You don’t always have to invent a totally new watch to come out with something interesting and fresh, and that’s exactly what Greubel Forsey have done at SIHH this year with the new platinum GMT. Afterall, anything Greubel Forsey come out with merits a closer look!
The Greubel Forsey GMT has to be the ultimate watch for today’s ultra-wealthy globetrotter. It’s no wonder that the original red gold version made it as a pre-selected nominee for “Grand Complications Watch” at last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The name is a bit of a misnomer, as the Greubel Forsey in fact provides both GMT and world-time indications.
Some of you might remember the unique Greubel Forsey GMT in black platinum I came across at Marcus in London, part of an exclusive 10-piece box set. Well, the brand has finally decided to offer the GMT in the most precious of metals, this time more readily available (if that can be said of watches costing over half a million dollars) in an untreated platinum case. I’ve never been a fan of white gold, as it’s not a true white metal. Platinum has the perfect hue and heft for a watch of this caliber (plus it’s “halal” for us Muslim watch-lovers who choose to stay away from gold).
I find the matte and frosted black dial to be much cleaner and less cluttered than its grey-toned equivalent. The satin metal parts stand out much more, making the separate indications easier to distinguish even at quick glance. It works especially well with the three-dimensional globe in the corner, giving the impression of looking at the earth from outer space.
Of course if you’re in the market for a Greubel Forsey you’re probably more interested in the movement architecture and impeccable finish than the case and dial, and the GMT certainly doesn’t this appointment in that aspect. You have the brand’s signature inclined tourbillon, here in a 25-degree inclination making a full rotation every 24 seconds, with a steel mirror-polished bridge that seems fade to black depending in how the light hits it.
The GMT complication itself is quite conventional (though its red triangle hand is quite original) with a 12-hour sub-dial to the left of the main hours and minutes dial. What really makes this watch unique is its striking implementation of the world-time complication. The beautifully sculpted and eye-catching titanium globe in the lower-left corner displays approximate geographical times across the globe (well, the northern hemisphere anyways) making one rotation every 24 hours, with contrasting day and night indications. A sapphire component next to the lug allows you to truly appreciate the globe side-on.
But that’s not it; the world-time function extends to the case-back side of the watch. Here you have a world-time ring listing the major cities of our little blue planet, with two 24-hour rings that display both standard time and daylight-saving time (DST). This is a clever and useful addition rarely seen in mechanical world-time watches.
Given that the red and white gold versions of the Greubel Forsey GMT would run you about 525’000 CHF, I’m guessing the price for this new platinum version is closer to 600’000 CHF. I think I should start playing the lottery. Seriously.
More information on www.greubelforsey.com
