Introducing: The Greubel Forsey GMT Earth

January 14, 2018

Greubel Forsey's GMT watch may have a short name, but it's one of the most complicated watches that they make. The watch shows the time in two time zones; there's a world time disk on the back which takes into account Daylight Saving Time in the time zones where it's observed, and most spectacularly, there's a 3D model of the Earth which rotates once every 24 hours. The watch has been offered in several metals and dial treatments heretofore, but the newest version is by far the most visually elaborate. The dial now has a multi-level sapphire chapter ring, and the case has been decorated with Greubel Forsey's signature "statement of purpose" engraving.?The globe is now completely visible from both the dial and movement side of the watch (unlike the original GMT, in which Antarctical was not visible)? A Week On The Wrist With The GMT Wearing a Greubel Forsey watch is one of the most exotic experiences a watch enthusiast can have. Want to find out what it's like? Check out our A Week On The Wrist with the platinum GMT from last year's Baselworld coverage. This newest version will be called the GMT Earth. The added level of visual complexity really underscores the appealingly mad-scientist high mechanical flavor of Greubel Forsey watches C as well as offering further scope for displaying their mastery of traditional watch finishing techniques, which is among the best in the world. Why This Watch Matters Greubel Forsey watches aren't really like those from any other brand; the combination of very extroverted aesthetics, extremely theoretically and technically sophisticated watchmaking, and one of the most exacting approaches to traditional hand-finishing techniques that are found in their timepieces makes them in many respects unique in the modern watchmaking landscape C and means that any new timepiece they debut is major news for connoisseurs. Initial Thoughts As a general rule it's rather difficult to assess the impact of any watch without having seen it in person, but my experience has been that this is especially true of Greubel Forsey's watches. It's not just fact that the degree of hand-finishing is so much more hypnotic in the metal than it can ever be in photographs; it's also the use of depth in their design and in their dial and movement compositions, which in company with a very sophisticated deployment of brushed and polished surfaces, gives the impression that you're looking at some sort of miniature city under glass. As is generally the case with Greubel Forsey, the centerpiece horologically of the GMT Earth is the 24 second, inclined tourbillon. From its inception, Greubel Forsey has been deeply involved in experimenting with the basic concept of a tourbillon, which was designed originally for use in pocket watches (when Breguet was granted his patent in 1801 for the invention, the wristwatch didn't exist) and with the question of whether or not the tourbillon can be adapted to the wristwatch. The inclined tourbillon is an attempt to address the problem by ensuring that the regulating organs are virtually never in the most extreme (perfectly vertical or perfectly horizontal) positions. The Basics Brand: Greubel ForseyModel: GMT EarthDiameter: 45.50mmThickness: 16.18mmCase Material: White goldDial: Synthetic sapphire hour ring with galvanic hour indexes; power reserve and GMT indicators in gold; rotating globe with day and night UTC indicator in synthetic sapphire Strap/Bracelet: Black rubber or black alligator with white gold folding clasp The Movement Functions: Hours, minutes, GMT, world time disk, 24-hour rotating globe Diameter: 36.40mmThickness: 11.55mmPower Reserve: 72 hoursWinding: ManualFrequency: 3.5 Hz (21,600 vph)Jewels: 60; olive domed in gold chatonsAdditional Details: Tourbillon cage weight: 0.39 grams; two fast-rotating mainspring barrels; balance spring with Phillips terminal curve; main plates in German/nickel silver and nickel palladium treatment; globe in hand-lacquered titanium Pricing & Availability Price: CHF 610,000Availability: TBDLimited Edition: 33 piecesFor more click here.