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Greubel Forsey continues to expand its Convexe collection, a relatively new series of watches characterized by a convex bezel and crystal that showcases the multi-level, multi-dimensional nature of its complicated movements.

The new Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe.

The newest addition, the Double Balancier Convexe, finds the watchmaker’s existing Double Balancier movement (in its latest 2016 iteration) presented in a convex titanium case with a dramatic curved layout displaying the caliber’s openworked gears, wheels and bridges.

Within the undulating bezel, which Greubel Forsey first presented in 2019, we see the watch’s gear train in all its multi-level, highly finished splendor just below a semicircular black-treated titanium bridge. The skeletal hour and minute hands are set atop the gilded, stacked gear train, rotating well above the small seconds display. The seconds remain quite visible despite the display’s location deep within the movement.

The small seconds hand (lower right) is polished and blued steel, as is the four-minute hand (set between the two balances) that shows the rotational speed of the spherical differential.

Flanking each corner are the watch’s namesake two balance wheels, each inclined at 30° and separated by a constant spherical differential that ‘calculates’ their average timing rate.

The watch also gets its name from the convex profile of its 43.5 mm titanium case and bezel. The contemporary polished and brushed bezel frames the movement with undulating lines that are higher on the sides and lower at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions.

Greubel Forsey explains that it constructs each hand for this watch (and for many watches in its collection) with individual geometry, finish and color. Thus, the hour hand and the minute hand are curved and filled with SuperLuminova to complement the hour indexes.

The small seconds hand is polished and blued steel, as is the four-minute hand (set between the two balances) that shows the rotational speed of the spherical differential. Finally, the power reserve hand is polished, open-worked and tipped with red.

The Convexe collection is meant to be this high-end maker’s contemporary ‘daily wear’ collection. You’ll see none of the Greubel Forsey foundational phrases engraved on the dial or bezel within this collection. And, with 100 meters of water resistance and fully integrated lugs, the watch fits snugly on the wrist for wearing comfort rain or shine.

Greubel Forsey offers the new Double Balancier Convexe on either a textured rubber strap or titanium bracelet. The manufacturer will make twenty-two per year between 2022 and 2024 for a total of sixty-six pieces overall.

Prices: $340,000 (strap) and $385,000 (bracelet).

 

Specifications: Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe


Movement: Hand-wound movement with two patents and high-end, hand-applied finishes throughout. These include frosted, polished beveling and countersinks, 
black treatment, multi-level, open-worked center bridge, black 
treatment, polished beveling and countersinks. Also, flat black polished steel differential bridge, gold plate with engraved limitation number, 
circular-grained, polished beveling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, escapement platform inclined at a 30° angle, open-worked steel balance wheel bridges. Displays: hours and minutes, small seconds, 4-minutes spherical constant differential rotation, power-reserve (of 72 hours). Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour.

Case: 43.5mm by 13.75mm titanium with curved synthetic sapphire crystal, Three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped bezel, hand-polished with hand-finished straight graining
, raised engraving “Double Balancier” and “Greubel Forsey.” Water resistant to 100 meters.

Dial: Three-dimensional, variable geometry hour ring with engraved and lacquered minute circle, black treatment, power-reserve indicator, engraved and lacquered.

Strap: Non-animal material, rubber with texture in relief, titanium folding clasp, engraved GF logo. On demand:
 3-row metal bracelet in titanium, folding clasp with integrated fine adjustment, engraved GF logo.

 

Scottsdale-based Oliver Smith Jeweler is partnering with Parmigiani Fleurier to create twenty bespoke watches to help celebrate the jeweler’s fortieth anniversary.

The 42mm watches, fifteen steel-cased Tonda GT models and five of its more complicated sibling, the Tondagraph GT, each feature a customized brown guilloché dial with cream-colored subdials and chapter ring.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT specially made with Oliver Smith.

“I really wanted to partner with Michel Parmigiani because of his creative genius. His skill as a restorer of antique timepieces was clear at a young age, and he’s come about his success as a watchmaker extremely organically,” says Oliver Smith, Founder and Creative Director at Oliver Smith Jeweler.

“I appreciate how Michel takes inspiration from patterns in nature, like the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, in developing the proportions of his pieces. He takes that natural world into the balance of his watches,” Smith adds.

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda GT specially made with Oliver Smith.

Each dial is guided by Michel Parmigiani’s Golden Ratio principles. The dials each sport open-worked Delta-shaped hands framed by fluted bezels and unmistakable teardrop-shaped lugs. Fifteen Tonda GT pieces have been produced. Only five Tondagraph GT models have been made, each numbered individually 1-5.

