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Greubel Forsey GMT Centers the Globe

Greubel Forsey moves its titanium globe to the center of its new GMT Balancier Convexe, altering the watchmaker’s long-standing dial-borne universe in the process.

The new Greubel Forsey GMT Balancier Convexe.

The globe, an eye-catching component of the watchmaker’s GMT, GMT Earth, GMT Quadruple Tourbillon and GMT Sport, appears at the heart of the new 46.5mm titanium watch, which debuts this week at Geneva Watch Days. In those earlier GMT models, the globe was positioned along the edge of the case.

The new GMT Balancier Convexe joins six existing models within the independent watchmaker’s relatively new Convexe collection.  

As Greubel Forsey centers the globe on the new watch, the orb becomes a more visible component. The new design “replaces all previous GMT models and features,” according to Greubel Forsey.

Set within what appears to be an amphitheater just under the sapphire crystal, the globe rotates once per day as it plays a key role in the watch’s contemporary depiction of universal time.

GMT Balancier Convexe, showing inclined balance in foreground.

Three rings frame the amphitheater. These denote local time hours and minutes, as well as universal time. Helpfully, Greubel Forsey darkens the background when the time indicates night and brightens it when the time is during the day.

 

Greubel Forsey explains that its finishers have polished the inside of the case “so that it mirrors the escapement platform, the Terrestrial globe, and nearly every element visible on the dial side, thus adding incredible depth to this new construction.”

Inclined Balance

The centrally located globe isn’t the only premiere here. For the first time within a GMT model, the watchmaker’s signature 30-degree inclined balance wheel vibrates nearby, held by a flat black-polished and barrel-polished steel balance wheel bridge on polished steel pillars. Adjacent to this, note the small seconds, displayed with a blue gold hand.

Where the dial-side of the new watch is impressively redesigned, the back of the watch retains Greubel Forsey’s signature disc with 24 time zones indicating the UTC time. The only variation here is a minor one:  the UTC of Paris has been replaced by La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, home for Greubel Forsey.

All this drama is framed by Greubel Forsey’s unusual convex case, with its curved geometry and undulating lines that, along the top, are higher on the sides and lower at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions. The case itself is also asymmetric, with a diameter of 46.5mm around the bezel and 43.5mm around the case band. This means it nicely hugs the curve of the wrist.

Greubel Forsey will make sixty-six GMT Balancier Convexe timepieces at the rate of twenty-two per year between 2022 and 2024. Each is available on either a titanium bracelet or a textured rubber strap. Price: CHF 350,000.

 

Specifications: Greubel Forsey GMT Balancier Convexe

Displays: Hours and minutes, small seconds, 2nd time zone GMT, rotating globe with universal time, day-and-night, 24 time zones universal time, summer time, winter time.

Movement: Manual-wind with 423 parts, including 59 in the escapement. Two coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), equipped with a fixed mainspring-bridle. Bridges and main plates in titanium with frosted, polished beveling and countersinks, straight-grained flank. Escapement is inclined at a 30° angle, flat black polished steel, polished beveling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, polished steel pillars, flat black-polished.

Case: Caseband diameter 43.50mm, bezel diameter: 46.50mm, case height: 13.75 mm, height on sapphire crystals: 17.40 mm. Titanium case with curved sapphire crystal, three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped bezel, hand-polished, profiled lugs, screwed fixing, transparent back with curved and high domed synthetic sapphire crystal, engraved GMT pusher, titanium security screws, raised engravings. 

Dial: Terrestrial globe in titanium, relief-engraved continents, ocean blue treatment, day-and-night UTC indicator in titanium, engraved and lacquered, GMT indicator in gold, amphitheater hour-ring with engraved and lacquered minute-circle, small seconds indicator in gold.

Hands: Hours and minutes with SuperLumiNova, red triangles, 2nd time zone GMT indicator, blue triangle, small seconds in polished blued steel, flat black-polished head.

Strap: Non-animal material, rubber with text in relief, titanium folding clasp, engraved GF logo. Also upon request: 3-row metal bracelet in titanium, folding clasp with integrated fine adjustment, engraved GF logo.

Price: CHF 350,000.

 

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The Watches

Moser Debuts Stealthy Streamliner Tourbillon

H. Moser & Cie combines two of its trademark minimalist components into one of its best-known collections to create the new red gold Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack, which is also the first non-steel model within the award-winning Streamliner collection.

The new H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack.

For this debut, the Schaffhausen-based independent watchmaker places its highly efficient, dual-hairspring automatic HMC 804 one-minute flying tourbillon caliber beneath a Vantablack dial, a design that features high-tech Vantablack, an ultra-black coating that absorbs more than 99 percent of all light.

