He just flew in to Geneva from LA, and maybe it’s the jetlag (confirmed by a yawn half-way through the photo shoot); Arman Tsarukyan handshake is surprisingly soft. Which matches his humble demeanor. Not what I expected from somebody who is one of the world’s best MMA fighters, the martial arts cocktail mixing 12 different disciplines in violent and creative bouts. It seems like his competitive focus is saved for the Octagon, which is the shape of an MMA enclosure. Despite the distance from LA where he spends some of his time, Mr. Tsarukyan never hesitated to make the trip to see the first ARMAN EDITION, the watch that was developed in close collaboration between the 20-year-old Geneva brand Cvstos Genève and the Russian-Armenian fighter who will celebrate his 30th birthday in October.
A Genuine Collaboration
“I wanted the watch to be white, and I wanted gold details inside the watch,” he said as a camera crew was setting up around us to create the brand’s official films and photos about the collaboration.
These are just two examples of the embodiment of the deep connection and between Cvstos and Mr. Tsarukyan. Along the way he reviewed several 3D-concepts and helped out shaping the final version of the watch which belongs to the Sealiner collection, albeit highly altered. A seasoned watch collector, he also knew too well about scratching gold and steel watches, which is why the collaborators wanted the stark white, 41-millimeter case to be made in ceramic. Using this material for the first time in the history of Cvstos Genève gives the tonneau-shaped watch a modern identity. “I like white watches, especially ceramic. You can always see the watch on the wrist. It is unique, there are not a lot of white watches around,” Mr. Tsarukyan said, looking very pleased as he was holding the first prototype watch with both hands, scrutinizing the details. “The team at Cvstos has done perfectly everything what we discussed and worked on the last few months,” he said of the tonneau-shaped watch with a small seconds subdial rubbing shoulders with a date at 06 o’clock. The curved, functional bridges add to a feeling of casual luxury thanks to their reminiscence of yacht shapes. And, as with any real luxury item, exclusivity is key: the ARMAN Edition will be limited to 100 pieces worldwide.
The beginnings
Arman Tsarukyan is a friend of tennis star Karen Khachanov, who is also a partner of Cvstos. That’s how he discovered the watches, and after meeting with founder Sassoun Sirmakes a few times, the two decided to make the ARMAN Edition. So, that’s how the watch got started, but how about his career in MMA?
“I was 17, I wasn’t sure about what to do, but I wanted to be successful in sports. I fell in love from the first day I tried MMA. With MMA you are never bored. You can wrestle, you can box, do taekwondo … there are 12 different sports, that is the main thing with MMA. If you only do one sport your whole life you get sick of that,” Mr. Tsarukyan said.
One more goal
The sport has taken him as far as it can – almost. “My only goal in life now is to become UFC champion,” he said of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the number one MMA series in the world. “The other goals in my life I already have achieved: houses, cars, businesses, a secure future. Maybe I will find a new goal after becoming UFC champion: Maybe I will help people of future generations, to give something back to the world,” he said, adding it could be related to his career, such as opening up gyms in villages where there are none. “Training kids are not about making them good fighters, but to make them good people. What that is? To be a man of your word. If you say you are going to do something, you got to do it.”
One of Mr. Tsarukyan’s first stop on his three-day sejour in Geneva was the Cvstos manufacture next to the airport. “It is really impressive; I haven’t seen such machines before. The Cvstos team is incredible: from small pieces of metal they make these beautiful watches, it is really impressive. So yes, I am excited about my new watch – it is a ten out of ten!”
FAQ
Q: How old is Arman Tsarukyan?
A: Arman Tsarukyan, the Russian-Armenian MMA fighter behind the Cvstos ARMAN Edition, was born in October 1996 and turns 30 in October 2026. He fights in the UFC lightweight division, with becoming UFC champion his stated main goal.
Q: What is Cvstos Genève?
A: Cvstos Genève is a Geneva-based independent watch brand, around 20 years old, known for tonneau-shaped cases and skeletonized mechanical movements. It builds its identity through athlete collaborations, including tennis player Karen Khachanov and, most recently, MMA fighter Arman Tsarukyan's limited ceramic ARMAN Edition.
Q: How durable are ceramic watches?
A: Ceramic watches resist scratching far better than steel or gold, since ceramic is a much harder material. Cvstos Genève chose it for the ARMAN Edition, its Arman Tsarukyan collaboration, so the white case would stay looking new despite an active lifestyle.
Q: What is a tonneau watch?
A: A tonneau watch has a curved, barrel-shaped case, wider in the middle and narrower at the lugs, unlike round or rectangular designs. The shape dates to early 20th-century watchmaking and remains a signature of brands like Cvstos Genève, used in its Sealiner and ARMAN Edition.
