Greubel Forsey cuts the entry through Signature 1

A fascinating timepiece that matches the extreme sophistication of other Greubel Forsey collection and carries a comparatively lower price point has thrilled the watchmaking industry

In an exciting revelation at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2016, the highly distinguished Swiss independent watch company Greubel Forsey introduced its new Signature collection – a range that many watch connoisseurs regard as an “entry level” timepiece for Greubel Forsey. Though it must not be mistaken as descend in quality, the Signature collection has in fact matched the design ethos that Greubel Forsey has been renowned for.

The Signature series is a realisation of six years of researching the answer on how to combine simplicity and extreme sophistication. In this collection, the founders Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have accomplished their desire and commitment in aiming to preserve the heritage of watchmaking excellence by passing on knowledge. With the “Naissance d’une Montre” project that aims at perpetuating expertise that has been passed down through generations, the Signature project intends to further extend this desire to convey the particular vision of fine watchmaking to future generations: That of timepieces primarily produced by visionary men and women, served by excellent technology and expertise, which must be preserved.

With this goal in mind, for each of the new Signature creations, one talented watchmaker will elaborate his or her timepiece within Greubel Forsey’s universe. Drawing on its resources such as components, the watchmaker will operate following Greubel Forsey’s philosophy, and benefit from the skills and expertise specific to our watchmaking Atelier. This framework will guarantee the characteristic standards of excellence, both in terms of technical craftsmanship and aesthetics. The watchmaker will therefore express him or herself within this structure, while enjoying a considerable amount of freedom, particularly regarding technical, architectural and decorative aspects of the Timepiece. This watchmaker will co-sign the creation with Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey.

The Signature series kicked off with Didier J.G. Cretin, a brilliant watchmaker and long-time team member at Greubel Forsey, who introduced a timepiece that features pure lines: The Signature 1. For the first time in the history of Greubel Forsey, he has created a manually wound watch with three hands, without a tourbillon function, which instead features an exclusively designed Greubel Forsey balance and an all-gold dial. The main highlight is the large escapement occupying most of the bottom half of the dial – the wheel and in-house spring alone measure 12.6mm – proving beyond a doubt that a watch does not need to be overly complicated in order to be fascinating. The hands are finished and countersunk by hand.

Presented in a 41.4 mm x 11.7 mm thick case, this timepiece will be released in a unique edition of 11 pieces in white gold, 11 pieces in rose gold and 11 pieces in platinum. In addition to this, 33 steel-cased pieces are available by advance order, thereby maintaining and reaffirming the rarity of Greubel Forsey timepieces.