For 2014, Swiss watch maker Artya, under the leadership of Yvan Arpa, presents a hidden knife as an option on most Artya (and Black Belt) timepieces. Part James Bond, part “I bet you didn’t know I could put a knife here!,” these “ardillon-style” watch strap buckles come with a small folding blade.

Why? Well that is really the question, isn’t it. Artya is a brand that likes to exaggerate life and that is part of their charm. For Yvan, this watch is about personal safety, as well as covertly opening private letters with clean precision. The knife will fold out from the buckle “pocket-knife” style and will be perhaps an inch or so in length. It isn’t exactly “hidden” if you look closely at the buckle, but is rather out of the way and located in a place most people would not expect. Artya has some suggested uses for this small blade, but what I am more curious about is what you all feel it might be good for when in a pinch.

These days what everyone ponders is, “can I take it through airport security without raising suspicion?” This knife strap buckle is certainly going to cause unwanted attention assuming someone scanning the x-ray even ventures to look that closely at a watch. Though all it takes is one person to be caught and suddenly there are global notices to airport security personnel all over the world that “special attention must be given to wrist watches.” Boy, isn’t that just what people traveling with expensive timepieces need–more reasons to take their timepieces off and let others fondle them carelessly. Now that I think about it I am pretty sure I want “less” suspicious timepieces traveling through security–not more. Stow the knife-equipped watches in your checked-in luggage will ya?

This is by no means the first experience we have with Artya producing a watch (or element of a watch) that would potentially cause alarm with the good ol’ TSA. If you recall the Artya Son of a Gun collection (hands-on here), we discussed a timepiece with actual bullets in the dial. Sure ,they are drilled bullets (without gunpowder), but it takes some very close inspection to determine that.

According to Aryta the fold-out knife strap buckle is available as an option on most any Artya timepiece. The steel buckle is actually quite nice and I would venture to say that the blade could have been even more covertly integrated into the design. The small blade has no serration or pointy tip to ensure that you don’t hurt yourself on it.

Artya suggests that it can be used for personal defense (really not sure how), to cut seat belts and ropes (that makes a bit more sense), and of course to open letters (I can see people doing that daily). Further, as odd self-defense items go, this is by no means the most strange that exists out there. In any event, this is weird and funny, and also kinda cool. As a man who likes to be prepared, I can’t complain about a hidden utility knife where there was none before. I wonder who will take this idea even further. artya.com