Gerald Charles: 25 Years of Horological Excellence, Celebrated with Two Stunning Maestro Variants

Celebrating 25 years of dedication to and expertise in luxury watchmaking, Gerald Charles has established itself as a respected name in the world of horology. Since its inception, the company has remained committed to the creative vision and innovative spirit of its founder, legendary watch designer Gérald Charles Genta. Over the years, the timepiece maker has relentlessly combined timeless elegance with cutting-edge craftsmanship, resulting in iconic clocks that exude sophistication and deliver precision. To mark its 25th anniversary, the brand has released two new Maestro watches, namely Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli (Ref. GC2.0-SSPS-LS-RSPN) and Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon (Ref. GC9.0-A-RT-WG); both exemplify Genta’s visionary style.

If we look back in history, at the turn of the millennium, the world experienced substantial changes in a variety of areas owing to rapid technological breakthroughs, globalisation, and evolving social dynamics. As the globe embraced a future based on technology and innovation, watchmakers attempted to combine tradition with modernity, offering new designs and exquisite complications, in keeping with the spirit of the time. The growth of haute horology during this time period mirrored a growing respect for mechanical perfection and ageless elegance, establishing luxury timepieces as emblems of distinction, heritage, and forward-thinking craftsmanship rather than just functional accessories. The Maestro line bears all such hallmarks of haute horology; the newly launched additions to the collection are no exception.

Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli 

This 41 mm stainless steel watch’s case draws inspiration from 17th-century baroque architecture; it has square and octagonal elements, resulting in a distinctive "smile" at 6 o'clock. The screw-down crown at 3 o’clock comes with a Clous de Paris finish. The bezel now gets a blue Colormix coating, a combined physical and chemical surface treatment that results in a rich blue colour as well as improved scratch resistance. 

‍

It takes an average of 24 hours to create each lapis lazuli dial. Even selecting the stone at the outset provides a challenge because the hue within cannot be determined until it is cut. As each dial is cut and polished from a 5 mm thick disc to reach a final thickness of 0.55 mm, a large portion gets eliminated as previously hidden flaws are revealed. To construct 50 dials, at least 150 discs are required. The natural beauty of lapis lazuli is revealed as the dials are polished, both by hand and by machine, but there are even greater tests ahead: the fragile stone must be drilled to accommodate the baton-shaped hour, minute, and second hands, the dotted and oval hour markers all filled with white Super-LumiNova® with green light at night, and the date window at 6 o'clock. The outer periphery of the dial has a white minute track.

Powering the watch is the automatic three-hand ultra-thin Swiss-manufactured 2.0 caliber with a 50-hour power reserve. Turning the watch over showcases the flat sapphire crystal caseback with a central oscillating mass, decorated with the NEW 25th Anniversary logo. The watch is completed on a royal blue vulcanised rubber strap, with a Clous de Paris finish on the top side and the Gerald Charles logo tapisserie on the new rear polished stainless steel easy-remove pin buckle.

Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon

This 41 mm medical-grade stainless steel novelty has a screw-down crown with Clous de Paris at 3 o’clock. With a blue titanium bezel, this watch features a two-tone colour combination and two different materials. The blue colour is the result of a specialized coating achieved through a Colormix blue treatment, which increases its resistance.   The Roman Tourbillon variant in white gold is a 50-piece limited-edition timepiece, emphasised by the Roman numerals on the dial for 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, and 9 o’clock. The pure, uncoated, 18 ct white gold dial is alloyed with palladium. The handmade production process is long and precise; only two pieces per month can be produced. The blue applique baton-shaped flat hour and minute hands are filled with white Super-LumiNova® that glows blue at night. 

The Roman Tourbillon variant also shows a Métier d’Art at 6 o’clock. This Grade 5 titanium 60-second flying tourbillon with the personalised skeletonised cage is in the shape of the GC logo. The result is a highly sophisticated 60-second flying tourbillon that oscillates at 4hz, made all the more vivid by the natural, three-dimensional contrasts created by combining a surgical-grade stainless steel case, a gold tourbillon bridge, and a titanium flying tourbillon. The G small stroke in iconic GC Blue serves as the second hand and the tourbillon bridge is in 18 ct yellow gold. 

Powering the watch is a Swiss Manufacture 9.0 caliber with a 50-hour power reserve. The brushed flat sapphire crystal caseback has a central unidirectional oscillating mass in 22 ct rose gold, decorated with the Gerald Charles "Honeycomb" design, sandblasted and finished with polished outlines. The bridges are decorated with colimacon, and Cotes de Genève and perlage finishes; the radial Cotes de Genève finished bridge of the tourbillon has polished anglage. This model gets a hand-stitched matte blue alligator strap with a folding clasp.