Including established shapes, mechanics, and components within a watch that bucks the norm is a great way to gently pull people along as a watch brand goes in a new direction. Greubel Forsey has subtly mastered this technique, and the new Balancier S2 is the awesomely unique result. The Balancier S2 has the warmth of classic Greubel Forsey intermingled with the crisp future of the brand.
GaryG looks back over 2021 to share his travels, acquisitions, thoughts, and even some of the more interesting swag he picked up in this delightfully comprehensive overview of a watch nut’s year.
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.
With the recent announcement that Greubel Forsey will be instituting a new program called Renaissance d’une Montre as of 2023, which will allow collectors to change anything they like about their watches, Tim Mosso finds it a good time to revisit what is perhaps the brand’s most underrated ultra haut-de-gamme option for collectors of modern watchmaking, the Double Tourbillon 30°.
Seems it wasn’t that long ago that GaryG wrote his first “Objects of Desire” article about the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, finishing with the sentiment that given the prices of their watches that he was unlikely to be able to buy any of the ones he truly lusted after anytime soon. Gary’s observation at the time was “go big or go home.” As you will see, he ended up going big and is now the proud owner of a Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1.
Greubel Forsey’s GMT Earth takes its last trip around the globe with a final version of 11 pieces. For this new variation, Greubel Forsey not only crafted the case in titanium but also focused on a darker finish. This makes the final version of this watch distinctly different from its siblings, not only in looks but also in feel.
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.
Since the Swatch Group took over Harry Winston, a continuation of the Opus series has been somewhat in doubt. But in 2015 the Opus 14 finally arrived. And now it has been quietly said that an Opus 15 is on the way. Which makes this a great time to look back over the groundbreaking series.
GaryG was delighted to take possession of an Invention Piece 1 with its inclined double tourbillon, while a good friend of his replied in kind with a purchase of the quadruple-tourbillon Invention Piece 2. Ever since, he has been dying to get these two gorgeous monsters side by side in the light tent. And the time has finally come!
There are thousands of things to love about Greubel Forsey watches, but the thing that has always been the hook in the root of Joshua Munchow’s brain is the variety of distinct shapes that atypically assemble to create very unique timepieces. With the release of 2020’s Balancier S, yet another inspiring set of shapes entered his universe, which he share with us here.