THE ARTISTRY BEHIND GREUBEL FORSEY - MARCH 2024 NEWS

In the year 1999, two eager entrepreneurs decided to combine their talents. They envisioned an extreme, uncompromising approach to fine watchmaking that would reimagine, one by one, each of the technical and aesthetic fundamentals established over the previous 200 years.

(Archival photographs of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey. Image source: Instagram @greubel.forsey)

Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey would soon join forces to become the innovative luxury watch brand known today as Greubel Forsey.

(Pictured: Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey)

The Double Tourbillon 30º was Greubel Forsey’s original invention: a first cage inclined at 30º, which completed a rotation in one minute, was inserted into a second cage that was level, completing a full rotation in four minutes. This original creation made it possible to achieve an optimised average timing rate in all positions of the timepiece, and established the foundations of the Greubel Forsey aesthetic.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey's First Invention, the Double Tourbillon 30º)

The Atelier’s identity was conceived to be sober, refined and very elegant. The essentials were already focused on the timepiece itself, not the watchmaker-designer duo. Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey’s creative spirit extended far beyond the limits of their timepieces. The two watchmakers had a vision for the next 20 years, 30 years and even 50 years. The EWT – for Experimental Watch Technology – would be the laboratory for their wildest designs and dreams. It remains the most avant-garde watchmaking hub in the world of fine watchmaking to this day.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey's Experimental Watch Technology)

The year is now 2007. In a first in the world of fine watchmaking, an escapement became the stand-alone star of a new timepiece. The timepiece took a back seat to the tourbillon, with the name ‘Tourbillon 24 Secondes.’ A major leap in the science of watchmaking, this pivotal invention remains at the heart of the Atelier’s creations to this day.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey's Original Tourbillon 24 Secondes, 2007)

At the 2011 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPGH), Greubel Forsey was awarded the Aiguille d’Or. This marked an incredible honour for the brand. 

In the same year, Greubel Forsey’s Double Tourbillon 30º was subjected to the most stringent tests in fine watchmaking – those featured in the Concours de Chronométrie. The process is rigorous, requiring each piece to be assessed according to each and every aspect of its chronometric performance, the results of which are also pitted against other watches. Greubel Forsey won by a wide margin, with an exceptionally high score of 915 points out of 1000.

Over the following years, Greubel Forsey continued to craft inventions that one could only dream of. In 2015, they were once again the esteemed recipient of the Aiguille d’Or at the GPGH with the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision.

The year 2016 marked the birth of Greubel Forsey's first 'Signature 1' creation. This idea was conceived by Didier Cretin, a long-time team member at Greubel Forsey.  For the first time in the history of the company, he created a manually wound timepiece with three hands, without a tourbillon function, and which featured an exclusively designed Greubel Forsey balance.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey Signature 1)

The same year also saw the beginning of the renowned Double Balancier Era. Optimising timekeeping as an alternative to the tourbillon, two inclined balances were coupled to a Constant Spherical Differential, which would provide a more steady amplitude. The result was an instantly eye-catching timepiece with a dial offering a wide view of the heart of the mechanism. 

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey Double Balancier)

In 2018, a new timepiece was designed to feature Greubel Forsey’s 5th Pivotal Invention – the Différentiel d’Égalité – to provide a regulated driving force, an essential factor in achieving improved accuracy of timing performance. This marked the first time that Greubel Forsey had integrated a dead-beat second in one of its timepieces.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey 5th Pivotal Invention, the Différential d'Égalité)

Next, Greubel Forsey released their spectacular GMT Earth. The groundbreaking spirit that is a hallmark of Greubel Forsey is particularly evident in this timepiece, which made three time zones immediately visible thanks to its authentic terrestrial globe. By reproducing the Earth’s rotation in real time, it made the reading of the time all over the world, as well as the day/night indication, intuitive. With this design, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey totally reinterpreted the very notion of the GMT watchmaking complication.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey GMT Earth)

In 2019, Greubel Forsey created a first orientation into sport. With its reinvented case, the GMT Sport met the needs of a new generation of collectors. Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey continued their research into the field of sports watches by pushing the limits of ergonomics and comfort. This led them to invent a new case design, circular from above but convex from the side, to fit the curve of the wrist. The sculptural timepiece with highly streamlined volumes also stood out for its integrated lugs and four patent applications.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey GMT Sport)

In 2020, Greubel Forsey released the first Balancier S timepiece. The brand also introduced a new CEO to mark a new era. Antonio Calce has been a leading figure in the watchmaking industry for several decades. After his appointment as CEO, he committed Greubel Forsey to a fundamental transformation to establish it as a long-lasting watch brand, capitalising on the existing strengths and excellence of the Atelier Manufacture.

(Pictured: Antonio Calce, Greubel Forsey CEO)

In 2021, the brand made an incredible decision, dedicating themselves 100% to using vegetable leather straps, and thus banishing the use of alligator from all of its new creations. This powerful gesture immediately placed the Atelier at the forefront of the issues of its time.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey Commits to Vegetable Leather Straps)

The exceptional expertise of the Greubel Forsey brand is reflected in a fully mastered design and manufacturing process as well as a unique sense of creative freedom. The Atelier continues to produce exceptional timepieces that challenge all previous conceptions of watchmaking and design, with each limited edition release speaking to the exclusivity of every Greubel Forsey timepiece.

(Pictured: Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S2 Black Carbon)

The art of invention is yours to behold at J Farren-Price, Sydney. We are a proud retailer of this extraordinary luxury brand, and we encourage all watch connoisseurs to consider investing in one of the unparalleled Greubel Forsey creations.