Guittard did much more than just take his mind off things before tackling this crucial event. In a way, he legitimized his approach by recalling his love of beautiful mechanics and in particular the supercars of the 70s. Because when I discovered the first ALTO watch, the ART 01, a few days ago, I could only note this inspiration. It is obvious to recall that it is extremely difficult today to launch a brand. Difficult in the sense of standing out from the pack because there are launches almost every day. And those who manage to survive and then develop are those who have been able to bring something different or new to the watchmaking landscape. Given his professional career, notably at Audemars Piguet, Thibaud Guittard knows this very well. This is why he approached his project with a lot of thought and maturity and I think he took things in the right direction. The arguments that lead me to this conclusion are the following:
- The ART 01 has its own identity thanks to the shape of the case and the left second hand (turning counterclockwise) which is surprising at first glance. These are the elements that we grasp first.
- Then a lot of care was given to the aesthetic details which reinforce the coherence of the whole. The point that I liked the most is the almost prismatic shape of the glass which seems to extend the geometric lines of the case. The result reminds me of a resolutely contemporary “Facet” watch. The aesthetic work on the titanium case is also accomplished. When we observe the caseband, we are surprised by the absence of horns and by the angular approaches which bring fluidity by breaking the perception of thickness and which favor the integration of the rubber strap. Undeniably, the touch of Barth Nussbaumer, who worked on the project, is felt.
- The dial with lamé decoration offers volume effects and gives the impression of transcribing a sort of hexagonal propagation. But the main interest of this dial is to offer very beautiful reflections of light accentuated by the shape of the glass. It is incontestably the ideal complement to the glass. The hands are rather simple (but not uninteresting) and their main purpose is to preserve readability in all circumstances.
- The ART 01 is comfortable to wear thanks to a rubber strap that hugs the wrist. The absence of a horn reduces the perceived size, which is a good point. I don’t have the official dimensions of the case, but since it is a shaped case, the perceived size remains larger than an equivalent round watch. Thanks to the integration of the bracelet, even a modest wrist will be able to wear the piece without worry. The total weight is 56g and this lightness, combined with the good support, explains the pleasant sensation when the watch is worn.
- Thibaud Guittard’s ambition is to address above all an art-loving public and not necessarily pure watchmaking enthusiasts. He has thus worked a lot on the environment and the context of the brand in order to create a kind of imaginary around the ART 01. The fluidity of the design and the behavior of the second hand are the result of a reflection on the movement, as an artistic component, and on the passing of time. He has put the means to seduce this public thanks in particular to the involvement of Mathieu César who created a film dedicated to the movement and which immerses the spectators in the universe of ALTO. I imagine that the next communication approaches will continue in the same vein.
- The excellent news is that, despite this strategy, the watchmaking substance has not been forgotten. The ART 01 is powered by an exclusive movement developed by the Cercle des Horlogers and designed by Barth Nussbaumer. Its shape matches that of the case, which is a real asset in terms of credibility. In addition, it has an astonishing architecture as if the moving elements had been moved aside to optimally occupy the space and to give the opportunity to create geometric bridges that echo the case and the dial. Thus, the barrel is located above the micro-rotor while the balance wheel is opposite the crown. The result is very convincing from a visual point of view not only because of this original architecture but also because of the quality of the finish, which has fortunately remained sober and neat. The coherence is preserved thanks to a PVD treatment applied to the plate, bridges and modules. In terms of performance, the caliber has a power reserve of 48 hours (a little short by today’s standards) for a frequency of 4Hz.
So I appreciated Thibaud Guittard’s approach because it seemed to me to be well thought out and above all I have the feeling that the ART 01 translates well the ideas that he wanted to implement. Personally, I would surely have preferred that the dial opens to take advantage of the architecture of the movement but the watch would have lost its singularity as well as the play of light with the glass. This is also what makes me say that Thibaud Guittard is right to address a more “lifestyle” clientele that will be more in line with the universe of his brand.
The ART 01 is available in a limited series of 25 pieces at a price of 19,100 euros excluding VAT.
