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Today Greubel Forsey (GF) announces its newest GMT watch and guys, this one’s a doozy. It has the most nous of all the previous versions in the series, in terms of dial layout but doesn’t dampen one bit the theatrical kinetic displays that the brand has developed a reputation for. Gone are the familiar hour and minute hands whether on a subdial off to the side as in the GMT Quadruple Toubillon or centrally mounted on a flying bridge like in the GMT Sport. Instead, two triangles of differing sizes indicate the most basic local time information, tracing an orbital path around the iconic Terrestrial globe, that has now become the center of attention and focus on the dial. The globe has been situated within time telling concave rings (local and day/night UTC) that incline towards the center in a construction style that the brand is calling an “amphitheater”.
Just when you thought the earth has become the center of this universe, the balance wheel inclined at 30°, which is one of GF’s seven Fundamental Inventions, plays the role of a satellite orbiting from a distance. How do you best showcase the variable geometries of such a dial display? By employing GF’s insane levels of hand finishing of course. The upper half of the dial that acts as a backdrop to the globe, second timezone indicator and small seconds subdial has a stippled finish contrasted by the satin finish of the bottom half. The balance bridge is flat black and barrel polished, mounted on polished steel pillars. The titanium bridges that support the whole balance assembly is hand-finished with a steel brush which is a technique applied for the first time. Lastly, the interior of the case is mirror polished to reflect all the dial elements in their hand-finished glory as well as the components that are in constant motion.
On the caseback side, the disc that displays the 24 reference cities of each corresponding timezone in exploded typeface, has been retained. As a nod to Greubel Forsey’s manufacturing home of La Chaux-de-Fonds, it has replaced the reference city of Paris .
IMHO
It is safe to say that every single iteration of Greubel Forsey’s GMT complication is the most visually striking of any timezone watch period. For the simple fact that it uses a perfectly-shaped globe hewn out of titanium and a corresponding 24-hour ring that rotates, to provide you with day and night UTC time. UTC time essentially accommodates the differences in timekeeping of the most accurate form mankind can muster, using atomic clocks, to what we use to schedule our daily lives which is solar time courtesy of Mother Nature. Is it that useful to know UTC when you’re travelling to a different timezone? Not really. You’re better off just using the second timezone indicator at 9 o’clock. Although it is useful to coordinate activities that involve members living in different timezones. But is it also the coolest way to have an overview of all the different timezones and when they are experiencing daylight or nighttime hours at any given moment, as if one were peering down on the Earth from outer space? With the addition of an orbiting satellite in the form of a 30° inclined balance? That’s a resounding yes! Greubel Forsey is in effect, in a competition where there is only a single participant and honestly at this point, they are beating themselves at their own game.
Tech Specs
GMT Balancier Convexe
Movement: Manual-winding; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, GMT, day-and-night UTC, 24 time zones UTC, summer and winter time
Case: 43.5mm; titanium; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Silver hour ring with engraved and lacquered minute circle
Strap: Blue rubber or titanium bracelet; titanium folding clasp
Availability: 22 pieces annually from 2022 to 2024