The resulting ‘black hole’ dial beautifully contrasts with the finely wrought tourbillon at the 6 o’clock position, all framed by the Streamliner’s striking, Deco-influence cushion-shaped 5N red gold case.

H. Moser has created at least two Vantablack dials for watches in its Streamliner case. You might recall that H. Moser presented what may have been a precursor to this model with the steel-cased Streamliner Tourbillon with a Vantablack dial for the 2021 Only Watch charity auction. H. Moser also displayed a non-tourbillon iteration earlier this year at Watches and Wonders in Geneva when it displayed a one-off Streamliner ‘stealth concept’ watch.  

Here H. Moser & Cie. carefully enhances a sharp black/gold contrast by fixing the dial’s red gold indexes from the back of the dial so that they appear or disappear against the Vantablack. All this is framed by a case that H. Moser finishes with vertical brushing alternating with polished lines — an effect mirrored along the fully integrated red gold bracelet.As noted, H. Moser’s automatic HMC 804 caliber powers the watch and is equipped with a double hairspring made by H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company Precision Engineering AG. This component, just one of many technical highlights found throughout H. Moser’s designs, reduces friction and improves the movement’s accuracy and isochronism. (See below for full specifications.) Price: $119,900. 

 

Specifications: H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack

(Reference 6804-0400)

Movement: HMC 804 automatic Manufacture caliber, frequency of 21,600 vibrations/hour,  automatic bi-directional pawl winding system, oscillating weight in 18-karat red gold with engraved H. Moser & Cie. logo, power reserve of three days, original double hairspring, one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonized bridges.

Case: 40mm by 12.1mm 5N red gold topped by a slightly domed sapphire crystal, screw-in crown adorned with an engraved M, see-through sapphire crystal case-back, water-resistant to 120 meters.

Dial: Vantablack,  hour and minute hands with Globolight inserts, indices secured from the back of the dial using a plate.

Bracelet: Integrated in 5N red gold, folding clasp with three blades in 5N red gold, engraved with the Moser logo. 

Half-links available.

Price: $119,900. 

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The Watches

Zenith and Voutilainen Update Vintage Chronometer

Zenith teams with Phillips and independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen to restore and hand-decorate a batch of vintage Zenith Caliber 135-O movements. As a result of this partnership, Zenith is launching the Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition, a stunning 38mm platinum chronometer watch rife with vintage design cues that complement the 1950s-era manual-wind movement inside.

The new Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition.

The modern Zenith star logo on the dial may be the only contemporary design detail on this retro beauty. Its tapered lugs, sapphire glass box crystal, triangular hour markers, faceted gold hands and seconds subdial recall the mid-20th century era when Zenith routinely took prizes in Swiss chronometry competitions – frequently with its Caliber 135. With more than 230 chronometry prizes, the Caliber 135-O holds the most awards of any observatory chronometer caliber in the history of watchmaking.

The Zenith Caliber 135.

In addition to hand finishing the movement, Voutilainen (through his atelier) also applied an eye-catching guilloché engraving in a fish-scale motif to the dial along the bezel. Inside the seconds subdial, you’ll find the movement’s serial number inscribed, a gesture meant to note that each movement, regulated originally by revered chronométriers Charles Fleck or René Gygax, has been updated by Voutilainen and his team.

“The persons working on these movements were the best watchmakers at the time. They had the know-how to make things precise. That precision doesn’t disappear after 70 years,” says Voutilainen. “Our duty was not to touch that performance.”

Voutilainen has refined the historical movement’s aesthetic appearance with hand chamfered and polished edges on the gold-colored bridges, beveled and polished screw-heads, circular graining on the main plate, snailed brushing on the ratchet and crown wheels and more.

Unusually, Zenith and Voutilainen has signed “Neuchâtel” at the bottom of the dial. This denotes the historical Observatory where the Calibre 135-O competed and won so many of it Swiss chronometry competitions.

Zenith and Phillips will offer the new Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition as a series of ten pieces sold exclusively by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. Price: CHF 132,900.

 

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The Watches

MB&F Launches its First Chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO

For its first chronograph, independent watchmaker MB&F teams with Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell to launch the Legacy Machine Sequential EVO, a two-column-wheel chronograph with split-second, independent and lap timer modes – a watchmaking premiere.

The new watch, powered by MB&F’s twentieth caliber, boasts a ‘Twinverter’ switch that controls both chronograph systems.

The new MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO,

The binary switch inverts the start/stop status of each chronograph. As MB&F explains: “this means that if both chronograph displays happen to be stopped (at zero position or otherwise), pressing the Twinverter (at 9 o’clock) will cause both of them to start simultaneously. If they are both running, the Twinverter makes them stop. If one is running and the other is stopped, the Twinverter stops the one that is running and starts the one that is stopped.”

Belfast-based McDonnell previously worked with MB&F to finalize the MB&F HM1 and most famously developed the GPHG-award-winning MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual.

