The Piece in Focus
- Designed in New York and produced at PreciTech SA in Le Locle, MARLI Timepieces is the inaugural watch collection from fine jewellery house MARLI New York, announced in August 2026 under founder and creative director Maral Artinian.
- The collection is framed around the philosophy of “Motion and Measure”: New York energy paired with Swiss technical discipline.
- Metal components including cases, bezels, bracelets, and clasps are produced within the Le Locle facility; Swiss movements, crystals, and leather straps are sourced from specialist partners.
- PreciTech SA, established in 2020 on the former Renaud Papi site, consolidates 18 distinct areas of expertise under one roof.
Origins: A Decade of Design Language
MARLI New York was founded in 2014 with a specific creative premise: fine jewellery built on architectural proportion and the confidence of New York self-expression. After a decade developing that vocabulary across collections such as Avenues, Cleo, Tip-Top, and Empire, the move into watchmaking followed a clear internal logic rather than category ambition.
“Timepieces felt like the natural next chapter for MARLI,” Maral Artinian, Founder and Creative Director of MARLI, has stated. “It is not a departure from who we are, but rather an evolution of everything we have built.” The design teams in New York worked with Swiss watchmaking requirements in mind from the earliest stages, treating case, bracelet, dial, and clasp as a unified composition rather than separate components.
The Making: Le Locle and PreciTech SA
In 2020, the Artinian Group acquired the former Renaud Papi production site in Le Locle and created PreciTech SA. The facility now covers 18 distinct areas of expertise, with engineers, CNC programmers, machinists, polishers, gem-setters, and watchmakers working across a shared production floor. That concentration of disciplines allows proportions to be refined and finishing techniques adjusted directly against the original design intent.
Sustainability is built into the site’s infrastructure. Around 1,800 square metres of photovoltaic panels supply a significant share of the facility’s electricity, with surplus power returned to the local grid. Heat recovered from machinery and air-compression systems reduces gas consumption for heating and cooling. These measures form part of the Artinian Group’s “Make It Right” framework. The Fondation Haute Horlogerie recognises Le Locle, alongside La Chaux-de-Fonds, as one of the historic centres of Swiss watchmaking culture.
On the Wrist: What the Collection Represents
MARLI positions each timepiece as a complete expression of the brand’s identity rather than a jewellery piece with a movement fitted to it. Surfaces are hand-finished by satin or polish; diamonds are set by specialist gem-setters; movements are assembled and verified before each case is tested for water resistance, accuracy, and correct operation. Swiss movements, crystals, selected dials, and leather straps are sourced from within the Swiss ecosystem where specialist partner expertise is required.
For GCC collectors already familiar with MARLI’s jewellery, the watch collection extends a known design language onto the wrist. For the wider luxury market, it signals the arrival of a New York house with genuine Swiss manufacturing depth. Those tracking the broader category can follow new launches through Watches and Wonders coverage for context on where MARLI sits within Swiss fine watchmaking.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where are MARLI Timepieces designed and made?
MARLI Timepieces are designed in New York by the brand's creative teams under the direction of founder Maral Artinian, and crafted in Switzerland at the Artinian Group's manufacturing facility in Le Locle, operated through PreciTech SA.
What is PreciTech SA and what role does it play in MARLI's watches?
PreciTech SA is the Artinian Group's integrated Swiss manufacturing platform, established in 2020 on the former Renaud Papi production site in Le Locle. It brings together 18 distinct areas of expertise, including CNC machining, gem-setting, polishing, and watchmaking assembly, covering the vast majority of metal components used in MARLI Timepieces.
Is MARLI Timepieces the brand's first watch collection?
Yes. MARLI Timepieces represents the inaugural watchmaking collection for MARLI New York, a fine jewellery brand founded by Maral Artinian in 2014. The collection was announced in August 2026.
What is the philosophy behind MARLI Timepieces?
The collection is built around the concept of 'Motion and Measure': Motion captures New York's rhythm and self-expression, while Measure represents the precision and discipline of Swiss watchmaking. Together they define MARLI's approach to time as personal identity rather than convention.
