SpotlightThe ‘Smile’ Gets A Face: The New Gerald Charles Maestro GC 9.0 Roman Tourbillon
The 'Maestro' collection, originally brought to life by legendary designer Gérald Genta, now boasts an exceptional hand-hammered tourbillon timepiece, limited to just 50 pieces
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Founded in the year 2000 by legendary watch designer Gérald Charles Genta, independent watchmaking brand Gerald Charles now pump out exquisite watches with their most distinctive features always present: the unique case shape, a curious sleekness, and the exquisite execution you’d expect from a brand of their stature. Their latest timepiece, the Maestro Roman Tourbillon, takes the distinct differentiators up a notch, with a hand-hammered dial and contrast of colours that’s enough to warrant a double take. Let’s take a look at this ultra-exclusive timepiece.
The Maestro Roman Tourbillon: Innovation Within A Familiar Case
Grand complications, different case shapes, regulator layouts, sub-dials for days—it seems as though brands usually try their hand at all of the above over the course of their existence, through multiple collections. What sets Gerald Charles apart, at least as of yet, is that–despite multiple iterations of their timepieces–they refuse to wean off from their intrinsic DNA. The very first thing that comes to mind when somebody mentions Gerald Charles, for example, is the signature asymmetrical shape of the case, which seems to bend into a sort-of ‘smile’ at 6 o’clock.
What astonishes most about all of Gerald Charles’ watches, and particularly the new Maestro Roman Tourbillon is the fact that even while staying within the well-defined frameworks of the brand, they continue to offer novelty after novelty, each with its own refined charm. With each, you get enough to talk about, and with the Maetro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon, it may even take the newness of it all up a notch.
First things first: it’s an interesting dial, to say the least. From afar, it forms a very different picture from the one it does up close. The dial is made from uncoated 18-karat rose gold, which is then hand-hammered to create a rich, textured surface. How long that takes for each watch, we’re not really sure, but we can only imagine that it requires the dexterity like that of a surgeon. No wonder they’ve limited this watch to 50 pieces. The craftspersons making these watches might’ve even suggested a number as low as this.
As a result of the hand-hammering, no two dials are the same, which always gives a timepiece more personality and makes it uniquely yours. At 39mm in width and 41.7mm in length, it fits a wide range of wrist sizes. It offers a 100m of water resistance and weighs only 93g.
Another striking feature of this timepiece, even when viewed from afar, is the contrast of different colours that it offers. Immediately atop the hand-hammered dial are white gold and blue PVD appliqué indices and baton-style hands. The Roman numerals present on the three, nine, and 12 o’clock positions lend the watch its name.
The bezel, made from grade-5 titanium with advanced galvanic treatment lends it a blue hue, while the stainless steel case already introduces four different colours to the frame of this watch. Of course, let’s not forget the gorgeous view of the tourbillon at six.
The Heartbeat of the Maestro Roman Tourbillon
The tourbillon visible from the aperture at six o’clock showcases the tourbillon in its titanium cage, which is actually designed in the form of the Gerald Charles logo. It’s a neat little detail, which makes you wonder why we’ve never seen something like this in the past. Moreover, the blue element present on the tourbillon actually acts as a seconds hand.
Powering this entire shindig is the GCA 3024/12 calibre, an automatic movement developed in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. This movement boasts a 50-hour power reserve and features bespoke bridge designs with a vertical Côtes de Genève pattern, diamond-polished anglages, and yellow gold engravings.
The watch also includes a stop-seconds function for precise time setting and is visible through an exhibition caseback that reveals a honeycomb-patterned oscillating weight.
The final detail is the dark blue alligator strap which wraps it around your wrist, with a new folding clasp designed for a secure closure. Though it seems like the sort of watch you’d pick up when an occasion is deemed special enough, it’s actually designed for everyday wear according to the brand, largely due to its water resistance and 5G shock resistance.
Once again, Gerald Charles manage to stay within the well-defined design codes that make the brand as unique as they are, while still offering a novelty that warrants attention. The dial alone, with the contrasts of colours offered, is enough to catch anyone’s eye at first glance.
