Shopping Cart

Greubel Forsey unveils its 10th fundamental invention

NOVEMBER 01 2024    |    Novelties

To celebrate the 20th anniversary (2004-2024), Greubel Forsey presents its 10th Fundamental Invention: the Nano Foudroyante EWT. The mechanism’s energy is managed at the nanojoule scale, significantly reducing the number of components and the overall dimensions. The result is a 37.9mm timepiece that combines the world’s first perpetual Nano Foudroyante with Greubel Forsey’s first flying tourbillon and manual wind flyback. This timepiece, set in a white gold and tantalum case, will be limited to just 11 pieces.

 

Legacy of innovation
The first Fundamental Invention by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey was launched in 2004, marking the Atelier’s commitment to research and invention. For over 20 years, this focus has been at the heart of all Greubel Forsey’s Fundamental Inventions and timepieces. Today, Greubel Forsey’s research is even more fundamental, aiming to completely rethink the approach to the conception of a timepiece. This endeavor demonstrates a major technological leap, comparable to the transition from tower clocks to wristwatches.

Originally, horological instruments were large and public. Over time, they became transportable (table clocks, marine chronometers), then portable with pocket watches, and finally wearable with wristwatches. This evolution reaches its peak today with nanomechanics—a revolution Greubel Forsey is pioneering. Thus, Greubel Forsey intro-duces its 10th invention: the Nano Foudroyante. This new Fundamental Invention is the most technologically disruptive—not only for Greubel Forsey but also for the universe of mechanical watchmaking.

 

Nanomechanics: a new horizon
What is nanomechanics? It is a realm beyond the miniaturization of components to the nanometric scale. When we talk about nanomechanics, we’re talking about controlling energy on a nanojoule scale within a mechanical movement. This revolution in energy management within a caliber allows for a drastic reduction in both energy consumption and the number of components.

 

A revolutionized mechanism
To demonstrate the feasibility of nanomechanics, Greubel Forsey has reinvented the foudroyante second. Its hand completes one revolution per second, dividing it into segments according to the movement’s frequency. In this Nano Foudroyante, each oscillation of the 3Hz balance wheel produces two beats, totaling six beats per second, allowing the hand to divide the second into six distinct segments. This is an energy-intensive complication by nature. However, by managing energy on a nanojoule scale, Greubel Forsey has radically rethought its design and construction. Compared to a traditional foudroyante that consumes 30μJ (microjoules) per jump, the Nano Foudroyante operates with only 16nJ (nanojoules) per jump, reducing energy consumption by a factor of 1,800. The mechanism’s volume is therefore reduced by 90%. Here, the focus is not just on measuring fractions of a second but as a proof of concept for a completely new approach to watchmaking, which is why this Nano Foudroyante was chosen to be a perpetual display.

It eliminates the entire gear train required in a traditional foudroyante to divide the second, as the information is sourced directly, distributing and managing the energy from the movement through a minimal number of low-inertia wheels. Fewer components mean less volume: this Nano Foudroyante EWT is very compact, with 428 components, and the movement measures no more than 31mm in diameter within a 37.9mm case (the smallest ever built by Greubel Forsey).

 

Horology at its peak
There’s more: true to Greubel Forsey’s passion for the tourbillon, this Nano Foudroyante is integrated within a flying tourbillon—the first ever made by Greubel Forsey. Finally, an additional innovation: although this flying tourbillon rotates constantly, the Nano Foudroyante’s dial remains permanently aligned towards twelve o’clock for optimal readability. Together with the flyback, these three features complete Greubel Forsey's 10th Fundamental Invention: a Nano Foudroyante, set within a flying tourbillon, with an oriented reading axis.

This is just the foundation and not the end result: this 10th Invention is powered by a manual-winding flyback movement. This complication presented by Greubel Forsey, includes column-wheel control within the strong architectural design and exceptional finishing, a signature of Greubel Forsey.

 

A limited edition masterpiece
The timepiece will be made in a limited edition of just 11 pieces in this inaugural, refined version, emphasizing its disruptive technical character and highlighting the personality of a timepiece brilliantly conceived in the EWT (Experimental Watch Technology) laboratory.

