When you think of the word “sport” in relation to watchmaking, where does your mind go? A rugged, oversized diver, perhaps, or a lightweight Richard Miller on the wrist of a Grand Slam champion? Until late last year, the studious, scholarly output of watchmaker Greubel Forsey wouldn’t have been high on anyone’s list of sports watches. But then they dropped the GMT Sport, leaving those of us who thought we were already hooked on the brand confused.
It features the same impeccable watchmaking, a 24-second tourbillon (which is naturally inclined), a visually remarkable GMT system, but with an all-new movement and a curved titanium case, oval sapphire crystal, and secured to a rubber strap, all of which simply hugs the wrist. It’s a bold shift for the Chaux-de-Fonds atelier, but one that seems to have resonated with customers as a second, similarly curved watch, now bearing a new S in its name, arrives. Welcome the Greubel Forsey Balancier S.
This piece is time-only, with the focus on the dial’s unusual, irregularly faceted surface and the titular balance wheel, which measures 12.6mm and uses the 30° slope of one of its facets to provide an inclined mounting to improve timekeeping, a signature feature of Greubel Forsey watches. The depth at which the dial is mounted within the case, and the aesthetic of the watch, which derives much from how much frame space is given to frame each feature, is reminiscent of GF’s earlier inventive creations.
As with the GMT Sport, the hour and minute hands are bent to fit the shape of the sapphire crystal and are mounted on the apex of a skeletonized bridge that sits above the center of the dial and acts as a trellis for the watch’s working wheels to climb. There’s a power reserve indicator at three o’clock, next to the outline of the mainspring barrel with text engraved in relief. The Balancier S is equipped with twin coaxial tandem barrels that provide a 72-hour power reserve.
The final facet is the small seconds and the balance wheel, which is relatively large and juts out over the edge of the dial at 21,600 bph, sitting in the rather large void between the dial face and the sapphire crystal. The Balancier S matches the GMT Sport’s 45mm case (both in diameter and in the use of titanium), while the new watch is 2mm thinner and the lack of complications makes the movement 3mm thinner, allowing for all that negative space to make a nice contrast to the GMT Sport, which crams the side of a boat.
Watchmaking with Greubel Forsey movements is not usually made to get wet, but the Balancier S lives up to its sporting nomenclature and also manages to hold water to a depth of 100m, which should be more than enough for a dip in the pool… of the owner’s superyacht.
Price and specifications:
Model name: Greubel Forsey Balancier S
Case/dial: 45mm diameter, titanium
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Manufactured, manual-winding movement
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator
Strap: Rubber with titanium folding clasp
Price: CHF 195,000, limited to 18 pieces
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