ArtyA unveils the sensational new Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon
A piece-unique grand complication which features a cathedral minute repeater and a flying tourbillon, housed in a rectangular case made from sapphire.
“As a minute repeater tourbillon, CHORUS offers a unique sensory experience, echoing the very essence of the art of watchmaking.”
ArtyA, a Geneva based independent timepiece brand, has just launched the Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon.
Referred to as “the queen of watch complications,” the minute repeater is extremely difficult to make. A handful of mainstream and independent watch brands and watchmakers in the world, possess the expertise to do so. ArtyA’s Chorus features a cathedral minute repeater, which strikes the sound of Saint Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon is the heir to ArtyA’s 3-gong minute repeater, regulator, and double axis tourbillon, the most complex timepiece developed by them. It was conceived by Yvan Arpa, founder of ArtyA, and engineered by MHC. The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon inherits its “characteristic case, yet is modernized and reduced in size.” Its Cathedral Minute Repeater Tourbillon movement was developed as a “tribute to MHC and its talented watchmaker, Pierre Favre.”
“A unique architectural language of arched shapes and straight profiles, angles and curves, shadows and light, rose gold and titanium…the ArtyA Cathedral Minute Repeater Tourbillon CHORUS immediately stands out. Its unique rectangular case, currently unrivalled in the market, immediately sets it apart. Crafted entirely from curved glass, it not only offers a stunning view but also provides an unparalleled resonance chamber for the sound produced by the movement’s two gongs. This case is crafted in Geneva through a close collaboration between ArtyA and Diatheke.”
Key Features
Case
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s case features include:
– Its case shape resembles “a home built for living at the bottom of the ocean.”
– The materials used to make the case include titanium and rose gold.
– The case shape and choice of materials “have been meticulously selected to enhance the purity and richness of the repeater’s sound.”
– On the dial side, the domed sapphire crystal “creates a spectacular sound chamber.”
– On the caseback side, it features a sapphire crystal providing a view of the movement.
– Its length is 44.20 mm, width is 42.30 mm and height is 16.14 mm.
Dial
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s dial features include:
– It features skeletonized hour and minute hands.
– It features a skeletonized circular chapter ring with 11 inward pointing hour-markers (not present at 3 o’clock). It is affixed to the dial by 4 “pillars”, positioned at 1.30, 4.30, 7.30 and 10.30 o’clock, hence being “elevated” on the dial.
– It “hovers above the levitating tourbillon, giving this piece a unique sense of depth.”
Functions
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s functions and complications include:
– Hours and Minutes.
– Minute Repeater. “Chime with traditional ‘Saint Pierre’ gongs.”
– Flying one-minute Tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
– Small seconds on tourbillon.
Movement Details
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s movement features include:
– It is a mechanical hand-wound movement.
– Its movement height without module is 6.10 mm.
– Its overall movement height is 9.80 mm.
– Its movement height with hour and minute hands is 10.55 mm.
– It comprises of 317 components. “Each meticulously hand-finished, including polishing and satin-finishing, revealing a relentless pursuit of both invisible and perceptible beauty.”
– It has 29 jewels and shock protection systems.
– It beats at a frequency of 21,600 vph or 3 Hz.
– It has a power reserve of 90 hours, (with a tolerance from 0 to 3 hours).
“Each bridge of the movement was conceived and meticulously hand-angled with the assistance of an acoustician to optimize the propagation of sound waves. The hammers, gongs, and levers are arrayed with unmatched precision, producing notes that are clear, powerful, and harmonious.”
Tourbillon Technical Details
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s tourbillon technical details include:
– It is a flying tourbillon, completing 1 revolution per minute.
– The tourbillon’s diameter is 13.60 mm.
– Its torque is 860 g/mm.
– Barrel revolutions is 15.
– “One barrel revolution time every 8 hours.”
– Its escapement wheel has 15 teeth.
– Its balance wheel has gold timing screws.
– Its balance wheel inertia is 10g/cm².
– The weight of the tourbillon cage is 0.70 grams.
“Measuring 13.60 mm, and with its light, intricately decorated titanium cage, ArtyA’s tourbillon demonstrates the Geneva-based Maison’s expertise in this rarefied domain.”
Operations
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon’s operations include:
– Its crown at 3 o’clock has 2 positions.
– Position 1 is for winding the timepiece.
– Position 2 (pulled out) is for setting the time.
– The winding stem travel is 0.85 mm.
– The minute repeater is activated by the slide at 9 o’clock.
– The slide travel is 37°.
Strap
The Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon comes with a handcrafted leather strap, featuring ArtyA’s hallmark stitching.
Our Thoughts
The minute repeater is considered the most difficult watchmaking complication to master. Sometimes, no matter how impressive the movement and the overall timepiece, the chimes are not good enough. This happens. Minute repeaters are expensive, and accessible to very few. Conversely, tourbillons and perpetual calendars are far more accessible. I have been fortunate to see few minute repeaters, from Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. They are truly special and represent a rarified domain of horology. Based on the pictures and supporting technical details, the ArtyA Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon benefits from stellar thought, ideas, execution, movement finishing and meticulous attention to detail. Being a piece unique, the opportunity to come face to face with it and experience its chimes seems unlikely. Like other such grand complication timepieces, we should be grateful the Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon exists. It keeps the spirit, passion, and the art of horology alive.
Additional Details
Name: ArtyA Chorus Minute Repeater Tourbillon
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 365,000 / Euro (EUR) 377,000 / United States Dollar (USD) 406,000. (Prices do not include VAT. The EUR AND USD prices are based on exchange rates as of 1st July 2024, the day of its Press Release.)
This is a piece-unique timepiece. Please contact ArtyA if interested, whether for this timepiece or others.
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