n 2025, Alto continues its pursuit of innovation and excellence with the launch of an exclusive new model: Art 01 Falcon Eye. This piece, limited to just 12 units, reflects the young brand’s vision: to create timepieces where art and time meet with subtlety.

With this first “Métier d’Art piece”, Alto combines innovation, technical precision, and artistic expression. The brand honours its commitment to traditional craftsmanship while pushing its boundaries.

Creative Director Raphaël Abeillon says, “I wanted to elevate the dial, interpreting its concentric octagonal design as an eye gazing upon time.”

The Falcon Eye is a fine stone known for its shimmering reflections, with hues shifting between blue, grey, and black, punctuated by golden highlights. It has been used for centuries in jewellery 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.

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, which is 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 jewellery.

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 centre 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 fibres and colour 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 case of the Art 01 Falcon Eye retains the distinctive proportions of the Art 01 First Edition. It is crafted from a 3N yellow gold alloy. This choice gives the piece a subtly luminous and warm hue, harmonising with the reflections of the stone and the green nubuck strap.

Each surface of the case is carefully worked, with satin finishes that highlight the complex geometry of its contours. The folding clasp, also in 3N yellow gold, extends this minimalist and functional aesthetic.

The green nubuck strap of the Art 01 Falcon Eye completes the ensemble with a touch of modernity and subtle elegance. This material, chosen for its soft and natural texture, harmonises perfectly with the changing reflections of the stone and the warmth of the yellow gold.

Comfortable to wear, it contributes to the visual and sensory balance of the watch, while asserting a certain boldness in Alto’s aesthetic choices.

At the heart of the Art 01 Falcon Eye is the A01 calibre, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor 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 calibre 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.

Upon joining Alto, Raphaël Abeillon took charge of creative direction with an approach that is both methodical and intuitive. His role is to translate the house’s philosophy into timepieces where aesthetic demands and technicality come together in perfect harmony.

Raphaël oversees every step of the creation process, working closely with artisans, dial makers, and engineers. His keen eye for materials, textures, and finishes allows him to explore new avenues while remaining true to Alto’s visual identity and values. For the ART 01 Falcon Eye, he was one of the main architects behind the stone marquetry dial, working to overcome the complex challenges posed by this unprecedented design.

His approach emphasises precision while also fostering creative spontaneity. Every detail, even those invisible to the naked eye, is carefully considered to enrich the wearer’s experience. Raphaël Abeillon thus embodies a contemporary sensitivity combined with a deep respect for traditional craftsmanship. Under his creative direction, Alto asserts its ability to push the boundaries of what a watch can be, without ever sacrificing the elegance or simplicity that defines its aesthetic.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Reference MK4 AU

Case

• Yellow gold 3N
• Hand satin finish
• Water resistance 5 ATM

Sapphire

• Main sapphire crystal: curved surface, double 17-degree chamfer, hemispherical inner cut (anti-reflective treatment)
• Caseback sapphire crystal: flat surface with lateral chamfers (anti-reflective treatment)

Dial

• Hardness: 2300 Vickers

Movement

• Falcon’s eye stone marquetry on a brass base
• Manufacture A01 calibre with automatic micro-rotor movement
• Dimensions: 37.5mm (W) x 33.15mm (H)
• Thickness: 4.04mm (including rotor)
• Weight: 18.4g
• Plate: Grade 5 titanium (PVD treatment)
• Bridges: 3N yellow gold-plated with diamond-cut angle
• Modules: Grade 5 titanium, satin finish on two planes (PVD treatment)
• Rotor: Reconit^® 18 with engraving and rhodium plating
• Number of jewels: 32
• Frequency: 4Hz
• “Back in time” seconds hand in reverse operation
• Power reserve: 48 hours

Bracelet

• Nubuck calf leather
• Alto folding clasp in yellow gold 3N

Weight 88g