Alto brings us two Monochrome takes on its edgy ART 01
Russell Sheldrake- Alto adds uniformity to its initial release with two Monochrome Editions of the ART 01.
- One in full black and the other in grey, they are both limited to just 20 pieces each.
- Inside is the same A01 calibre made for Alto by Le Cercle des Horlogers.
Some of you may remember the rather unexpected launch last year of this new brand, Alto, and its design-focused ART 01. This watch caught the attention of many people, including myself, when I first got hands-on with it at Geneva Watch Days thanks to its eight-sided shape, complex crystal structure, and gorgeously designed movement from Le Cercle des Horlogers (LCH) with a curious, backwards-sweeping seconds hand. After this limited run of just 25 pieces gave us a tantalising look at what the young brand was capable of, they have returned with a new Creative Director and a new look to this angular piece of horological design, the ART 01 Monochrome Editions.
These Editions come in the form of two new watches, a black and a grey, both entirely uniform in colour and contrasting each other well. I was lucky enough to handle both of these watches very briefly a few weeks ago, and it was clear that CEO Thibaud Guittard, and Raphaël Abeillon, that aforementioned new Creative Director, had a clear vision and had gone to painstaking lengths to achieve it.
Before we get into what makes these two new models new, let’s have a quick refresh on what goes into the ART 01. The debut watch from the brand stood out for its case design: a highly sculptural and faceted grade 5 titanium form which sat as a frame from which to appreciate the highly imaginative crystal and dial design. The dial elevates the idea of concentric rings, by making them from separate brass plates that flow from the outside into the centre in this hexagonal shape, creating a real focal point and buckets of depth.
To view this dial, you look through one of the best-looking and most complex crystals I’ve seen on a modern watch. The outer surface has a domed central section that is then cut away on both sides in sharp facets, while underneath you have a hemispherical curve that creates this incredible illusion of refracting light when you hold the watch at certain angles. But that’s not the only thing that is a little trippy about this “minimalist” watch – and you don’t notice this right away – but the slim seconds hand rotates anti-clockwise. It’s a fun little complication that the team at LCH were able to pull off.
Seen through the faceted display caseback, the A01 calibre has just as much thought put into it as the rest of this watch. The micro-rotor movement appears suspended from a series of strut-like bridges with the gear train and visible components playing nicely off the negative space found above and below the balance.
What’s new
Now, let’s take a look at the two new Monochrome pieces being brought out by Alto. While both the black and grey are ostensibly the same, when on the wrist, they have completely unique presences. The black seems to shrink into itself with its stealth bomber-like look. It almost disappears, with just the bright white lume on the hands and minimalist text at the top and bottom left visible. On the other hand, the grey has a calm, demanding quality to it, as its neutral tone that has been matched perfectly across the dial, case, movement, and strap seems to flow from one to the next.
I think it can be easy to look past something like colour matching when making a product. Yes, you can send a Pantone code off to your various suppliers and hope they come back looking about right, but it’s clear that the whole team at Alto went to great lengths to ensure that everything about these watches worked perfectly together. The result is a seamless timepiece where no differences in shade disrupt your eye from enjoying what is one of the best-shaped watch designs on the market today.
As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of this watch, and unashamedly so. While it wears a little too large for me to consider it for daily use, the fact that the entire watch only weighs 53g means that its blocky form doesn’t weigh the wrist down at all. While Alto could have gone for the standard follow-up of a dial change for its sequel, it’s great to see that this is the kind of brand that doesn’t like to cut corners and is doubling down on its philosophies of design and quality above all else.
Alto ART 01 Monochrome Editions pricing and availability
The new Alto ART 01 Monochrome Editions are being made in a limited run of 20 pieces in each colour. Price: on request
| Brand | Alto |
| Model | ART 01 Monochrome Black and Grey |
| Reference Number | MK2 TI MK3 TI |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) |
| Case Material | Grade 5 titanium, DLC coated |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Black or grey |
| Strap | Matching rubber with folding clasp |
| Movement | Le Cercle des Horlogers A01, automatic, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, reverse seconds |
| Availability | Limited edition of 20 in each colour |
| Price | POA |