Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue Watch Review
The Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue combines a skeleton dial, an ultra-modern jewel-like case and a Grade 5 titanium movement equipped with a tourbillon. It looks very different from most watches on the market, but then again it comes from a brand that likes to do things differently.
Watch retailing
When I was a lad, no pleasure surpassed catching the bus to town, ambling down the high street and enjoying a spot of window shopping with a warm pasty in hand. Purchasing goods necessitated visiting physical shops. This was a pre-internet era before consumers shopped online.
Today, while retailing continues to thrive in prominent cities it has all but disappeared in many provincial towns. And yet, despite the writing being on the wall, many watch and jewellery retailers stick with the bricks-and-mortar model of distribution. Indeed, the majority of watch firms still sell their products on the high street, either via their own boutiques or third-party retailers. However, an increasing number of brands also sell online.
Furthermore, some luxury watch brands feel a need to have a retail presence on über-luxurious boulevards such as London’s Bond Street, however, the economic wisdom of such an approach seems questionable. Indeed, with exorbitant rents, business rates, security personnel as well as other staff costs, one has to question the viability of this means of distribution.
Aventi Watches distribution
The reason for mentioning the issue of distribution is that there are some companies who are ‘disruptors’, ie they reject convention and prefer to go their own way. Aventi, a producer of modern watches, does not have authorised stockists or its own boutiques. On the contrary, everything is sold via its ‘concierge’ service, where all dealings are handled directly with the client. Inevitably, this approach delivers substantial cost savings for the watch firm, something that becomes evident when reconciling the impressive specification of its models with the firm’s comparatively keen prices.
Interestingly, Aventi also freely discloses that it doesn’t employ watchmakers nor does it have factories or offices. Effectively, the firm designs, procures and markets watches. Ultimately, for many customers, it is the resultant product that matters, rather than the means of how it is brought to market.
Hopefully, my preamble begins to explain how Aventi can deliver so much for comparatively little.
Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue – case
The case of the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue shuns conventional materials such as steel or noble metals. Instead, it is formed of ‘Saphite™️’, a proprietary material which is a clear ‘crystalline structure embedded within a glassy matrix’. While the brand has produced several models in sapphire crystal, on this occasion, it has elected to use Saphite™️ because it offers superior scratch resistance and can be dressed in a variety of different hues. Moreover, the watch has a refractive index of 1.65 as opposed to 1.76 for sapphire crystal, albeit Aventi does not state the precise composition of the Saphite™️, no doubt eager to keep the formulation secret.
However, Aventi does reveal that the case is subjected to a highly complex and protracted manufacturing process. This includes the making of the Saphite™️, which the brand describes as ‘a proprietary mix of rare earth elements that are melted in an industrial furnace and then slowly allowed to crystalise over 4 weeks’. Thereafter, the material is cut with a wire erosion machine and the case is milled using a 5-axis CNC machine to a tolerance of 0.01 mm. Finally, the case is subject to a ‘two-stage hand polishing process’.
The protracted creation of this case cannot be understated.
The model is dressed in a ‘delicate blue colour’ intended to emulate the same shade as tourmaline. The brand has chosen to accentuate the case’s captivating hues with a plethora of facets, comprising ‘92 faces and 124 vertices’.
Aventi is clearly run by a group of petrolheads who stop and stare whenever a supercar roars by and the octane-rich influences are clear to see when appraising the multi-faceted case. The numerous sharp angles are seemingly intended to scythe through the air with aerodynamic efficiency. Indeed, one cannot help thinking that the shape of the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue was honed in a wind tunnel.
Measuring 44 mm x 49 mm, with a thickness of 14.5 mm, the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue is no shrinking violet. On the contrary, this is a statement piece that is intended to fanfare its presence whenever it enters a room. However, despite its generous proportions, the absence of conventional lugs ensures the watch head is not unwieldy and, courtesy of the FKM rubber strap, it sits well upon the wearer’s wrist.
In terms of the strap, Aventi has selected the finest form of rubber, fluoroelastomer rubber (FKM). Denser than regular rubber, FKM delivers superior suppleness and resistance. Furthermore, the polar white FKM rubber strap will retain its colour for longer than a regular rubber strap. FKM rubber costs more, but it is clear that when it comes to its products, Aventi doesn’t believe in penny pinching.
Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue dial
Nobody could ever accuse Aventi of plagiarism, the neoteric display stands out with its skeleton dial. Formed of brass, the dial is machined to a stated accuracy of 0.01mm and is outlined with Super-LumiNova® BGW9.
The dauphine-style hour and minute hands are formed of sapphire crystal. This material can prove challenging to work with, especially when used to make thin components as they can easily break during the manufacturing process. Rest assured, once fitted to a watch their fragility is no longer an issue and their slender profile confers an exquisite visual lightness. The hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova® BGW9.
An irregularly shaped panel is positioned below the hour and minute hands and adorned with Clous de Paris. An aperture, located in the base of the dial, reveals a tourbillon in all its glory (see later). The tourbillon is mounted upon a black twin-spoke bridge which reinforces the skeleton theme. An openworked hand, sitting atop the tourbillon, collaborates with a neat track to indicate the running seconds.
The indexes are aggressively angled and seem to implode as they approach the centre of the dial. They serve a functional role but also imbue the composition with a sense of dynamism. A chemin de fer frames the dialscape, facilitating ease of read-off.
