Greubel Forsey - Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture

Greubel Forsey is launching today the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture. Limited to only 11 pieces in 2022. Price is CHF 440,000

Greubel Forsey is launching today the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture, a totally new timepiece featuring an atypical, sculpted case that houses a brand new calibre representing a complete departure from traditional construction and aesthetics.

The spectacular movement is revealed through various openings, the main being the dial, encompassed by relief-engraved Greubel Forsey values that inspired this creation : Architecture, Harmonie, Innovation, Technique, Bienfacture, Passion, Science, Exclusivité, Créativité.

While the case looks perfectly round when observed from the dial side, it reveals its convex shape from other angles, along with its transparent caseband made of synthetic sapphire crystal.

Greubel Forsey has been integrating lateral sapphire crystal apertures since as early as 2007, but has never before rendered a movement visible from above, below, and from every angle around the caseband enabling an exhaustive look at even the smallest detail.

The unique convex shape of the case, which resembles a conical frustrum in its geometry, ensures optimal ergonomics and wrist comfort. The diameter around the caseback (47.05 mm) is wider than it is around the bezel (45 mm), thus giving the impression of being significantly smaller than it actually is. Total height is 16.80 mm.

Crafted from titanium and water resistant to 50 metres / 165 feet, the case features three-dimensional, variable geometry lugs, hand-polished with hand finished straight graining, seamlessly integrating a rubber strap with embossed text that is secured to the wrist by a titanium folding clasp.

The 354-part movement is even more surprising than the case with its polished titanium bridges standing out from the frosted finish of the mainplate.

At 6 o'clock, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes is moored from a large spherical and openworked bridge, whose base remains hidden by design. To compensate the impact of gravity on the oscillator, the tourbillon is inclined at 25° and uses a fast rotation speed performing a complete rotation in 24 seconds. The beating frequency is 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour).

The barrel bridge at 10 o’clock is sculpted in a similar way, with polished spherical surfaces, along with polished beveling and countersinks. The barrel cover is engraved, lacquered and circular-grained and contains three coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels, one of which is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension. 

The caliber's energy source provides 90 hours chronometric power reserve, indicated by a moving red triangle over a conical disk at 3 o’clock. It too is held in place by a beautiful polished titanium bridge. In the center, we find two large curved, openworked and polished steel hands, indicating the hours and minutes, mounted on a signature Greubel Forsey tripod bridge. The time indication is completed at 8 o'clock by a small second on a cylinder with polished flanks.

The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture will be limited to only 11 pieces in 2022, then to 18 pieces a year between 2023 and 2025 for a total of 65 exclusive timepieces overall. The price is CHF 440,000. greubelforsey.com