His design for the new watch allows the user to perform the same functions as a split-seconds chronograph. But overall, McDonnell focused the design for everyday use rather than specifically for sporting functions, according to MB&F’s Charris Yadigaroglou. Most of the new timing modes are novel to this design and not available when using a traditional chronograph.

For example, in ‘independent mode’ the wearer can assist with varied cooking times. In this so-called ‘pasta mode” the wearer could operate the two chronographs via their respective pushers. One might start when placing pasta into boiling water and the other can separately time when vegetables go in the oven. Additional modes include Simultaneous mode, Cumulative mode and Sequential mode.

MB&F places McDonnell’s caliber into its sporty EVO case much like the case that houses the latest example of the LM Perpetual. This is a 44mm by 18.2mm zirconium structure with no bezel, a domed sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown (offering 80 meters of water resistance) and MB&F’s own anti-shock FlexRing system.   

MB&F will launch the new watch in two versions. One features an ‘atomic’ orange CVD dial plate and the second features a ‘coal’ black PVD dial plate. Both come with an integrated rubber strap with a folding titanium buckle.   Price: $180,000.

 

Specifications: MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO

Movement: Fully integrated dual chronograph system developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring Twinverter switch allowing multiple timing modes. Manual winding with double mainspring; Balance frequency: 3Hz (21,600 vph). Three-days of power reserve. Flying balance wheel with regulating screws at 12 o’clock, Breguet overcoil. Superlative hand finishing; internal bevel angles highlighting handcraft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings, darkened bridges (NAC finish). Power reserve indication at the back of the movement.

Dial: Galvanic black dials with Super-LumiNova on numerals and hands.

Functions: Time display (hours/minutes) at 6 o’clock.

Left chronograph: Seconds displayed at 9 o’clock and minutes at 11 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 10 o’clock and reset at 8 o’clock.

Right chronograph: Seconds displayed at 3 o’clock and minutes at 1 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 2 o’clock and reset at 4 o’clock.

Twinverter pusher at 9 o’clock: binary switch that inverts the current start/stop status of both chronographs.

Case: 44mm by 18.2mm zirconium. Water resistance to 80 meters. Screw down crown. FlexRing annular dampener fitted between case and movement, providing shock protection along the vertical and lateral axes. Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces.

Strap: Integrated rubber with titanium folding buckle.

Price: $180,000.

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The Watches

MB&F Launches M.A.D.1 Red

Collectors frustrated by the very limited nature of last year’s MB&F M.A.D.1 now have a chance to score a new version of the very cool, affordably priced automatic watch with lateral time display and tricked-out upside-down Miyota movement.

MB&F is releasing the new M.A.D. 1 Red under the new M.A.D. Editions label.

MB&F’s new M.A.D. 1 Red looks very similar to the original blue-tinged M.A.D.1, which was available last year only to MB&F Friends and MB&F watch owners.

Like that first watch, the new model also displays time via two highly luminous rotating cylinders around its case. Just as eye-catching is the unidirectional titanium and tungsten triple-blade rotor spinning quickly atop the watch. MB&F makes all this happen by fitting and re-engineering the watch’s Miyota movement upside-down in the steel M.A.D. 1 Red case.   

In addition to the new cherry red hue on this Red edition, MB&F has thinned the bezel and added a traditional winding crown (at 12 o’clock) to the watch. The crown on last year’s blue edition featured a folding protector that doubled as a winding aid.

MB&F is making these special editions under a new brand name, M.A.D. Editions, and has long-term plans for additional models. Collectors who have previously contacted MB&F about the earlier M.A.D. Edition watch, or who already own an MB&F watch (or are MB&F Friends) are first in line to purchase the new watch.

If you’re not among those categories, there’ still a path toward obtaining your own M.A.D 1 Red: MB&F is conducting a lottery for interested buyers.

“Once we have the confirmations of the priority orders, we’ll then take all the remaining M.A.D.1 Red pieces available, and allocate them thanks to a lottery, open to everyone,” explains MB&F founder Max Busser.

“If you’re interested in participating in the lottery, which is of course totally free of charge, please go to our eShop to obtain a lottery ticket – and relax, there’s no rush, you have the next two weeks to get a ticket. After two weeks we’ll then proceed with a random draw, and we’ll let you know whether the draw has been favorable to you – in which case you will be able to place your order.”

Given the price (CHF 2,900) and the pedigree of the new M.A.D.1 Red, expect very high demand.

Deliveries of the M.A.D.1 Red commence in April and continue throughout the rest of this year. While the first deliveries will go to collectors who wrote to MB&F previously, MB&F expects to start delivering watches to the lottery winners between September and December.

For additional details see the MB&F eShop at: https://shop.madgallery.ch/

 

 

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