As you know, here at Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, we’re huge fans of the luxury time-pieces. From Rolex, to Omega, and everything in-between, an elite wrist-watch can often complete a wardrobe, whether for a black-tie occasion or on the yacht. Which is why we’re excited about the new kid on the block in the luxury watch market – Impera.

Impera, you see, shares many of the same core characteristics of many of the world’s leading watch manufacturers, yet promises the cutting-edge approach you’d expect from a company unburdened by the weight of tradition. Operating out of Switzerland, arguably the global capital of luxury watch production, Impera has quietly gone about its business of producing elite-level wristwear, with the agility of a start-up business in the digital native era – and that’s a winning combination.

Indeed, the company itself seems extremely aware of its place as an up-and-comer in an industry where reputation is king. Instead of shying away from its status as a challenger brand, the Impera website proudly boasts of its heritage. The product description for Impera’s flagship product, the Spartacus collection, which we’ll talk about later, boldly states that it is “recognising the history”, and the watch will “form its own legacy.” Are you listening, Rolex?

So, what is it that inspires such confidence in the emerging Swiss brand? Muscling in on an industry so steeped in tradition is a challenge, after all. Well, the answer is simple, the Spartacus collection is reportedly the world’s first hybrid timepiece made of solid gold. What that means is this: in appearance, the Impera Spartacus collection holds its own alongside its contemporaries in the luxury wristwatch market, except, unlike its better-known brethren, it incorporates the functionality of a modern smartwatch – including features like text message notifications, phone calls, and social media alerts – all without employing a digital display, preserving the classic and timeless appearance associated with prestige timepieces.

Inspired by ancient Rome, the watch-hands are diamond cut, and shaped like Roman gladiators’ weapons used to fight to the death under orders from the state. According to the Impera design team, the hour and minute hands represent an elongated spear and a short-sword respectively. One has to admire the ambition employed by the brains behind the Spartacus range’s design. If you’re going to bring a product to the metaphorical coliseum that is the luxury watch market, you need to have an ambition, and a product, to stand its own in the arena. With the industry-first solid gold hybrid watch, one suspects that Impera might have a chance.

The painstaking attention to detail on display with the Impera Spartacus collection needs to be seen to be believed, particularly when you consider the technical elements taking place beneath the timepiece’s sleek surface, which comes in three different styles: 18-carat yellow gold, 18-carat rose gold, or elite-grade stainless steel. Alongside all of the abilities you’d expect from a leading smartwatch, say, for argument’s sake, the Apple Watch, the Impera Spartacus range also includes a Moonphase and a Progress Complication as standard. The Moonphase, for those of you who are unclear, is exactly how it sounds – the Impera timepiece tracks the monthly lunar cycle, and indicates the size and shape that the moon is currently presenting as in the night’s sky.

Also included in the Spartacus purchase pack is a bespoke wireless charger, designed by Impera in Switzerland. The contactless capabilities of the Spartacus range don’t stop at charging alone, though, as owners can opt to link their bank card to their wristwatch to make contactless purchases in Europe, with other regions likely to be rolled out in the future.

The Spartacus collection is not yet available for public purchase, although keen consumers can pre-order the three variants – Stainless Steel, 18-carat Yellow Gold, and 18-carat Rose Gold, on the Swiss company’s website – impera.swiss, for the next collection run on November 2019. The pricing is currently listed as 9950 Swiss Francs for the gold variants, which, in the current currency market, converts to a little over £7500, while the Stainless Steel model comes in at 3090 Swiss Francs. A very reasonable price given the Impera model’s technical specifications, and physical components.

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to bring some unique status to your luxury timepiece collection, look no further than the Impera Spartacus, and be one of the first to invest in a product from what might just be the next household name in the elite wristwatch market. After all, in the style game, if you’re not first, you’re last.

All watches in the Impera Spartacus collection come with a 10 year warranty.

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