The white gold case offers an additional surprise, with a bezel and back crafted from tantalum—a first for Greubel Forsey, who have never used this material before. Known for its gray-blue sheen and complexity in machining and finishing (with a melting point above 3000°C), tantalum requires rare expertise. The Atelier also preserves its essential aesthetic signatures, including polished relief engravings of “Nano Foudroyante” and “Greubel Forsey” on a hand-hammered background, hand-satin-finished white gold, and a highly architectural movement. This masterpiece displays the movement around its column wheel with rare 3D monobloc geometry, visible through the back.

The timepiece is engraved with “2004 – 2024” and “20th Anniversary” to mark this milestone.

 

Nano Foudroyante EWT

Technical Specifications

 

                                       

Hand-wound movement with 2 patents
Flying tourbillon with Nano Foudroyante, hours and minutes, small seconds, 60-second tourbillon rotation, 60-minute counter, Flyback function
11 pieces Limited edition
 
MOVEMENT
NUMBER OF PARTS
Movement: 428 parts
Tourbillon cage: 142 parts
 
NUMBER OF JEWELS
42
Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
 
CHRONOMETRIC POWER RESERVE
One full day, with chronograph engaged
 
FREQUENCY
21’600 vibrations/hour
 
TOURBILLON
Flying Tourbillon with embedded Nano Foudroyante mechanism
Foudroyante dial, constant vertical indication
Titanium cage bridges, circlar-grained, polished bevelling, straight-grained flands with engraved GF logo
 
EXTERIOR
CASE
Tantalum and white gold with high domed synthetic sapphire crystal
Tantalum hand-polished bezel, transparent tantalum back
White gold caseband with hand-finished straight-graining
 
CASE DIMENSIONS
Diameter: 37,90mm
Height: 10,49mm
 
WATER RESISTANCE OF THE CASE
Water-resistant 3atm - 30m - 100ft
(standard NIHS 92-20/SN ISO 22810:2010)
 
DIAL SIDE
Multi-level in gold, rhodium-coloured, engraved and black lacquered hour-ring and minute-circle with a visual opening for the tourbillon
Small seconds and chronograph minutes counter in gold, polished bevel
Water resistance: 50m/5atm/160ft
Crown for winding and time-setting at 3 o’clock
Foudroyante, frosted, fractions of seconds engraved and black lacquered
 
STRAP AND CLASP
Non-animal material, hand-sewn
White gold pin buckle, hand-engraved GF logo

 

 

                                           


Related Articles

MARCH 31 2025    |    Watches and Wonders 2025

Chronoswiss Unleashes the Q-Repeater – A Chiming Masterpiece combining Legacy and Future

Time is not just seen—it is heard.

Chronoswiss presents the Q-Repeater Scream and Q-Repeater Blue Note, two extraordinary Quarter Repeater timepieces that merge the sonic beauty of timekeeping with cutting-edge mechanical architecture. The watchmakers from Lucerne have created a bold reinvention of sound, design, and independent watchmaking deeply rooted in Chronoswiss history. Housed in a Grade 5 titanium case, these 42mm skeletonized masterpieces reveal the intricate mechanisms behind their chiming complication. Every press of the 10 o’clock pusher activates the mesmerizing quarter repeater function, where hammers strike to audibly indicate the hours and quarter-hours, making time a true sensory experience. At its core lies a legacy movement, rooted in the vision of Chronoswiss founder Gerd-Rüdiger Lang. First introduced in the 1990s and exclusively produced for Chronoswiss, this legacy caliber has been taken from our archives, meticulously restored, refined, and reborn in the Atelier Lucerne, making these two timepieces an extraordinary link between the past and the future.

What the watchmakers of Lucerne have achieved here is the ultimate evolution—the heart beats with the legacy of the past, carrying its passion and memories, while the body is Modern Mechanical, engineered for the next century and beyond.

Q-Repeater Scream – A Chiming Rebel
This is not your grandfather’s repeater. The Q-Repeater Scream is a wild, untamed spectacle—combining bold design and mechanical precision unlike anything in watchmaking. The multi-level dial is a skeletonized stage and at the same time part of the movement, where CVD-coated bridges in electric blue, orange, and purple hold the Paraiba green minute ring, the floating hour, as well as the small seconds rings. At 1 o’clock, the heart of this spectacle is fully visible: the striking hammers, set to release a mechanical rock concert at the press of a button.