Inside Parmigiani Fleurier fits its own excellent calibers. The Tonda GT is powered by the PF044 automatic movement, which is finely finished, has a power reserve of 42 hours and is water resistant to 100 meters. The Tondagraph GT features the PF043 movement and combines an annual calendar and a chronograph.

Both models are fastened by a matching steel bracelet with folding clasp buckle, a new design from Parmigiani Fleurier first seen in last year’s Tonda GT novelties. For extra versatility, Oliver Smith and Parmigiani Fleurier include an additional interchangeable black rubber strap with deployant buckle.

Prices: $17,700 (Tonda GT pieces) and $23,200 (Tondagraph GT models, each numbered individually 1-5).

 

MB&F has joined forces with Bulgari to create the new Legacy Machine FlyingT Allegra, a dramatic colored-gem-set iteration of the LM FlyingT, MB&F’s first venture into feminine-focused design.

You may recall that the LM FlyingT was quite a success upon its launch in 2019. Customers clamored for it, and the industry awarded it the prize for Best Ladies’ Complication at the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The 39.5mm by 20mm watch displays hours and minutes on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands regulated by a dramatically raised flying tourbillon at the center.

Just last year MB&F added a limited edition guilloché-dialed LM FlyingT series cased in red gold and platinum. More recently, the watchmaker launched an eye-catching Lapis Lazuli LM FlyingT model. MB&F noted at the time that it expected to announce at least one new gemstone-set edition annually.

The new MB&F x Bulgari LM FlyingT Allegra, here in a pink gold case.

For the newest edition, the MB&F x Bulgari LM FlyingT Allegra, Bulgari’s well-established gemstone expertise merges with the LM FlyingT’s existing diamond-set dial plate to create a terrific counterbalance the technical center of the dial.

Prominent single stones of tourmaline, tsavorite, diamonds, rubellite, amethyst, tanzanite and topaz flank the watch’s diamond-set flying tourbillon and the balance at the center.

Bulgari opts for a cabochon cut for each stone, a choice that not only makes the stones all the more prominent above the dial, but that also perfectly matches the FlyingT Allegra’s round case.

On the back of the watch MB&F again creates a sun-shaped oscillating weight with gold rays rotating on a ruthenium disc above a platinum counterweight.

The caseback reveals the sun-shaped oscillating weight.

MB&F will offer twenty MB&F x Bulgari LM FlyingT Allegra watches, cased in either pink gold or white gold. Each is set with fully diamond-set dial plates and adorned with Bulgari’s fine gemstones. Price: $185,000.

 

Specifications: MB&F x Bulgari Legacy Machine FlyingT Allegra

Movement: FlyingT featuring three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house, central flying 60-second tourbillon, balance frequency of 18,000 (2.5 Hz), power reserve of 100 hours, three-dimensional sun winding rotor in 18k 5N+ red gold, titanium and platinum.

Dial: Hours and minutes displayed on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands. White gold version set with diamonds, tsavorite, topaz, amethyst, tanzanite and tourmaline. Pink gold version set with diamonds, tsavorite, tourmaline, tanzanite, amethyst and rubellite.

Case: 39mm x 20mm white gold or pink gold, set with diamonds. High domed sapphire crystal on top with anti-reflective coating on both sides, sapphire crystal on back. Two crowns: winding on left and time-setting on right. Water resistance to 30 meters.

Strap: Alligator leather strap with white or pink gold pin buckle matching the case.

Price: $185,000.

Greubel Forsey has updated its Balancier S with a new case, new finishing and a newly brushed titanium bezel. While retaining the movement of the original Balancier S, the new watch, the Balancier S², is designed by Greubel Forsey with far fewer traditional dial and bezel motifs as the watchmaker positions the new design to become an ‘everyday wear’ model.

The new Greubel Forsey Balancier S²

The new dial is darker, providing greater contrast with an intense black or grey backdrop that cuts through the balance bridge between 5 and 9 o’clock. And with sharper edges and a new matte finish on the bridge and indexes, each element is easier to read. Those primary indexes are notably larger than those found on the initial Balancier S.

In another bid for contemporary style, Greubel Forsey has smartly skeletonized the Balancier’s central double-arched titanium bridge. This syncs nicely with the new titanium bracelet and extends the effect of the all-new brushed bezel.

Along with its slightly larger case (at 46.5mm, a bit more than the 45mm original), and aforementioned openworked bridge and font-free bezel, a third prominent finishing change characterizes the more contemporary look of the Balancier S².   You’ll not find the large Greubel Forsey signature on the barrel cover. Instead, you’ll see a very modern circular pattern. Greubel Forsey places its signature under the internal bezel between 12 o’clock and 2 o’clock.

