Greubel Forsey timepieces sit at the peak of the high-end horological world. The brand has an entire catalogue of extraordinary watches featuring spectacular innovations and flawless finishes. For this year, Greubel Forsey presents two new versions of the GMT and the Double Balancier.
Greubel Forsey GMT Earth has an unusual interpretation of second time-zone / GMT complication using and opulent and spectacular representation
Greubel Forsey GMT Earth
We first presented the Greubel Forsey GMT after SIHH 2012. We reviewed in 2015 the black titanium, white gold, red gold and platinum version in a multi-piece review.
The 2018 version offers an enhanced three-dimensional view of the terrestrial globe. The 360° view was possible due to an original movement architecture integrated into a Greubel Forsey signature case.
The highest point of the multi depths architecture is occupied by the hours, minutes and small seconds indication
The dial feature a three-dimensional construction with multi-layered indications. The Thera globe and the 24 seconds tourbillon are the VIPs of the show.
The GMT Earth enables a clear view of three time-zones simultaneously
The case construction with the high-domed sapphire bezel is visually pleasant. The spectacular technicality is completed by the sapphire opening on the caseband.
The case is covered with engravings of the watchmaking key values of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey.
The backside reveals a 24 hours timezones indication displayed with the summer and winter time, complementing the universal time display realised by the terrestrial globe.
The white gold Greubel Forsey GMT Earth is limited to 33 pieces.
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier features a 5N red gold case and a black gold enamel dial
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier
We presented the Double Balancier at the SIHH 2016 unveil, with a following review shortly after, available here.
The red gold case measures 36.4mm diameter and 8.15mm height. The watch features in these small dimensions a theatrical construction with two balance wheel interconnected by a constant differential, fully shown on the dial side.
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier presents a black gold dial with a complete minutes register, numerals, hour markers and power reserve in champlevé grand feu (oven-fired) enamel.
The Double Balancier offers an increased chronometric performance. Presented by Greubel Forsey in 2009, the Double Balancier prototype is the sixth Fundamental invention of the brand. The improved actual version is even more impressive. It offers better chronometric performance, its Constant Spherical Differential cuts the timing variations in half.
The movement of the Greubel Forsey Double Balancier an entire show of watchmaking decoration expertise. The back view of the movement reveals a lavishly executed hand hammering. The show is reserved on the dial side, where all the fun takes place.
Greubel Forsey GMT Earth Specifications and Price
Greubel Forsey GMT Earth will have a price of CHF610,000, without taxes. Limited edition of 33 pieces in white gold with hand-wound movement with 3 patents.
Functions: GMT • 2nd time zone • rotating globe with universal time and day-and-night • complete and global view from northern to southern hemisphere • universal time on 24 time zones • summer and winter time • cities observing summer time • lateral window showing the equator • GMT pusher • Tourbillon 24 Secondes • hours and minutes • small seconds • power-reserve.
Movement
Movement dimensions
• Diameter: 36.40 mm
• Thickness: 11.55 mm
Number of parts
• Movement: 453 parts
• Tourbillon cage: 86 parts
• Weight of the cage: 0.39 g
Number of jewels
• 60
• Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
Chronometric power reserve
• 72 hours
Barrels
• Two coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), one of which is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension.