As you can tell by the name already, it’s not just about what you see. It’s about what you hear. Every chime is a scream of innovation, breaking free from the traditions of classical repeater watches. Even the legacy movement itself becomes part of the gig, holding the Super-LumiNova blocks and hand-guilloché bridges—one of which moves when the mechanism is activated, adding to the dynamic energy of the dial. The watchmakers of Lucerne refer to the glowing ceramic blocks as “chicken heads”, a nod to the iconic amplifier knobs found on rock concert stages—designed to crank up the sound and electrify the crowd.

Caged in 42mm of titanium, the Q-Repeater Scream is limited to just 25 pieces. As only very few of the legacy movements exist this might be the final tour of the band. Each piece is a testament to mechanical defiance and unfiltered artistry. A Quarter Repeater like no other— built for collectors who dare to embrace the wild side of watchmaking.

Q-Repeater Blue Note – The Sound of Elegance
For those who seek a symphony rather than rock n roll, the Q-Repeater Blue Note takes a more refined yet equally innovative approach. Inspired by the expressive power of jazz and blues, the navy blue CVD-coated skeletonized dial and bridges which are part of the movement, play on contrasts with a silver hour ring and luminous white Super-LumiNova markers, creating a harmonious composition of mechanics and design.

In music, a blue note is an altered pitch—intentionally deviating from the standard, creating a sound that is richer, deeper, and full of soul. One could say – the Chronoswiss way of making watches – and music. The Q-Repeater Blue Note embodies this philosophy, blending traditional watchmaking with a contemporary edge, offering a timeless yet unconventional melody of time.

Like the Scream, the Blue Note features the multi-level regulator dial, a fully visible quarter repeater mechanism, and a restored historical movement, revised and refined by thewatchmakers in Lucerne. It is a timepiece that doesn’t just mark time—it composes it.

Time Reimagined, Sound Reinvented
The Q-Repeater Scream and Q-Repeater Blue Note stand as testaments to Chronoswiss’ relentless drive to push boundaries. With only 25 pieces per model, these Quarter Repeaters are more than just rare; they are audible declarations of mechanical mastery.

This is not just a watch. It is an experience. A fusion of sound and time, crafted for those who appreciate the extraordinary. Chronoswiss has never followed the expected path. The future of independent watchmaking starts here—with a chime.

View More
JUNE 25 2026    |    Novelties

Extending the Spectrum: Armin Strom Unveils the New Orbit Midnight Purple

The "Midnight Purple" story continues at Armin Strom with a bold new chapter. This distinctive colour, deeply rooted in the history of the independent manufacture and inherited from founder Armin Strom himself, now extends beyond the dial and into the movement itself. Expressed through the newly released Orbit Midnight Purple, the signature midnight purple fumé dial remains at the centre of the composition, paired for the first time with a frosted midnight purple mainplate beneath to strengthen the visual connection between display and mechanics.

Powering the watch is the manufacture Calibre ASS20, developed and produced entirely in-house around the world's first on-demand date display on a ceramic bezel. This innovative mechanism rethinks the relationship between wearer and complication by displaying the date only when requested. Activated by a pusher at 10 o'clock, the date hand moves from its neutral position to indicate the current date on the bezel and advances automatically at midnight. A second press returns it discreetly to 12 o'clock, leaving the dial free from unnecessary information.

Beyond its avant-garde functionality, the timepiece focuses heavily on exceptional visual details. Hand-polished steel hands and applied hour markers are filled with Super-LumiNova®, complemented by signature numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock crafted from solid Super-LumiNova® blocks that create a striking visual presence after dark. Housed in a 43.4 mm stainless steel case framed by a black ceramic bezel, the timepiece is completed by a fully integrated stainless steel bracelet, delivering a cohesive fusion of modern sports-luxury and unique aesthetics.

Visible through the sapphire crystal and caseback, the movement highlights Armin Strom's dedication to transparent mechanics and haute horlogerie finishing. The purple mainplate creates a distinctive visual foundation, contrasting with rhodium-coated components and hand-finished finger bridges, while hand-polished bevels, perlage, and circular graining enrich every surface. To ensure both mechanical precision and finishing excellence, each watch is assembled twice. Limited to just 20 pieces worldwide, the Orbit Midnight Purple is one of the most recognisable and collectible expressions of the System 78 collection to date.

