ALTO ART 02: Titanium, Micro-rotor, and 5 hertz
With the ART 02, ALTO translates its existing design language into a permanent collection. The independent brand combines a case made entirely of Grade 5 titanium with a newly developed integrated metal bracelet and the exclusive A02 automatic movement. The watch will be unveiled at the Geneva Watch Days 2026.
From the Manifesto to the First Permanent Collection
ALTO launched in 2024 with the ART 01. The brand viewed this first model as a design manifesto; monochrome versions, artistic craftsmanship, and a collaboration with Bernar Venet followed. The ART 02 is now intended to translate these ideas into a more accessible form that still retains a distinct identity.
Creative Director Raphaël Abeillon, who previously spent about a decade working in watch design at Cartier, developed the case, strap, and movement as a cohesive architectural whole. Rather than adapting an existing caliber to a new shape, the movement was developed in parallel with the case.
Caliber A02 with a micro-rotor and a frequency of 5 hertz
The A02 automatic caliber was developed exclusively for ALTO in collaboration with Cercle des Horlogers. It operates at a frequency of five hertz and features a micro-rotor made of rhodium-plated Reconit 18. The power reserve is 50 hours. A distinctive feature is the counter-clockwise-running seconds hand, which makes the unconventional design visible even in the display.
Like the case and bracelet, the mainplate is made of Grade 5 titanium. Satin-finished brass bridges with polished chamfers, along with micro-blasted, circular-grained, and engraved surfaces on the rotor, create a contrast of different finishes.
ALTO’s First Metal Album
The integrated bracelet is the first metal bracelet from this new brand. Four stepped links, their joints, and the precisely defined spacing are designed to combine flexibility with the angular case architecture. The double-fold clasp offers tool-free fine adjustment over a total range of four millimeters. A quick-change system allows the titanium bracelet to be swapped out for leather or rubber straps.
