In the “Objects of Desire” series, I look at pieces that fall into the categories unobtanium and timenotrightium, as my Quill & Pad colleague Joshua Munchow might say. And, where better to start on the topic of desire than with the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey?
Many of you are likely to have come across at least a few heated discussions of “finishing,” a topic that seems to fascinate, and divide, watch enthusiasts. Like many people, GaryG’s starting point for serious watches was with a well-priced brand long known for its expertise in developing movements, justly viewed as offering good value for money – but not necessarily for the refinement of its movement finishing, at least on its less expensive pieces. Read on to discover what he has learned since then?
The Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Blue features an entire dial that has been black polished. The sheer expanse of surface that is perfectly spotless without the hint of a blemish is absolutely incredible, not to mention that there are six individual pieces making up the dial that are perfectly black polished too. This must be seen to be believed!
One of the greatest watch brands that has emerged since the turn of the millennium is Greubel Forsey, who plays each “hand” as part of a larger strategy aimed at keeping it in control of the game it has chosen to play. One of the latest “hands” played is impressive: 2018’s GMT Earth.
If fewer people appreciate superlative hand-finishing, then fewer will pay for superlative hand-finishing, so there is likely to be less superlative hand-finishing on offer. Appreciate away!
The unabashed star of Greubel Forsey’s 2018 SIHH presentations was the GMT Earth, which enables a simultaneous view of three separate time zones and features an enchanting three-dimensional titanium globe showing universal time (both summer and winter) on the back. And the gorgeous new Différentiel d’Égalité is equally as technical. Check out these new watches from SIHH 2018 right here.
In his previous article on the Time Aeon Le Garde Temps project, Joshua Munchow poetically compares the development of this wristwatch to an epic quest. At the time I didn’t appreciate just how true the analogy is, though perhaps not so much a hero’s quest as a band-of-brothers journey. And what a journey it’s turning out to be.
In this final round table discussion of the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Quill & Pad team discusses the amazing evening of November 8, 2017 and what we thought of the big night’s winners (and losers).
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève’s Aiguille d’Or category is a prize rewarding the best overall watch among all categories. It is the most prestigious award in the entire competition. Here, the Quill & Pad panel discusses which watches it thinks has a good chance of winning this prize in the 2017 competition.
Poland’s Watch of the Year 2017 saw a record total of 60 timepieces competing across six categories. The winners, which included watches by Greubel Forsey, Hermès, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, were celebrated on October 19, 2017 with more than 120 guests attending a gala evening at Warsaw’s Sobanski Palace.