 

View Watch Gallery
Image 1

Image 2
Image 2
Image 2
Image 2
Image 2
 
View More
FEBRUARY 24 2026    |    Novelties

Chronoswiss Reimagines a Modern Classic with the New Lunar Chronograph Aurora

Chronoswiss introduces the Lunar Chronograph Aurora, a contemporary evolution of one of the brand’s most enduring icons. Since its debut in 1999, the Lunar Chronograph has symbolized Chronoswiss’s ability to blend classical Swiss watchmaking with an independent, expressive spirit. The new Aurora edition carries this legacy forward through a captivating reinterpretation rooted in light, color, and mechanical harmony.

At the heart of the transformation is its fully CVD‑coated dial, which shifts fluidly from deep green to vivid blue as light moves across its surface. Inspired by the ethereal glow of the aurora borealis, this chromatic effect gives the watch a quietly dramatic presence, making every glance feel like a changing atmospheric phenomenon. Balanced chronograph counters, a central analog date, and a poetic moon phase at 3 o’clock come together to form a composition that remains faithful to the model’s architectural heritage while embracing a distinctly modern personality.

The polished stainless‑steel case retains iconic design elements that have defined Chronoswiss for decades, including the onion crown and screwed lugs—details that reinforce the watch’s lineage and mechanical authenticity. Paired with a contemporary grey nubuck leather strap, the Lunar Chronograph Aurora combines classical provenance with renewed visual energy, offering collectors a sophisticated yet forward‑looking chronograph that bridges past and present with effortless elegance.

View Watch Gallery  
Image 1  Image 2  Image 3  Image 4
View More
JANUARY 19 2026    |    Novelties

gérald genta unveils the Geneva Time Only — sculptural elegance distilled into a 38 mm cushion‑case

The Maison gérald genta expands the Geneva collection with the Geneva Time Only, a new 38 mm creation in warm rose gold 4N and cool white gold, translating the line’s sculptural language and “l’esprit de Genève” into an essential, everyday expression.

“I wanted to capture the intuitive, instinctive genius and artistry of Mr. Genta,” says Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, who leads the Geneva collection’s creative direction.

The updated cushion case—neither round nor square—features softened contours, a refined gadroon and a new single, broader lug on each side, striking a rare balance of daring and discretion. Light plays across polished and satin surfaces, while the collection’s signature two‑segment minute track forms a subtle optical illusion as the outer track follows the cushion silhouette and the inner ring remains perfectly circular. The grained brass dial carries a gentle fumé gradient—lighter at the center, darker at the edge—for tonal depth.

At just 8.15 mm thick, the 38 mm case slips neatly under a cuff; both models are fitted with rounded, mirror‑polished solid‑gold hands and applied indexes and tone‑on‑tone calfskin straps. Under the dial, the GG‑005P automatic calibre—Zenith Elite–based with redesigned bridges and a reworked oscillating mass—beats at 4 Hz with a 50‑hour power reserve (158 components, 27 jewels), visible through the sapphire caseback. Water‑resistance is 30 m.

View Watch Gallery
Image 1 Image 2Image 3 Image 4Image 4Image 4
View More
APRIL 29 2026    |    Novelties

A Splash of Fresh Green: Moritz Grossmann Debuts the TEFNUT Silver-Plated by Friction Anniversary Watch

The year 2026 marks a historic milestone for the Moritz Grossmann manufactory in Glashütte, as it celebrates the 200th birthday of its visionary founder and namesake, born on March 27, 1826. A genius watchmaker, scientist, author, and initiator of the German Watchmaking School, Grossmann profoundly shaped the craft of horology and the fate of his hometown. Rather than merely imitating historical concepts, the modern manufactory honors his legacy by blending his cutting-edge philosophy with modern engineering. This dedication to technological perfection and exceptional aesthetics cements its place among the world's elite elite watchmakers.

To commemorate this bicentennial occasion, the brand has unveiled its third anniversary special edition: the TEFNUT Silver-Plated by Friction. Debuting on April 29, 2026, this launch presents an exclusive premiere for collectors—the very first time that the sleek TEFNUT model is made available in a stunning 750/000 yellow gold case, alongside a 750/000 white gold version. Both variations pay homage to their heritage by incorporating an "1826" engraving on the balance cock and showcasing a vintage 1875 "M. GROSSMANN" logo on the dial.

