Today, I’d like to talk about a brand that combines highly avant-garde design with traditional codes, offering a very contemporary vision of watchmaking. I’m talking about the brand ALTO. Before focusing on the watch itself, I’d like to tell you more about Thibaud Guittard, the man behind the brand.
Thibaud Guittard is passionate about Art, Architecture, Design, and Automobiles. Not especially drawn to watches during his childhood, his interest emerged while writing his thesis on watch marketing during business school. After a brief foray into the automotive world at Maserati, he spent four years at Audemars Piguet as Marketing Manager France, before working in the family business in another sector. In 2024, after maturing his vision for five years, he launched ALTO – which stands for Art et Objets à Durée Limitée – reflecting his commitment to artistic and exclusive timepieces. The brand was created to bridge horology and the creative arts.
His design influences include industrial design visionaries like Giorgetto Giugiaro and Luca Bassani, the ambitious installations of Olafur Eliasson, wedge-shaped cars of the ’70s like the Ferrari Modulo, Aston Bulldog, and Lancia Stratos HF Zero, the musical world of Daft Punk, and Christopher Nolan’s cinema – especially Inception. The idea behind ALTO is to bring together creative minds, such as Mathieu César (photographer and filmmaker), Barth Nussbaumer (watch designer), Yorgo Tloupas (artist), and Le Cercle des Horlogers (movement manufacturer). The result of this collective creativity is a timepiece with UFO-like aesthetics: the Alto ART 01.
Fresh yet elegant, futuristic yet familiar, the brand now unveils the first variants of its ART 01, with help from Raphaël Abeillon, former senior watch designer at Cartier. Monochrome, the tones give this watch an industrial, brutalist appeal. In its titanium finish, it embodies power and finesse – the raw elegance of a metal forged to last. Now, let’s take a closer look at this timepiece.
Table of Contents – Alto ART01 MONOCHROME GREY?
What are the features of the ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY?
Case
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY features a Grade 5 titanium case with a microblasted finish, coated in grey DLC. This surface treatment enhances the metal’s natural nuances and evokes a deliberate contrast between light and shadow. The case’s aesthetics are entirely unique, built from flat surfaces joined by sharp, angular edges. Measuring 40 mm in height, 45 mm in length, and only 8 mm thick, this case – water-resistant to 30 metres – offers remarkable wrist comfort and a featherlight weight of just 56 grams. The watch almost floats, quickly forgotten once worn. Faceted, sculpted and radically angular, it is topped with a complex sapphire crystal combining faceted and curved outer surfaces and a hemispherical inner surface, achieved through no fewer than 20 machining steps. The brand claims that over 300 hours of work were needed to perfect this feat – a technical achievement never before seen in watchmaking.
Dial
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY showcases a seven-part dial with geometric hexagonal lines, inspired by classical Greek sculpture and architecture. Made from microblasted brass and lacquered grey, the louvered dial draws the eye inward, enhancing legibility. The play of light and shadows isn’t the only standout: while the hour and minute hands move conventionally, the seconds hand, named “Back in Time”, rotates counterclockwise. This inversion disrupts our traditional sense of time’s flow – a subtle reminder that watchmaking can also be a sensory and philosophical experience. Personally, I find myself drawn into this maze of forms and perspectives.
Movement
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY houses the A01 automatic micro-rotor movement, designed by Barth Nussbaumer and manufactured by Le Cercle des Horlogers. Operating at 4Hz, it delivers a 48-hour power reserve. Viewed through a caseback window with the same faceted approach as the front crystal, the movement features a Grade 5 titanium baseplate with PVD treatment, extended rhodium-plated brass bridges with diamond-polished bevels, and a Reconit®18 engraved and rhodium-treated micro-rotor – a tungsten-based alloy prized for its density. Interestingly, this movement architecture is shared with select models from Speake-Marin and Trilobe.
Strap
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY comes fitted with an FKM rubber strap in matching grey for a seamless monochromatic look. To complete the package, a titanium folding clasp signed ALTO ensures a secure and comfortable fit.
What’s the price of the ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY?
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY is a limited edition of just 20 pieces, priced at €25,000 (including 20% VAT).
ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY: Between minimalist horology and contemporary art
The ALTO ART01 MONOCHROME GREY is an avant-garde watch that checks many boxes for true enthusiasts. Art, design, architecture, and automobiles are intrinsically linked – and what better than a timepiece that unites these codes in one coherent universe? I believe ALTO has succeeded where many young brands fail: standing out, sparking intrigue, and inviting conversation. Here, the watch speaks for itself – there’s no need to wrap it in a redundant marketing story.
ALTO is like a painting: either it moves you, or it doesn’t. The brand isn’t trying to please everyone – it resonates with those for whom these creative worlds speak. This timepiece is sculptural and non-traditional, and I believe the industry would benefit from focusing more on these qualities to regain the creative spark we often find in vintage pieces. The result is a watch that catches light from every angle, revealing subtle nuances and raw refinement.
ALTO’s mission is to bring together artists from diverse backgrounds to explore time through collaborative projects. I’m eager to see what’s next – though I already salute this first chapter. Special thanks to Thibaud Guittard, who took the time to speak with me in the summer of 2024 before our meeting during Watches and Wonders 2025.
Alto ART01 MONOCHROME GREY – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Alto
- Model: ART01 MONOCHROME GREY
- Reference: MK3 TI
- Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Matte Grey lacquered brass
- Functions: Hours, Minutes
- Movement: A01, developed with Le Cercle des Horlogers, Self-Winding, 28’800vph frequency (4Hz), 32 jewels
- Power Reserve: 48 Hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 40 mm (Width) × 45 mm (Length) x 8 mm (Thickness)
- Strap: Grey FKM Rubber straps with Grade 5 titanium Folding Clasp
- Availability : Limited Edition of 20 pieces
- Retail Price: € 25,000 (including VAT)
Did you know this young brand? Do you enjoy such highly artistic design in a thoroughly horological timepiece? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For more information about Alto, click here.
