The Heart Inside — Choosing the Movement

When we first started designing Arima, we wanted the watch to be under 10mm. A steep engineering target. We wanted a sleek watch which would be an everyday companion.

The Debate: Miyota vs. Sellita vs. Soprod vs. La Joux Perret

We had long, heated debates about which engine to use. Each brand has its loyalists, its strengths, and its trade-offs.

Sellita is the darling of the microbrand world—proven, reliable, with no minimum order quantity. A tried-and-tested Swiss workhorse, but a predictable one.

Miyota offers incredible value and compactness. Its 9000 series is robust, with a long power reserve and thin profile. But for a watch priced to reflect bespoke design and engineering, we wanted something with a stronger Swiss identity.

Then there was La Joux Perret. As engineers, we were immediately drawn to their modular concept—a base movement that can adapt with complications like small seconds, GMT, or moonphase, all within just an extra millimeter of height. It's ingenious. But it came at twice the cost of Soprod. That's an investment for the future, not our first chapter.

Finally, we arrived at Soprod. It struck the balance we were looking for: reliability, accuracy, and compactness, without overextending our budget. It's ETA-based like Sellita, with proven serviceability and true Swiss roots. The Soprod P024 became our choice.

Why Soprod P024 and Regulation

The P024 offers a solid 38-hour power reserve and smooth automatic winding. Its thin profile was critical, allowing us to maintain our target case thickness under 10mm, a crucial part of Arima's design DNA. We had to compromise on the thickness.

However, the real value comes from our assembly process. Every Arima P024 movement is regulated by our Swiss experts near our base. We don't just accept factory specs; we regulate every watch to a strict accuracy target of +/- 10 Seconds or better. This is the quality of performance that validates our pricing and our commitment to precision.

Most importantly, Soprod felt right for us. It represents balance—not chasing extremes, but perfecting essentials. It's the movement for people who appreciate performance, not just prestige.

The Micro-Rotor Dream

We're both obsessed with micro-rotors. There's something mesmerizing about the engineering elegance they represent—compact, efficient, and visually stunning. It's not just a complication; it's an art form.

For now, Soprod powers the climb. But in the future, a micro-rotor or the La Joux Perret module might just mark the summit. Because in the end, every Arima beats with purpose—driven by motion, powered by passion.