Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine Watch Review
Aventi, the maker of high-end, avant-garde timepieces, is pleased to share details of its A13-02 Ghost Tyamine model. Created as a modern-day ‘Memento Mori’, the watch features a sapphire crystal depiction of a skull, includes a hand-wound movement, executed in Grade 5 Titanium, and is endowed with an ultra-desirable tourbillon. Lastly, the watch is housed in a lightweight case, again formed of Grade 5 Titanium, and coated with Tyamine™. This special coating enhances ‘resistance to shocks, scratches, and corrosion’.
Memento Mori
Life and death are two sides of the same coin, two facets of existence that have always evoked thoughts and emotions. In some cultures, discussions of mortality may seem somewhat macabre, however, this view is not universal. On the contrary, in some parts of the world, death is celebrated. For example, in Mexico, ‘Dia de Los Muertos’ (the Day of the Dead) is a joyous, annual festival where the country’s citizens remember deceased loved ones.
The concept of remembering the dead can be traced back to Greek and Roman philosophy. Stoics such as Seneca promoted the virtue of keeping death at the forefront of our minds. Indeed, remembering that life lasts for an indeterminate period and death is inevitable, serves as an incentive to live life to the fullest. The phrase ‘Memento Mori’, meaning ‘remember you must die’, serves as a reminder of our mortality and appears throughout European history. Medieval frescos depicted dancing skeletons, bewitching nobles and commoners alike. They artistically conveyed that death negates all differences and that in the end all humans are equal.
Mortality and watches
Mortality and horology have been inextricably linked since the 16th century. Mary, Queen of Scots famously commissioned a silver skull watch. She allegedly passed the watch to one of her maids of honour, Mary Seaton, just moments before her beheading. The underlying rationale behind the skull watch is that time is fleeting and should be enjoyed to its full potential.
Aventi, the acclaimed creator of avant-garde luxury watches, has reimagined the idea of a skull watch, conceiving a futuristic Memento Mori for the present day. Serving as a metaphor for life with its Swiss movement beating within, the Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is housed in a sapphire crystal case and features a sapphire crystal skull positioned centre-stage.
Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine – a sapphire crystal skull
The skull, measuring just 2.3 mm in height, is made from a sapphire crystal plate. The creation process is protracted, employing a combination of cutting-edge CNC machines and time-consuming handcrafting techniques. In total ‘it takes over 500 hours to make one sapphire crystal skull’. Measuring 9 on the Mohs scale and second only to diamond in terms of hardness, the sapphire crystal has to be carefully handled to avoid breakage. Indeed, just a tad too much pressure during the milling or hand polishing phase can cause the crystal to shatter, consigning the component to waste and requiring the process to begin anew. Rest assured, once encased, the skull is safe from potential harm.
The crystal skull is the product of countless production steps and painstaking hand-finishing, however, the resultant three-dimensional sculpture, with its 160 faces and 200 edges, justifies the lengthy gestation process.
Aventi, a brand that repeatedly breaks with convention, has chosen to place a blood-coloured IGI-certified ruby in the left eye of the skull, reinforcing the mortality theme. Moreover, the addition of this gem serves to counterbalance the movement jewel visible through the right eye.
Grade 5 Titanium case suffused with Tyamine™
The Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is housed in an intricately-formed, multi-faceted case, a design that has become a brand signature. The pentagonal form of the case echoes the lines of the brand’s logo and was inspired by the wind-cheating silhouette of a supercar. The case measures 49 mm x 44 mm and is formed of Grade 5 Titanium. And yet, despite its generous proportions, the integrated strap mitigates the sense of scale, making the watch wear smaller than its stated dimensions would suggest.
Grade 5 titanium, an alloy comprising 90% titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium, is widely used in the aerospace and motorsport sectors. It is often selected for its strength, resistance to corrosion and its skin-friendly, hypoallergenic properties. In this instance, Aventi has enhanced the durability of the material by suffusing it with Tyamine™.
Tyamine™ is an amorphous carbon coating that combines elements of graphite and diamond in a proprietary blend, ‘making the case surface even more resistant to shocks, scratches, and corrosion’.
A tourbillon that helps deliver notable Swiss precision
Working closely with several of Switzerland’s finest specialist firms, Aventi has created a proprietary movement that combines simplicity and complexity in a unique blend of watchmaking craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.
The hand-wound GT-01S caliber features plates and bridges formed of Grade 5 Titanium, enhanced by the application of carbon coating. The movement features a tourbillon at 6 o’clock. This gravity-defying mechanism negates positional errors, thereby augmenting precision. A hand positioned atop the tourbillon cage serves to indicate the running seconds. Each Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is carefully regulated to ensure a maximum daily rate variation of +4/-4 seconds per day, a level of performance that surpasses COSC certification requirements. The watch has a power reserve of 4 days.
Exalted levels of wearer comfort
The Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ affixes to the wrist with a soft orange FKM rubber strap. When contrasted with regular rubber, FKM rubber delivers superior flexibility, heightening wearer comfort. In addition, FKM rubber offers greater wear-resistance and the colour is less susceptible to fading.
Unlike many of its conservatively-styled competitors, the Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is somewhat unorthodox. Indeed, it dares to be different and challenge accepted norms. Whether worn with casual or formal attire, this neoteric model befits any situation. Moreover, the Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ serves as a symbol, that life is for living.
Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine – availability
The Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is sold exclusively via the company’s website (aventi.com). After contacting the firm, a member of the company’s concierge team will help with enquires, assist with the purchasing process and respond to any future needs.
The watch comes with a 5-year international warranty. In addition, the movement comes with a lifetime service. The Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™ is priced at CHF 14,850.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Aventi A13-02 Ghost Tyamine™
- Case: Grade 5 Titanium; dimensions 44 mm x 49 mm; height 14.5 mm; water resistance 5ATM (50m).
- Functions: hours, minutes; small seconds on tourbillon
- Movement: Calibre GT-01S; hand-wound movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz); power reserve = 105 hours
- Strap: orange FKM rubber strap
- Price: CHF 14,850 (RRP as of 20.4.2023)