At the heart of the timepiece lies the ultra-flat manufactory calibre 102.1, a hand-wound movement measuring just 4 mm in height and 26 mm in diameter. This compact footprint enables the watch to retain its remarkably elegant, low-profile silhouette. The calibre embodies classic Grossmann pillar movement architecture with a 3/5 plate, incorporating his signature raised gold chatons, an optimized mainspring barrel with bilateral jewel bearings, and a stepped balance cock with a micrometer screw. Each component is meticulously hand-finished to ensure absolute technical and visual distinctiveness.

The defining aesthetic feature of this model is its striking dial, which boasts a rare "silver-plated by friction" finish. Executed entirely by hand in the brand's ateliers, a master artisan brushes a specialized paste of silver powder, salt, cream of tartar, and water onto the brass surface to create a velvety, fine-grained texture that beautifully diffuses light. To provide a contemporary contrast, the numerals, minute scale, and historic logo are rendered in a vibrant green hue. Hovering above are extraordinarily fine, hand-crafted lance-shaped hands, polished in gold for the yellow gold model and annealed to a brown-violet tone for the white gold edition. Each variation is strictly limited to just 12 pieces worldwide.

View Watch Gallery  
Image 1  Image 2 Image 3  Image 4       
View More
JULY 02 2025    |    Novelties

Greubel Forsey Unveils the Final Balancier Contemporain in Stainless Steel - A Defining Final Edition

Greubel Forsey presents the final edition of the Balancier Contemporain, marking the definitive conclusion of this iconic calibre. This timepiece is housed in a 39.6mm stainless steel case – a material that has only been used twice before in the history of the Atelier. Limited to just 33 timepieces, this edition will be built and delivered exclusively in 2025. Once complete, the Balancier Contemporain calibre will be permanently retired and will never be made again.

More than a final edition, this stainless steel interpretation is a statement of purpose – it is the rarest and most exclusive case material in the Atelier’s repertoire. Its presence here is deliberate: to honour the legacy of the Balancier Contemporain with purity, restraint, and resolve.

Compact, Yet Monumental

When it was introduced, the Balancier Contemporain redefined expectations – delivering the full Greubel Forsey experience in just 39.6mm. This final edition preserves that feat of engineering and design. Under its high-domed sapphire crystal, the gold dial reveals a rich interplay of levels, textures, and finishes. A sunburst blue hour-ring frames the composition, while a deep blue minute-circle and sectorial indications for the small seconds and power reserve create both contrast and clarity. A large visual opening draws the eye to the in-house 12.6mm balance wheel, suspended above a flat, black-polished gold plate that provides visual depth and dramatic reflection.

The movement is composed of 256 parts, each hand-finished to the highest standard. The bridges are in nickel silver, frosted and spotted by hand, with perfectly polished bevels and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, and a subtle blue treatment unique to this edition. The balance wheel bridge is flat black polished steel – one of the most demanding finishes in haute horlogerie – with hand-polished bevels that reflect light beautifully. The balance wheel itself is mounted above a flat black-polished gold plate, a surface so refined it becomes both technical and architectural.

On the movement side, a black-polished gold plate is engraved in relief with the fundamental values of Greubel Forsey – invisible to the wearer, yet finished with the same uncompromising care. Olive-domed jewels are set in gold chatons, with hand-polished countersinks that catch the light at just the right angle. Every component, visible or not, is treated with the same reverence – as if each part could stand on its own as a miniature work of art.

A Closing Statement – and a New Beginning

This is the last timepiece to carry the Balancier Contemporain calibre – but it is also the first to signal a new direction. With this final edition, Greubel Forsey opens a new chapter focused on small-diameter timepieces. Over the coming years, this creative momentum will continue to build, exploring new dimensions of mechanical expression, proportion, and elegance – all without compromise.

The Balancier Contemporain in stainless steel is a definitive conclusion – and a confident beginning.
 

View Watch Gallery
Image 1 Image 2Image 3 Image 4  
View More
ENDLESS DISCOVERY IN YOUR INBOX
Join our mailing list to receive insider updates on our latest collections, invites to private events, and other personalized offerings.