In my opinion, the dial’s pièce de resistance is undoubtedly the way it invites the wearer’s eyes to explore and look beyond the hour and minute hands. Indeed, the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue titillates the wearer with fascinating episodes of exposed detail. For example, the owner is able to see small pockets of crisp perlage adorning the titanium mainplate. Reminiscent of an exposed brake caliper, Aventi has also chosen to partially reveal the spring barrel. Once again, Aventi’s fascination with supercars is clear.
Although the display of this watch is rich in detail, Aventi has not sacrificed practicality on the altar of style. Quite simply, this is a highly legible and intelligible dial.
Calibre GT-01S – Grade 5 titanium
While Aventi does not purport to be a ‘Manufacture’, it has used TEC Ebauches of Vallorbe, a company with vast experience making components and complete movements for numerous well-known brands.
Most watch movements are made of brass with some occasionally made of German silver. However, unusually, the hand-wound Calibre GT-01S is made of Grade 5 titanium. This lightweight alloy composed of 90% titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium is not liable to corrode, is non-magnetic and is very strong, all useful attributes when it comes to watchmaking.
However, Grade 5 titanium is very challenging to machine. Its notable hardness wears out machine tools more readily than steel or noble metals. This doesn’t only mean the tools need replacing sooner, it also means more downtime, both factors which will inevitably heighten cost. In addition, given Grade 5 titanium can be damaged with high milling speeds, and has even been known to catch fire, the machining times must be slower. This means it takes longer to mill parts, once again, increasing costs. Aventi and TEC Ebauches have clearly not made life easy for themselves, but the benefits of using Grade 5 titanium clearly justify their efforts.
Calibre GT-01S – tourbillon
In 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet patented the tourbillon. The supremely talented watchmaker identified that gravity had an adverse influence on the regulating organ within a pocket watch. His solution was to place the escapement and regulating organ within a cage that rotated 360° every 1, 4 or 6 minutes, averaging out any errors as it revolved.
The complication was subsequently adapted for use in a wristwatch. While the inclusion of a tourbillon is believed to enhance chronometry, it is often selected for its aesthetic appearance. Indeed, it is difficult to resist the hypnotic spell of the cage revolving and various other components in motion. Such complexity does require the expertise of a highly trained watchmaker, consequently Aventi has procured the tourbillon mechanism from a specialist company, located in the watchmaking capital of Switzerland, La Chaux -de-Fonds.
Calibre GT-01S – other highlights
The movement is adorned with perlage with numerous bevelled edges in evidence. The jewel and screw sinks are countersunk and polished. Various texts and motifs are polished and enlivened with gold-filled engravings performed by hand while several blued screws are in evidence. Despite the modernity of the watch, Aventi has clearly respected watchmaking traditions.
The balance has a frequency of 21,600 vph (3Hz). Assuming the watch is fully wound it will run autonomously for 105 hours. The model’s specification sheet attests the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue has a magnetic resistance of 2000 Gauss and a highly impressive shock resistance of 5000G. It would seem the independent brand has given much consideration to the robustness of this model.
Aventi has equipped this reference with a variable-inertia balance. Unlike the ubiquitous index-regulated balance, the effective length of the hairspring remains constant. The rate is altered by adjusting inertia weights, in this instance, located on the spokes of the balance wheel. While it takes longer to regulate, heightening cost, the variable-inertia balance is less susceptible to positional influence and delivers superior rate stability. Traditional watches fitted with a variable inertia balance feature protruding timing screws set in the rim of the balance wheel. However, by placing inertia weights on the spokes of the balance wheel, there is less air perturbation, delivering enhanced precision.
Interestingly, Aventi state the accuracy is ‘± 4 seconds per day’. This is highly impressive, surpassing the precision of some ‘chronometers’.
Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue – closing thoughts
The bold styling of the Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue is likely to polarise opinion. However, for those would-be wearers who fall for the model’s charms and offer their hand in marriage, I suspect the union will endure for many years to come.
The dial fulfils its functional role, imparting information clearly and with notable precision, but it also indulges horological voyeurs with spectacular views of various movement components.
In terms of the case, Aventi has again played with transparency, revealing much through a tourmaline-coloured filter. The allure of the case is further boosted by suffusing it with a seemingly incalculable number of facets.
The Calibre GT-01S is a movement which is fascinating to behold. Made from Grade 5 titanium and equipped with a tourbillon and variable-inertia balance there is much to seduce a watch aficionado. Aventi shrewdly provides views of the movement from an array of angles, sating the desires of the most mechanically curious wearer.
The brand has yet to reveal the recommended retail price of this watch, however, I understand that it is likely to be priced somewhere between £25,000 and £30,000. If this proves to be the case, a whole new wave of Aventi devotees will undoubtedly start queuing, in a virtual sense, eager to strap one of these beauties to their wrist.
In many respects, Aventi has torn up the rule book. It has conceived its own innovative approach to producing watches and adopted its own method of distribution. Other brands take note, this could be the future.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Aventi A15 Wraith Saphite Ice Blue
- Case: Saphite™️; dimensions 44 mm x 49 mm; height 14.5 mm; water resistance 5 ATM (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: Polar White FKM rubber strap
- Price: to be announced