Through the New Balancier QM, Greubel Forsey Renews Its Commitment to Unautomated Handcrafting

‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ is an adage that Greubel Forsey evidently pays little heed to. A manufacture that has come to embody ultra-exclusive haute horlogerie, it appointed Michel Nydegger as its new CEO in August 2024, and sweeping, unapologetic changes quickly ensued.

This dramatic overhaul has already affected sought-after Greubel Forsey icons such as the Convexe S², which paired inclined components with a curved case that hugged the wrist, but is among the models that have been discontinued.

Nydegger has also revealed that annual production will be reduced to around 200 watches, that the brand is devoting significant resources to researching and developing “nano-horology”, and has now unveiled Qualité Musée (French for “Museum Quality”)—a new in-house certification for hand finishing intended to ensure every Greubel Forsey is an objet d’art worthy of museum display. Rather than appearing on the dial, each watch will bear the Qualité Musée hallmark discreetly engraved within its movement.

A Renewed Focus on Intricate Finishing

Since founding their eponymous manufacture in 2004, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have pursued hand finishing of the highest order. Their ambition was to rival the craftsmanship of industry leaders, and this relentless attention to detail has since become one of Greubel Forsey’s defining hallmarks.

From now on, every movement component—whether visible or concealed—will be finished to the highest standard under the newly established Qualité Musée criteria.

The balance bridge of the Greubel Forsey Balancier QM alone showcases seven distinct hand-finishing techniques: barrel polishing, black polishing, spotting, circular graining, straight graining, chamfering and beveling.

This extraordinary level of craftsmanship extends across all 298 components of the Greubel Forsey Balancier QM’s movement. Even the escapement wheel is beveled and polished on both sides, while all plates and bridges receive a flourish of decorative finishing. The twin coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels feature hand-polished bevels, circular graining and engraved details. I have elaborated on the finishing of each component in photo captions.

Down to the delicate hairspring, coiled within the barrels to deliver 72 hours of power reserve, has been crafted with the same meticulous care and savoir-faire.

The Hand-Made Hairspring

The importance of a hairspring that releases consistent power cannot be overstated, and you’d be surprised how many “in-house” watches use outsourced hairsprings.

Drawing upon the extensive research and development behind the Hand Made 1 of 2019 and the Hand Made 2 of 2025, Greubel Forsey has developed a patented hairspring with exceptional dimensional precision.

Its craftsmen draw a proprietary alloy through natural-diamond dies before rolling it flat and heat-setting it in a precision vacuum furnace, producing a hairspring no thicker than a human hair, yet manufactured to extraordinarily tight tolerances.

Through the Naissance d’une Montre and Hand Made projects, Greubel Forsey has also been able to recover, restore and preserve the antique machinery required to perform these increasingly rare traditional techniques.

Beginning with the Balancier QM, every Greubel Forsey hairspring will be produced using this painstaking process.

In its effort to preserve tradition, the manufacture has established the EWT (Experimental Watch Technology) Laboratory, dedicated to advancing traditional horological craftsmanship and innovation.

Revealing Future Plans

Limited to just 33 examples, the manually wound Greubel Forsey Balancier QM is housed in a white gold case that looks similar to that of the recently discontinued Balancier Contemporain. Also measuring 39.6mm across and a remarkably slender 9.45 mm thick, it is paired with a hand-sewn textured rubber strap.

Alongside the launch of this milestone timepiece, the brand also revealed several upcoming projects. Later this year, Greubel Forsey will introduce a new 37.9 mm version of the Nano Foudroyante, followed by an entirely new movement designed for its 39.5 mm convex case.

Looking further ahead, 2027 will see the debut of another new invention housed in a 39.5 mm case, a further movement for its forthcoming 38.5 mm case, as well as, at a later date, a movement featuring a gold gear train.