Balance wheel
• Variable-inertia with gold mean-time screws (10 mm diameter)
Frequency
• 21’600 vibrations/hour
Balance spring
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
Main plates
• Nickel silver, frosted and spotted with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, nickel-palladium treatment
Bridges
• Nickel silver, frosted with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, nickel-palladium treatment
• Flat black polished steel tourbillon bridge, hand-polished bevelling and countersinks
• Flat black polished steel screws, blued by heat treatment
Tourbillon
• Inclined at a 25° angle, 24-seconds rotation
• Light alloy cage pillars
• Titanium cage bridges
• Gold counterweight
Gearing
• Involute circle profile
• Tangential inclined gear on fixed wheel and
profiled teeth on escape wheel pinion
Displays
• Hours and minutes
• Small seconds
• 72-hours power reserve on a sector
• 2nd time-zone GMT
• 24 time-zone universal time
• Rotating titanium globe with universal time
• Complete view from the North Pole to the South Pole
• Summertime
• Day-and-night
Exterior
Case
• In white gold, with 18k gold plates, engraved, hand-finished with text, screwed to the caseband
• Lateral window with shaped synthetic sapphire crystal
• Three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped lugs
• Three-dimensional synthetic sapphire crystal caseback, with integrated dome
• Three-dimensional, asymmetrical, synthetic sapphire crystal bezel
• Raised polished engraving “GMT Earth” and “Greubel Forsey” on a hand-punched background
• Gold security screws
• White gold GMT pusher with raised engraving on a hand-punched background
• Hand-engraved individual number
Case dimensions
• Diameter: 45.50 mm
• Height: case 16.18 mm (height on synthetic sapphire dome 18.00 mm)
Water resistance of the case
• Water-resistant 3 atm – 30 m – 100 ft (standard NIHS 92-20/SN ISO 22810:2010)
Crown
• In white gold, synthetic sapphire insert with GF logo
Dial side
• Multi-level hour-ring in synthetic sapphire, galvanic growth hour indexes, engraved and lacquered minutes and small seconds
• Power-reserve and GMT indicators in gold, engraved and lacquered, hand matt lapped
• Rotating globe with day-and-night UTC indicator in synthetic sapphire, engraved and lacquered
Movement side
• Synthetic sapphire disc displaying city names surrounded by 2 gold rings (UTC and summer time) engraved and lacquered
• Gold “summertime” plate with individual number, raised engraving
• South Pole of the globe with UTC indicator, engraved and lacquered, hand matt lapped
Hands
• Hours, minutes, small seconds and power-reserve in polished steel, black treatment, hand-polished countersinks
• 2nd time zone GMT indicator, red triangle
Strap and clasp
• Black rubber or hand-sewn alligator
• White gold folding clasp, hand-engraved with the GF logo
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Specifications and Price
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier will have a price of CHF350,000, without taxes. In 5N red gold with hand-wound movement with 2 patents.
Functions: double Balancier • hours and minutes • small seconds • 4-minutes spherical constant differential rotation • power-reserve
Movement
Movement dimensions
• Diameter: 36.40 mm
• Thickness: 8.15 mm
Number of parts
• Movement:285 parts
• Escapement platform : 2 x 71 parts
• Spherical constant differential: 30 parts
Number of jewels
• 50
• Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
Chronometric power reserve
• 72 hours
Barrels
• Two series-coupled fast rotating barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), one of which is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension
Balance wheels
• Variable-inertia with gold mean-time screws (10 mm diameter)
Frequency
• 21’600 vibrations/hour
Balance springs
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
Main plates
• Nickel silver, frosted and spotted, with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, grey PVD treatment
Bridges
• Nickel silver, spotted, with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, grey PVD treatment
• Flat black polished steel differential bridges
• Flat black polished gold centre bridge, with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks
• 2 engraved gold plates (1x Greubel Forsey, 1x individual number)
Escapement platforms
• Inclined at a 30° angle
• Nickel silver, straight graining, hand-polished bevelling and countersinks, nickel-palladium treatment
• Polished steel pillars
• Flat black polished and barrel polished steel balance wheel bridges
Gearing
• Involute circle profile
• Inclined gear with profiled teeth on the fourth wheel
Displays
• Hours and minutes
• Small seconds
• 4-minutes spherical constant differential rotation
• 72-hours power reserve on a sector
Exterior
Case
• In 5N red gold with convex synthetic sapphire crystal
• Transparent back with synthetic sapphire crystal
• Three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped lugs
• Raised polished engraving “Double Balancier” and “Greubel Forsey” on a hand-punched background
• Gold security screws
• Hand-polished bezel, caseband with hand-finished straight graining
• Hand-engraved individual number
Case dimensions
• Diameter:43.00 mm
• Height: 13.38 mm
Water resistance of the case
• Water-resistant 3 atm – 30 m – 100 ft (standard NIHS 92-20/SN ISO 22810:2010)
Crown
• In 5N red gold with engraved and black lacquered GF logo
Dial
• Multi-level black anthracite gold dial, with engraved and “oven fired” enamelled indexes (émail grand feu champlevé)
• Differential rotation and small seconds indicators in gold
Hands
• Hours and minutes in polished gold, with Super-LumiNova
• Small seconds, 4-minutes in polished blued steel
• Power-reserve in polished gold
Strap and clasp
• Hand-sewn alligator
• 5N red gold folding clasp, hand-engraved
with the GF logo
