Manufacturer: Greubel Forsey Year: 2018 Case No: 04069, further stamped No. 07/11 Model Name: Signature 1 Material: 18k white gold Calibre: Manual, cal. GFS1, 21 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18k white gold Greubel Forsey pin buckle Dimensions: 41.3mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by the original Greubel Forsey Certificate of Authenticity and Warranty dated 2018, leather portfolio, loupe, microfibre cloth and gloves, outer packaging and fitted presentation box.
Catalogue Essay
Known for their highly complex timepieces with double or quadruple tourbillons, Greubel Forsey answered the requests of collectors by finally presenting their vision of a “simple” time only watch in 2016 with the introduction of the Signature 1.
Simple is definitely misleading as absolutely nothing in this time piece corresponds to that adjective. The Signature Series is a collaborative collection between Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and a watchmaker from their team. For the first piece, the Signature 1 they worked with Didier Cretin, a watchmaker that has been with Greubel Forsey since the creation of the brand. The latter’s name is visible on the dial and the movement.
More than 6 years in the making the present watch features a newly designed balance wheel and in-house balance spring.
Keeping with the design ethos of Greubel Forsey watches the movement is an integral part of the design architecture, with the partially open dial allowing a view of some of the works including the impressive 12.6mm balance wheel held by a superbly hand polished tapering bridge.
The remarkable hand finish of the movement can be particularly appreciated when the watch is viewed from the back, the bridges have a frosted texture and spotted, with straight-grained flashed, polished beveling and countersinks, wide polished internal angles, a snailed click wheel and ratchet with polished and beveled teeth.
The Signature 1 is Greubel Forsey’s first non-tourbillon watch, limited to 33 pieces in steel, and 11 pieces respectively in platinum, pink gold and white gold like the present example.
With the introduction of the Double Tourbillon 30 at Basel World in 2004, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey became major players in the world of haute horology and independent watchmaking. Their firm concentrates on high-end complicated movements with precision timekeeping and the highest quality hand finishing. They achieve this with movements featuring multiple tourbillons and inclined balance wheels — tourbillons designed for wristwatches. Forsey joined Greubel's team at Renaud & Papi SA, a high-complication specialist now part of Audemars Piguet. The team participated with Harry Winston and their Opus 6 project. In the span of 12 years, the firm has become highly sought-after by collectors for their innovative timekeeping and industrial design.