Now entering its second year, Alto has returned with two new editions of its debut model, the Art 01. The Art 01 Monochrome Grey and Monochrome Black editions feature bead-blasted titanium cases that enhance the brand’s distinctive futurist aesthetic.

Founded by Thibaud Guittard, the Paris-based brand has also announced the arrival of Raphaël Abeillon as Creative Director. Mr Abeillon joins Alto after more than a decade designing watches at Cartier.

Initial thoughts

Over the past few years, many brands have doubled down on integrated bracelet sport watches and historical re-issues, leading to fatigue among collectors and insiders alike. In this context, the Alto Art 01 is a breath of fresh air, pulling inspiration from far-flung fields like yacht design, cinema, and contemporary art.

While the hexagonal louvered dial is unusual and attractive, the Art 01 shines because of its case design. Reasonably sized at 45 mm x 40 mm, the bead-blasted titanium case features faceted sapphire crystals front and back. Thanks to its slim micro-rotor movement, the Art 01 is quite svelte at just 8 mm thick.

The Art 01 is powered by a bespoke micro-rotor movement made for Alto by Le Cercle des Horlogers. On paper, the movement looks fairly ordinary, ticking at 4 Hz and running for 48 hours on a full wind. That said, the movement is unusual in that it is open-worked and partially made of titanium, which contributes to the light weight of the watch.

In terms of pricing, the Monochrome Editions are priced at €25,500, which is a lot of money for an industrially produced watch from a startup brand. That said, it’s priced fairly compared to other watches that share the same movement DNA, especially considering the complex processes required to produce the angular titanium case and faceted sapphire crystals. And while not a limited edition per se, production will be lower than most limited editions in the industry, with around 20 pieces produced this year.

Cassette futurism

The original Art 01, introduced last year, was brought to life with the help of designer Barth Nussbaumer, who has worked with numerous independent watchmakers including Petermann Bedat and Kollokium. It’s difficult to succinctly describe the aesthetic, which is said to take inspiration from the designs of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Luca Bassani.

To my eye, the monochrome editions, especially the grey variant, play into themes associated with the aesthetic style known as ‘cassette futurism.’ The matte finish and angular shapes of the case and crystal also remind me of 1980s concept cars like the Citroën Karin, the Nissan NX-21, and the Bertone-designed Lamborghini Athon.

All of this is to say it’s about as far from another vintage remake as you can get. The cases themselves are rendered in bead-blasted grade 5 titanium, while the black variant is further treated with a DLC coating. A matching rubber strap with quick release springs bars completes the package.

Inside the Art 01

As a new brand, Alto chose to partner with a supplier rather than develop the movement in-house, which is almost always the right choice for smaller brands. The Alto A01 is produced by Le Cercle des Horlogers and is related to the CH200.CHSA micro-rotor automatic movement, which also served as the starting point for the LFT023 that powers the new Louis Vuitton Tambour.

But the A01 is far from off-the-shelf, and its unusual construction is likely a significant contributor to the price of the watch. In particular, the mainplate of the movement is made of grade 5 titanium, while the rotor is made of Reconit 18, a dense alloy that is mostly tungsten.

The finishing is industrial but attractive, in keeping with the futuristic character of the watch. Thanks to its titanium mainplate and open-worked brass bridges, the movement weighs just 18.4 grams, helping the Art 01 achieve an impressively light weight of just 56 grams overall.

Key facts and price

Alto Art 01 Monochrome Grey and Monochrome Black
Ref. MK2 TI (black)
Ref. MK3 TI (grey)

Diameter: 45 x 40 mm
Height: 8 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. A01
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Direct from Alto
Price: €25,500 including VAT

For more, visit altowatches.com.