In an industry such as watchmaking that is rich in history and dotted with personalities and brands of great prominence, seeing a group of young founders move with determination restores genuine hope and enthusiasm.
The two founders Dries Lippens and Alberto Boccaletti
Arsène Lippens was born in Geneva in 2023 from the synergistic passion of Dries Lippens, Alberto Boccaletti, and Stijn Woestenborghs. The name, deliberately inherited from Dries’ grandfather, is not a random choice but a powerful statement of intent. A message that reminds, first and foremost the trio and then us fans, how important is the bond between the watch and the people who choose to “experience” it as well as wear it.
A language built over time
This philosophy geared toward a dialogue between brand, values, and community is complemented by an exquisitely vintage “stylistic vocabulary.” Numerico, the first ever collection, ties itself to “tradition” with a 37.5 mm case (inspired by the 1941 Pontiac Streamliner), double stepped bezel, Breguet numerals and very classic dials. It is a watch that prioritizes visual balance and portability, as well as designed as an entry point to the brand’s universe.
The Numerico Collection
With Visionario, Arsène Lippens enters automatic chronograph territory, and does so with surprising maturity. The overall design (starting with the 39.5 mm case), along with the dial configurations, is also dense with references dear to watchmaking. The layout of the counters then retains great legibility, and the presence on the wrist is solid without being disproportionate or invasive.
The Visionario Collection
Visionario is also the model that brings the brand into the spotlight at major industry trade shows, from the Geneva Watch Days to Time to Watches (Geneva), passing through appointments such as AfterTime in Milan. All contexts in which direct dialogue with enthusiasts, collectors and “insiders” becomes an integral part of the growth process.
In 2025 comes Artigiano, revealed live for the first time during AfterTime by Milan Watch Week. Representational and photogenic, the collection features dials made of Italian fabric (originally from Lake Como) that introduce an entirely new material dimension to watchmaking.
The Artigiano Collection
The 37.5 mm case with pierced lugs and dauphine hands, with their surfaces featuring alternating polished and satin finishes, expertly complement the watch. Notable details include the logo, elegantly suspended below the glass at 6 o’clock.
The Artigiano Version “Como”
From a technical point of view, the choice of a hand-wound mechanical movement (Sellita caliber SW210-1B) reinforces the idea of a more direct relationship with the watch and daily gesture of winding.
The “rebel” Scheletrato
A challenge, a technical milestone reached and the beginning of an ambitious project. This, for Arsène Lippens, is the Scheletrato, launched at the end of 2024 in a limited series of 30 pieces in collaboration with Milan-based streetwear brand Forget About Me.
The star here is the fully skeletonized Valjoux 7750, one of the most recognizable and robust chronograph calibres in modern watchmaking history. The movement, which was born during the quartz crisis in 1973 and spread widely for reliability, is reinterpreted with rhodium treatment, micro-sandblasted bridges, and gold-plated wheels.
The F.A.M. Skeleton. Limited Edition
The case remains true to the proportions of the Visionary: 39.5 mm diameter, double stepped bezel, box domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and 30 m water resistance. The skeletonized “spider-inspired” dial, also silently reminiscent of Forget About Me graphics, remains legible despite the visual complexity. While on the case back we find the unmistakable rotor personalized with the initials “AL.”
The new Scheletrato “Opaco”
After the success of the first Scheletrato we now witness the arrival of new version: the Scheletrato “Opaco”. Here the Valjoux 7750 remains unchanged in its skeletonized construction, while variations focus on what surrounds the movement.
The 39.5 mm 316L steel case retains the usual double-step bezel and compact proportions (45.5 mm lug-to-lug and overall thickness of 13.5 mm), while the skeletonized dial now comes in two color variants: navy blue and charcoal gray, also with four subdials and triangular applied hour markers.
The new Scheletrato “Opaco”
The chronograph functions retain the classic 7750 configuration, and some details such as the chronograph hands finished in blue feu, including that of the counter at 6 o’clock, move ever closer to the taste of high tradition. Water resistance receives an upgrade from 30 to 50 meters, and this is complemented by matching sailcloth straps that are interchangeable with the “grains of rice” bracelet.
The public price for this edition is set at CHF 4,350 excluding VAT, with availability limited to one drop, scheduled from Feb. 23 to March 2.
In the footsteps of Arsène Lippens
To follow Arsène Lippens today is to witness something beyond the launch of a new model. It means seeing a new generation build, with care and patience, its own piece of history.
So Scheletrato “Opaco” is not just a new chronograph. It’s the sign of a brand that grows without losing identity, refining its choices and demonstrating how expertise, passion and synergy of purpose are central to every project. And that is the most beautiful aspect to tell: the realization that independent watchmaking still has new stories to write, and that some of them are being born now, before our eyes.
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