ArtyA explores subversive simplicity with the Purity Stairway To Heaven
Buffy AcaciaWhen you’re a brand who has previously released lofty complications like tourbillons and minute repeaters, or experimented with futuristic case materials like colour-changing sapphire, it’s a bold move to name your new watch after Led Zeppelin’s magnum opus. It’s even bolder when that watch turns out to be a time-only movement housed in a stainless steel case. How can something which seems so bland on paper be considered that brand’s new flagship? Well, after 15 years of business, the ArtyA Purity Stairway To Heaven is an exercise in deceptive simplicity.
The case
A simple list of specifications is never going to do a watch like this justice, because so much of its value is tied to its execution. Even a passing glance is enough to tell you how special this watch really is, because it instantly looks like a spaceship on the wrist. The way that the crown guards slope out even echoes the silhouette of the Millennium Falcon, which is probably just a coincidence, but still has a subconscious effect. The flat, brushed surface of the bezel creates a solid frame which grounds the entire watch, and then the mirror-polished conical edge sends it into that sci-fi realm. And though the stainless steel model is the focus point, there are also references in white, black, green, and blue ceramic cases.
The 40mm diameter is a point of pride for the Purity Stairway To Heaven, as it can be difficult to construct such elaborate calibres without making the cases huge. However, that’s not going to impress many people. What is impressive is the level of detailed finishing on each distinct area of the case. Special attention is paid to the direction of the brushing, with everything more or less leading into the centre of the watch. Even the crown, which has a very tidy milled grip and etched ‘A’ signature, shows circular brushing when most crowns are polished for simplicity. The woven carbon texture in the windows of the case sides is perhaps the biggest eye-catcher though, and it’s there to represent some of ArtyA’s first carbon watches back in 2009.
The dial/movement
It would be time to talk about the dial, but what dial? The ArtyA Purity Stairway To Heaven goes beyond skeletonisation, instead seeming as if there are just components floating in mid-air. Art and engineering are one in the same when it comes to watchmaking, and the design of a calibre like this is the ultimate demonstration. Components are connected as subtly as possible, aiming to isolate each part for an intimidating stoicism. You can’t simply follow the train of wheels as you might with another skeletonised watch, which puts viewers on the back foot. It isn’t a dial which tries to confuse you, but it is one which restores a sense of mystery and intrigue.
Asymmetry is certainly a theme here, and indeed the hour and minute hands aren’t even placed in the centre of their own sub-dial. The applied hour markers have been warped and twisted so that they can meet the hands properly, almost as if they’re being pulled into a black hole. It’s jarring in a way which reinforces the manifesto of the whole watch — subversion of simplicity. In theory, checking the time with two hands should be simple, but in practice, it will draw you in whenever you look. The arrangement of the calibre is very similar to previous Purity models, containing the escapement on the left side of the dial, and the rest on the right hand side with twin mainspring barrels flanking above and below. Despite all of the asymmetry, it doesn’t feel unbalanced.
ArtyA Purity calibres aren’t given specific names, but the Stairway To Heaven shows off the brand’s latest in-house work. The movements themselves are produced in collaboration with the Swiss manufacturer Télôs Watch, with ArtyA overseeing all aspects of its creation. The design of the escapement bridge is what forms the titular “stairway”, with each growing bridge looking like steps up to the balance wheel. It may not be a tourbillon, but the beating heart at 4Hz is still a joy to watch running. The two mainspring barrels are arranged in parallel for a more even power delivery over the watch’s 72-hour power reserve.
The strap
A loud strap could easily be too distracting on a watch which seeks to be deceptively simple, so ArtyA toned the Purity Stairway To Heaven down with a casual, fitted black rubber strap. It has a central ridge and a small ‘A’ logo on the bottom half, but it’s quite subtle. The strap as a whole mainly serves to redirect attention back towards the watch. However, a hand-stitched calfskin is available for the traditionalists out there.
The verdict
As far as brand anniversaries go, the Purity Stairway To Heaven is one of the most understated celebrations I’ve ever seen. But, in a way, that’s what makes it so powerful. ArtyA has been all about experimentation over the years, and pulling way back on wow factor has really allowed the attention to detail to shine. The new in-house movement may not have any complications in the usual sense, but it’s still a complex movement which will certainly capture the hearts of the mechanically minded.
ArtyA Purity Stairway To Heaven pricing and availability
The Watches & Wonders Launch Editions of the ArtyA Purity Stairway To Heaven will be limited to just 10 pieces per configuration, and then 99 pieces for the regular limited editions. Price: US$28,000 (steel), US$33,900 (ceramic)
| Brand | ArtyA |
| Model | Purity Stairway To Heaven |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel Ceramic |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Open |
| Strap | Black rubber or calf leather strap, pin buckle |
| Movement | Purity Stairway To Heaven, collaboration with Télôs, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Availability | Watches & Wonders Launch Edition limited to 10 pieces Subsequent limited edition limited to 99 pieces |
| Price | US$28,000 (steel) US$33,900 (ceramic) |