Welcome back, dear friends of IWS! In the world of high-end watchmaking, every so often a creation emerges that redefines the limits of precision and design. The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan is one such marvel, a masterpiece of engineering and aesthetics that honors the project Antonio Calce is carrying forward with Greubel Forsey.
A Novel Tourbillon
At the heart of this innovation is the tourbillon, a mechanism patented way back in 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet. However, for Greubel Forsey, the traditional tourbillon is just the starting point. While most tourbillons complete a rotation in 60 seconds, the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan takes only 16 seconds for a full rotation, making it the fastest ever produced by the maison. This high speed means that the mechanism moves in more positions in less time, ensuring much higher average performance and thus, greater precision.
The Tourbillon Cardan doesn’t stop there. It is equipped with a large 12.6 mm balance wheel, designed, developed, and manufactured in-house, which, thanks to its impressive mass, enjoys optimized oscillations. For this reason, its high inertia makes it less sensitive to shocks and speed variations.
Another revolutionary aspect is the 30° angle. While traditional tourbillons were designed for pocket watches, Greubel Forsey has completely rethought this mechanism for the modern wristwatch, optimizing it for the everyday positions of the 21st century.
The Cardan System
The third innovative principle is the cardanic system. The high-speed tourbillon, inclined at 30°, is controlled by two mobile rings connected by two axes at 90°. These rings tilt backward and forward in 48 seconds, reminiscent of cardan joints, but with a fundamental difference: the inclination of the rings is controlled (from -30° to +30°), offering a better ratio between angular speed and chronometric performance.
Aesthetics and Finishes
L’estetica del Tourbillon Cardan è altrettanto impressionante quanto la sua ingegneria. La costruzione aperta e ariosa permette di ammirare il meccanismo in movimento. Ogni componente è rifinito completamente a mano, con alcune parti che richiedono fino a tre giorni per la sola finitura. Le platine del movimento sono in alpacca grené, con smussi lucidi e fianchi zigrinati, mentre il ponte superiore della gabbia del tourbillon è un esempio di maestria artigianale.
The Watch
Now let’s talk a bit about the watch in its entirety. This mechanical wonder is housed inside a significant 45.5 mm diameter titanium case and 13.81 mm thickness. On both sides, we find very domed sapphire glass to complete. The glasses elevate the overall thickness to 18.15 mm.
From here on, I might become a little biased. What excites me most about Greubel Forsey, beyond the technological complexity of its creations, is the ability to transform this very high technical and technological level into avant-garde and refined aesthetics. Beyond the impeccable finishes, in this new Tourbillon Cardan, the ability of Greubel Forsey to showcase its savoir-faire is evident. An example is the stunning multi-level dial that highlights each component against the background and gives a wonderful three-dimensionality to the whole.
Price and Availability
Greubel Forsey plans to produce only 55 examples of this caliber over the next 5 years, about 11 per year. Obviously, all this technical mastery and technological development correspond to an equally important price. In fact, the price to purchase the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan is EUR 494.000,00 taxes excluded.
Final Considerations
With this new creation, Greubel Forsey introduces its eighth invention and remains faithful to the goals set by CEO Antonio Calce. In a single timepiece, the watchmakers of Greubel Forsey manage to combine high-end watchmaking with avant-garde aesthetics that remain refined without falling into modernism for its own sake.
About Greubel Forsey
Greubel Forsey, founded in 2004 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, is renowned in the world of high-end watchmaking for its exceptional innovation and craftsmanship. This watchmaking house, known for its revolutionary tourbillons and commitment to exploring new technical frontiers, has consolidated its prestigious position in the industry, also thanks to winning two Aiguille d’Or awards, in 2010 and 2015.
The founding pair, with a deep background in precision watchmaking, have always aimed to challenge the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking, creating pieces that are as much masterpieces of precision as they are of aesthetic design. Each Greubel Forsey creation is the result of intense research and development, embodying the company’s philosophy of putting quality and technical complexity first. The limited production and attention to detail make each watch an exclusive and sought-after object. A significant development in the company’s history was the entry of Antonio Calce, a veteran of the watchmaking industry, who brought a new vision and strategy, contributing to further strengthening the brand and enabling its growth also in business terms.
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