Gérald Genta

Gérald Genta, who collaborated with many renowned Swiss watch manufacturers such as IWC, Universal Genève, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier, started his own brand in 1969 which was known for its elaborate movements and craftsmanship. He was known to hand-design his watches (movements, cases and dials) and the development process could take up to 5 years to complete.

The present Grande and Petite Sonnnerie Tourbillon is a horological marvel and possibly unique, given its case being made from Yttrium, a chemical element considered as a ‘rare-earth element.’ Gérald Genta has been known to create special pieces made from various materials upon request, which may have been the case for this creation. In fact, the clover motif visible on the dial and on the clasp are likely associated with the Royal Family of Brunei, and Prince Jefri Bolkiah in particular has been known to order extravagant timepieces and luxury goods. The mother-of-pearl dial provides a soothing contrast to the Yttrium case and neatly displays all the information it provides. Namely, there are power-reserve indications for both the repeating mechanism as well as the tourbillon movement, and there are fan-form subsidiary dials indicating ‘little’ or ‘grand’sonnerie and if it is set on ‘silence’ or ‘chimes’. When the repeating is activated, one hears the marvelous interaction of four different gongs which produce a beautiful Westminster chime.

This watch is offered in attractive condition and is definitely one of those extraordinary pieces that are hard to find even in important collections around the globe.