Greubel Forsey skeletonizes the bridge and redesigns the power reserve display on the new Balancier S²

The movement operates with two coaxial barrels mounted in series offering a 72-hour power reserve (shown at 2 o’clock via a new fan-shaped aperture). The small seconds hand at 8 o’clock is, like the balance wheel, placed at a 30-degree angle.

Greubel Forsey will make eighty-eighty pieces of this new Balancier S² with a charcoal grey backdrop, producing twenty-two pieces per year from 2022 to 2025. For the version with a light grey background, the manufacture will produce sixteen pieces per year over four years, totaling sixty-four pieces. Both versions will come in a titanium case.

Price: CHF 205,000 (rubber strap) and CHF 245,000 (titanium bracelet).

Specifications: Greubel Forsey Balancier S2

Movement: Balancier S² manual-wind with 72-hour power reserve, escapement inclined 30 degrees, two coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels.

Case: 46.5mm by 13.75mm titanium with curved synthetic sapphire crystal, three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped bezel, profiled lugs, screwed fixing, transparent back with high domed sapphire crystal, titanium security screws and raised engraving “Balancier Incliné” and “Greubel Forsey.” Water resistant to 100 meters.

Dial: Three-dimensional, variable geometry minute-circle, polished, with engraved and lacquered minutes indexes, power-reserve indicator engraved and lacquered, multi-level, openworked suspended-arch bridge, 
black treatment, straight-grained and polished, polished beveling and countersinks.

Strap Non-animal material, rubber with texture in relief, titanium folding clasp, engraved GF logo, or three-row metal bracelet in titanium, folding clasp with integrated fine adjustment, engraved GF logo.

Price: CHF 205,000 (rubber strap) and CHF 245,000 (titanium bracelet).

Last year producer and talent scout Swizz Beatz challenged De Bethune to create a “totally different Dream Watch 5.” This week, De Bethune debuted its response to that challenge with a watch worthy of the futuristic Dream Series.

The new De Bethune Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon Season 1 is a spectacular deltoid-shaped, blued-titanium and sapphire wrist rocket regulated by a De Bethune high-velocity tourbillon.

The new De Bethune Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon Season 1 .

The inventive Swiss company, lead by pioneering watchmaker Denis Flageollet, has built on its own Dream Watch legacy by refining its pointedly curved Dream Watch 5 case, first seen in 2014, into a skeletal sculpture that both showcases an open-set dial while also protecting it with two dramatic blued titanium bridges.

As De Bethune points out, there is nothing straight or flat about this latest Dream Watch 5 case, which is composed of seven different sapphire components ingeniously embedded into a polished blue titanium frame.

At the center, gripped by the watch’s titanium exoskeleton, is a three-dimensional orb that indicates the moon phases. Adjacent, and just below the blue bridges, the wearer eyes the hours and minutes directly through a hand-cut cabochon-shaped crystal.

The back of the watch (below) is almost as dramatic, especially since the ultra-clear sapphire back seems to magnifying the beauty of De Bethune’s mirror-polished DB2149 high-speed tourbillon caliber. The 30-second tourbillon oscillates at 36,000 vibrations/hour, set just beneath a slightly blued sapphire window. See specifications below for additional details about this expertly engineered, highly tuned movement.

De Bethune notes that to enhance the interior of the DW5 Episode 1, it collaborates with Swiss engraver Michèle Rothen, who has ‘retouched’ each surface with added micro-detail and greater dimension.

The De Bethune Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon Season 1 is a ten-piece limited edition.

Price: $520,000.

 

Specifications: De Bethune Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’

(Reference DW5TSB, a ten-piece limited edition)


Functions: 
Hours, minutes, central spherical moon-phase indication, 30-minute indication on the ultra-light silicon and titanium De Bethune tourbillon cage (appearing on the back).

Movement: DB2149 hand-wound, three positions (for winding, spherical moon phase and time setting), titanium balance-wheel with white gold inserts, De Bethune balance-spring with flat terminal curve, silicon escape-wheel, spherical moon-phase display accurate to within one lunar day every 1,112 years, De Bethune ultra-light silicon and titanium 30-second tourbillon, 36,000 vibrations/hour.

Dial: Blued grade-5 titanium aperture frame.

Case: 58mm by 47mm
 by 17mm tapered hand-polished and blued grade- 5 titanium, open-worked with sapphire blue inserts and hand-engraved motifs, cabochon-cut blue sapphire 
crown.

Bracelet: Blue canvas/leather with an additional rubber strap, titanium clasp with polished and blued titanium pin buckle.

Price: $ 520,000.