At the heart of this creation: The « Falcon Eye » stone.
The Falcon Eye is a fine stone known for its shimmering reflections, with hues shifting between blue, gray, and black, punctuated by golden highlights. It has been used for centuries in jewelry for its aesthetic and symbolic properties. The stone is believed to possess protective qualities and a unique ability to capture light, giving it a captivating depth.
In watchmaking, its use is rare due to the challenges it presents at every stage of the manufacturing process.
The creation of this dial requires unique technical expertise to preserve the delicacy of the falcon’s eye.
For the first time in watchmaking history, ALTO explores the possibility of working with a stone in such a complex volume.
Volumetric Stone Marquetry A UNIQUE Craftsmanship
To design the three-dimensional dial of the ART 01 FALCON EYE, ALTO had to push the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship and invent a completely new and unique process.
This innovative approach offers a groundbreaking visual experience, redefining the aesthetics of watch dials. The first technical challenge lies in selecting stone blocks with enough thickness to accommodate the dial structure.
Each block must then be sliced into flawless sheets without inclusions, while preserving the mineral richness of the stone — a crucial step in the process.
The second stage involves machining the stone into six segments that reflect ALTO’s signature dial design. This unprecedented relief machining requires extreme precision due to the stone’s delicacy, its thinness, and the complexity of the pattern. Such dimensions had never been explored before in watchmaking or jewelry.
Finally, hand-polishing each stone segment is a meticulous process, demanding exceptional attention to detail to maintain the purity of the design.
The result is a spectacular architectural dial, with the stone gradually darkening towards the center to evoke the pupil and iris. This subtle gradient is the result of nearly a year of development, with only 12 dials produced — each unique, shaped by the natural fibers and color variations inherent to the stone.
This relentless pursuit of excellence, blending precision and creativity, perfectly embodies ALTO’s visionary spirit.
This achievement is a true feat and marks the birth of an entirely new savoir-faire.
THE CALIBER A01 Precision AND REFINEMENT AT THE HEART OF THE Mechanics
At the heart of the ART 01 FALCON EYE is the A01 caliber, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor, « in-house » developed in collaboration with the independent Swiss manufacture Le Cercle des Horlogers. This movement, specifically designed for ALTO, represents a quest for harmony between technical performance and watchmaking aesthetics.
The A01 caliber stands out for its unique architectural layout and the integration of golden bridges, a subtle echo of the watch case. Each component is carefully hand-finished, preserving the watchmaking tradition while embodying innovation. The seconds hand, turning in the reverse direction, adds a strong conceptual dimension, illustrating how ALTO redefines the perception of time.
This finely crafted movement is designed to perfectly complement the unique proportions of the ART 01 collection case, marking a perfect balance between technicality and creativity.
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