Can a watch tell the time anywhere on earth? Well, Greubel Forsey GMT of course
Born for innovation
Founded in 2004 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey on the premise that not everything in watchmaking has been invented, Greubel Forsey is known as a watchmaker who is constantly seeking to push the boundaries. 17 years later, GF is one of the best and most respected independent brands in the world.
While brands around the world often claim that their inventions are revolutionary, innovative or just completely new, we often find that this is just sales talk. In an industry rife with recycling designs, recycling mechanisms, and sometimes lacking the need for fresh ideas from the community intoxicated in social media echo chambers, Greubel Forsey is a breath of fresh air. Trying different things and challenging the status quo is what makes this indie game so successful.
Shake the core of the industry
Building on the need to accept their previous limitations, we know Greubel Forsey is serious when they say they have created something we have never seen before. So when Greubel Forsey released their latest version of GMT Earth in 2018, the industry pricked up their ears and paid attention to what they created.
While the name GMT is very understated compared to what other watchmakers have named their watches, there is no doubt that it is one of the most complicated watches the brand has ever made. Just looking at the watch face can be tiresome until I get to the complication, which is complex enough to give a brain teaser. Seriously, look at the dial and soak it in. This is the pinnacle of 21st century watchmaking, and for good reason.
Function and Design
Starting with the simplest functions, the overall dial layout of the GMT begins with a sapphire dial at 2 o’clock, indicating the hours and minutes in local time, which incorporates a small seconds sub-dial alongside a power reserve indicator. The second time zone is indicated by a red triangular hand at 10 o’clock and is operated by a pusher at 10 o’clock on the case. This completes the more “traditional” complications on this incredible timepiece.
Filling the lower half of the GMT display is the artistry that makes this piece so unique, and where it gets its name. From the 4 o’clock position, we have a 24-second tilting tourbillon. Tourbillons tend to ensure that the tourbillon is never in extreme positions: perfectly vertical or horizontal. Next, we have a 3D model of the Earth we call home (not the watch itself, though that would be beautiful). This model Earth rotates in real time, thus providing a view of universal time, acting as a kind of world timer.
24-second tilting tourbillon at 4 o’clock. The 3D model of the Earth rotates in real time, providing a global view of time.
While not very accurate, using the Earth model, we can calculate the approximate time anywhere in the field of view by drawing a line through the area to the hour ring around the Earth. The ring also provides quick day and night vision by using its two-tone nature, just like a traditional two-tone GMT bezel.
Turning to the case back, the complication continues with a “real” world timer, providing more accurate readings for 24 different cities around the world. By distinguishing between cities that are marked in silver and not marked as black, we can read the time of the listed cities by reading one of the two 24-hour rings, regardless of the time of year – summer or winter–. Sitting next to Universal Time is a sculpted sun, the Greubel Forsey GMT symbol.
Architecture and Aesthetics
Finally, pulling our gaze away from the intricacy of the mechanics at the heart of this incredible piece, we can see the beauty of GMT’s construction. The GMT replica watches online is housed in a 45.5mm white gold case, not a traditionally shaped watch. With the 7 o’clock position protruding to accommodate the Earth sitting there, we begin to understand what makes this timepiece unique.
As the brand puts it, its bezel is “engraved with an inscription that encapsulates the key values of Robert Gaupper and Stephen Fauci,” and GMT won’t let your eyes rest for a moment. Rich in visual appeal, otherworldly finishes and a hypnotic duo of a 24-second tourbillon and a rotating model globe, the Greubel Forsey GMT seems to defy logic, but it’s there.
