It comes as no surprise that watchmaking impresarios Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey are working on a new tourbillon with nano-sculptor Willard Wigan, given the micro-sculptural quality of their timepieces. The piece, with a tiny Wigan sculpture that will be viewed through a lens over the crown, is still in progress; Art Piece 1 will be unveiled later this year.
It comes as no surprise that watchmaking impresarios Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey are working on a new tourbillon with nano-sculptor Willard Wigan, given the micro-sculptural quality of their timepieces.
In the meantime, the duo introduced three completed superwatches at the SIHH, demonstrating all the hallmarks of a Greubel Forsey timepiece: inclined escapements, tourbillon movements and three-dimensional construction that resembles sculpture.
The manual wound movement of the Double Balancier is driven by two escapements and two oscillators – both dancing on a 35º angle, allowing for larger balance wheels and more stable timekeeping. The two oscillators are linked through a differential system that averages their rates for more accurate time display. A subdial at 7 o’clock displays the running instantaneous average of the two regulators. It is powered by two concentric mainspring barrels, for a 72-hour power reserve. There will be six pieces in 18k gold.
The Double Tourbillon Technique Black, a sporty looking black titanium beauty is an open-worked version of the brand’s first invention, the double tourbillon inclined at 30º. While skeletonized watches are created by carving out material surrounding an existing caliber, this movement was created from the ground up to be open-worked and on full display. It is run by four mainspring barrels for a 120-hour power reserve.
New versions of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain (33 pieces in red gold), with its unique sapphire tourbillon bridge, and the GMT (now in red gold), give collectors another opportunity to own one of these masterpieces.
