Greubel Forsey: Balancier Contemporain

With the Balancier Contemporain, Greubel Forsey is offering an entirely new movement within the compact 39.6 mm-diameter, 12.21 mm-high white gold case. While maintaining the emblematic large balance wheel, Greubel Forsey entirely rethought this new movement construction so as to trim the dimensions without compromising performance in any way. The manual-winding calibre “comprises 255 components” is endowed with a 72-hour power reserve ensuring chronometric performance by means of two series-coupled fast-rotating barrels – one of which is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension. The movement is also equipped with a crown-activated ‘stop balance’ system enabling timesetting to the nearest second.

The entirely reimagined display side plays with split levels as well as various materials and finishes. The offset hours/minutes dial appears at 2 o’clock with its blued steel hands featuring hand-polished countersinks and flat-polished centres, along with its apertures revealing the exclusive Greubel Forsey balance wheel, gear train and three-dimensional tripod bridge. At 10 o’clock, on a slightly lower level, a hand-frosted bridge houses the power-reserve display graced by a slender blued steel hand. Just below it, between 8 and 9 o’clock, the small seconds rotates steadily, supported by a frosted and bevelled bridge providing a glimpse of the gilded barrel drum with Greubel Forsey engraving. Proudly showcased at 6 o’clock in keeping with its stature, the balance wheel is set against the background of a bridge hand-polished to obtain the famous mirror polish. The balance wheel pivots at the top in a slim, carefully bevelled and flat black-polished bridge.

Despite being generally hidden from sight, the caseback side of the new Balancier Contemporain, is protected beneath a high-domed sapphire crystal. The centre is occupied by an engraved circular red gold plate bearing the GF logo and the individual limited-edition number. It is surrounded by a white gold bridge, relief-engraved and black polished. This credo is further enhanced by characteristic olive-domed jewels in gold chatons, with finely polished countersinks reflecting the deep red hue of the stones. Held by gold security screws, the caseback is signed with raised polished engraving – “Greubel Forsey” and “Balancier” – on a hand-punched background. The new Balancier Contemporain is limited to 33 pieces and is fitted with a leather or alligator strap, secured by a white gold pin buckle hand-engraved with the Greubel Forsey logo. (Price CHF 195.000 + TAX)

In addition to the Balancier Contemporain, Greubel Forsey presented also the Balancier Contemporain Serti: a sparkling edition enriched with diamonds and an elegant mother-of- pearl dial.