alto x bernar venet
A new scale of expression
CASE
Bronze patinated
Stabilized finishing
BRACELET
Nubuck calf leather
Boucle cover
in bronze patinated
Dial
Bronze patinated monobloc processed
Movement
A01 calibre with automatic micro-rotor
ALTO unveils a singular collaboration with Bernar Venet — one of the most radical figures of contemporary art.
This encounter is not a collaboration in the conventional sense. It is a translation.
From monumental sculpture to intimate object.
From Corten steel to patinated bronze.
From public space to the wrist.
Technical specifications
Power reserve
48 hours
Water resistance
5 ATM
Case dimensions
40mm
Weight
68g
Frequency
4Hz
Specificity
Back in time seconds hand in reverse operation
BERNAR VENET
Bernar Venet is a central figure on the international art scene.
For over sixty years, he has developed a rigorous and coherent body of work based on a deliberately restrained vocabulary — the line, the arc, the angle.
His work unfolds within a constant tension between geometric order and entropy. Form emerges as the consequence of forces acting upon it — gravity, material, accident.
From early experiments with industrial materials to monumental installations in Corten steel, Venet has established a language where form reveals the laws that govern it and the conditions of its emergence.
AN ENCOUNTER
Two years prior to the launch, Thibaud Guittard initiated a dialogue with Bernar Venet.
The intention was precise: to translate a sculptural language into a horological object, while preserving its integrity.
The project required a shift in scale — from public monumentality to intimate minuteness.
The collaboration developed through continuous exchanges between the artist and Raphaël Abeillon, Creative Director of ALTO, leading to a shared approach grounded in rigor, experimentation, and adjustment.
MATERIAL
The collaboration began with a question of material.
After extensive experimentation, a proprietary bronze alloy was selected for its aesthetic, mechanical, and horological properties.
Its one-of-a-kind patina — stabilized yet alive — echoes the warm, evolving tones of Venet’s monumental works.
The development of this material required the combined expertise of specialized partners, working on the case, the dial, and the patina process. Numerous iterations were conducted to achieve the desired balance of color, texture, and stability.
Over time, the material accompanies the wearer.
THE DIAL
At the heart of the piece lies a question:
how can a collapse be contained within a few millimeters?
The dial becomes a micro-sculpture — an interlacing of arcs, composed as a controlled fall.
Its apparent casualness evokes random collapse, yet it is precisely orchestrated, echoing Venet’s large-scale works.
The surface is structured in relief — with hollows, ridges, and intersections that capture light and shadow.
The hands move across this topography, interacting directly with the sculptural composition. Indexes are reduced to a minimal punctuation, preserving the clarity of the whole.
ON THE WRIST
On the wrist, the weight and texture of the bronze give the object a distinct presence.
This passage from the monumental to the intimate does not translate identically. It condenses and transforms the medium, while preserving the experience.
TIME
Time acts here in two forms:
as measurement, through the movement,
and as transformation, through the material.
The stabilized patina captures a precise moment, while continuing to evolve subtly with wear.
Limited edition
Only ten pieces will be produced.
Each one has been individually validated with the artist.
Their rarity stems from the precision required in mastering both material and detail — the only way to faithfully embody the project’s original rigor.