At SIHH 2015, Greubel Forsey shocked us all by making a thin(ner), small(er), less expensive tourbillon called the Tourbillon 24 Seconds Vision. Now when you're talking about Greubel – arguably within top three finest watchmakers in the world – and potentially top one watchmaker in the world for median price per watch – everything is relative. By thin, I mean the 24 seconds is around 13.5 mm with a 16 mm bubble; by small, I mean it is 43.5 mm in diameter; and by inexpensive, I mean just over $300,000. But again, for a company that does not relent when it comes to quality, that was a great step towards a watch that was (more) wearable and affordable than previous offerings. The Tourbillon 24 Seconds Vision was received so positively that it took top prize at the 2015 Grand Prix of Horology.
At SIHH 2016, Greubel Forsey took things even further by introducing a watch that not only does not have a tourbillon, it's essentially just a three hander. On top of that, the retail price is under $200,000! Sounds ridiculous, I realize, but a watch with the fine finishing and dedication to craft represented by GF without a tourbillon is actually a dream of mine, so I was thrilled to hear of this new piece – called Signature 1.
The Signature 1 is a simple watch, featuring just hours, minutes, and seconds. It is the first watch to be produced in the new GF "Signature" Series, which is a new initiative that will allow Greubel Forsey watchmakers to design and executive their own ideas in collaboration with their employer. What's more, they will be put at the front and center of the piece itself, with their own name being visible both on the dial and the caliber. The Signature 1 that we see today was the product of a Mr. Didier Cretin, and you can see that clearly when looking at the watch.
While this is indeed the simplest of all Greubel Forsey watches to date, do not think for one second this is a traditional, simple watch. Cretin and Greubel took six solid years to come up with this watch, in particular its new in-house balance wheel system, which includes a giant 12.6mm wheel and in-house spring you can see beating at the beautiul rate of 18,000 vibrations per second. The wheel and bridge on which it sets is black polished, and absolutely stunning. Here is a close-up.
The dial, similar to that of the 24 Hours Vision, features markers that are engraved into the dial itself, then oven-fired enameled. The whole thing is diamond finished and beveled. Behind the dial, you can see a plate with stunning wide Geneva stripes. And as Mr. Forsey said while presenting this watch to us, there are Geneva stripes, and then there are Geneva stripes. You know what he means.
Then, when you turn the watch over, you see even more absolutely remarkable finishing. The bridges, made of nickel silver, are frosted 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, and black polish all over the place. Heck, even the hands are hand polished steel and gold with hand-polished counter-sinks. What does all that mean? Such insane attention to quality it's hard to express here, but the type of thing you'd expect only from Greubel Forsey and just a few other watchmakers on the planet.
Here is a close-up of the GFS1, the result of over six years of development and what can easily be called one of the finest finished time-only calibers in the world. The finishing on all GF's is far more modern than you'll see on something like a Dufour or Voutilainen, but equally as difficult to achieve.
This alone is enough to elevate the Signature 1 to one of the coolest pieces of SIHH 2016, but what i'll tell you next might actually you want the Signature 1. It's 41.4mm in diameter, just 11.7mm thick, and insanely nice on the wrist.
Yup, this is the first Greubel where I can look you in the eye and say I could wear this watch every day and be comfortable. Here is the rose gold example of the Signature 1 on my wrist, and I have to say, it fit like a glove. The case, which is equally well finished as the movement – polished and straight grained – is just lovely.
The price of the Signature 1? Well first let me tell you that 66 pieces will be made in total. It sounds like a lot for Greubel but it's not – there are tourbillons that have been made in more that 66 examples for much more money. Second, the watch will be available in a host of metals – 11 examples in platinum, 11 in white gold, and 11 in rose gold (as pictured. But, for the first time, a Greubel will be offered in stainless steel! Yes, the remaining 33 watches of the Signature 1 will be housed in steel, which is exciting for those of us who really like to wear their watches. The first 11 pieces of the Signature 1 in steel will feature a blue dial and be destined for the United States in a limited edition. From then on, the remaining 22 steel Signature 1s will be made by direct order.
Pricing for the GF Signature 1 will begin at 150,000 CHF for the steel examples, and jump to 170 for the gold, more for the platinum. It's amusing to think of these watches as the entry level option for a Greubel Forsey fan but that is exactly what they are. How do they compare to other mega-time only watches? Kari's watches start around 80,000 CHF and Roger Smith's start around 75,000 GBP. Lange's PLM Richard Lange (which features a Fusée & chain) currently lists for around $114,000 in rose gold, and the platinum examples (all sold out) were more. So, 150 is high, in fact it's likely the most expensive time-only watch in the world, but it's not so far out of the realm of some others. And no matter what you think of the watch or the price, there is a huge contingent of people that have always dreamt of owning one of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey's creations but were turned off by the size and cost, and the Signature 1 will make them very happy.
In full disclosure, the Signature 1 is in fact one of my favorite new releases of SIHH 2016. I have always so admired GF and all that they stand for – true unrelenting quality and attention to detail – but never found one I could get behind visually or from a comfort stand point. I can do both here. I also am a lover of super high-end time-only watches, and this might just be the highest high-end time-only watch in the world. I'll say this and mean it – when it comes to Greubel Forsey's new Signature 1, in particular the steel example, if I could, I would. I believe it's that good, and who knows if GF will ever make another time-only, steel watch at this price point.
The Sig1 should hit in June of this year. More here.
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