Showing posts with label Gerald Genta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gerald Genta. Show all posts

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Gerald Genta – GENEVA Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian Dial 40 mm Yellow Gold

Gérald Genta – GENEVA Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian Dial 40 mm Yellow Gold - 2026

The Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian brings back the most poetic complication in watchmaking, transforming time into music, in a new iteration unveiled for Geneva Watch Days. Following the launch of the previous Geneva Minute Repeater Black Onyx, this latest piece is a renewed testament to the Maison's technical mastery of high watchmaking complications, guided by elegance and creativity.

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Throughout his career, Mr. Genta became renowned for pushing the boundaries of watch design and mechanical complexity. The minute repeater was among his most cherished complications, uniting technical mastery with the emotional resonance of sound. 

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He collaborated closely with his Master Watchmaker, Pierre-Michel Golay, whose expertise in watchmaking, complemented by his passion for opera, played a key role in perfecting the acoustic richness of his minute repeaters.

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The Geneva Collection takes its name from the city where the Maison's story began in 1969, and where its revival continues today. Drawing on the legacy of the Cabinotiers de Genève - the master artisans who shaped the city's watchmaking heritage - the collection embodies what Mr. Genta referred to as “L'Esprit de Genève”.

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All of the pieces reflect the union of two defining influences. The technical precision of its movement and the meticulous construction of its case are firmly grounded in the savoir-faire of the tradition of the Cabinotiers de Genève. 

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In contrast, its sculptural silhouette, rounded proportions and distinctive gadroons express an Italian artistic sensibility, bringing emotion, beauty and a sense of joy to the watch. The result transcends watchmaking alone, becoming art on the wrist.

Designed for Elegance and Sound

Rooted in vintage geometries yet contemporary in execution, the signature cushion-shaped case balances architectural structure with sculptural softness. 

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The result is an elegant silhouette that feels fluid and sensual. It is through the architecture of the case that the Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian fully comes alive. Smooth gadroon contours sculpt the case, creating a distinctive form that reflects the collection's attention to detail and craftsmanship. 

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At 40mm, the Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian is crafted with a 3N yellow gold case. Yellow gold is particularly suited to minute repeater watches for its acoustic properties, which allow the sound to resonate with greater warmth and purity. 

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The dimensions of the case are fundamental to the watch's acoustic performance, despite the limited space available within. Designed by Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the case design and thickness were carefully calibrated to amplify the acoustics of the complication. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

The thin case walls and internal architecture of the 9.60mm thick gold case were designed to allow the chime to breathe with clarity. Recalling Mr. Genta's strict criteria for a minute repeater, sound quality was achieved through extensive work on the case.

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To maximize the resonance, every element of the case construction was engineered to eliminate unnecessary weight and resistance. The case has been reduced to just 0.6mm at its thinnest point, while the bezel and caseback have been hollowed internally with circular drilling to allow sound to travel freely. Directly screwing the bezel and caseback together halves the number of screws required and preserves the rigidity of the thin construction. 

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Even the screws themselves are left unguided, avoiding additional mass and obstacles within the case. The sapphire crystal has been reduced to 0.8mm, down from its usual 1mm, to enhance sound propagation.  In the spirit of gérald genta, this technical precision also serves an aesthetic purpose, balancing acoustic performance with wearability and understated elegance.

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Alternating brushed and polished finishes create a restrained interplay of light across the case. The polished double gadroons reference gérald genta's historical pieces, contrasting with the satin-brushed surfaces to accentuate the watch's slim profile. 

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The minute repeater trigger follows the curve of the case with a thin, tactile design, while redeveloped lugs and a brown calfskin strap enhance the enveloping feel.

A Dial That's One-of-a-Kind

Warm textural refinement draws the eyes to the golden obsidian dial. Formed through the rapid cooling of volcanic lava, golden obsidian is prized for its natural depth and shifting reflections, revealing subtle golden highlights beneath its dark surface. Rare and expressive, each stone possesses a unique character, reinforcing the individuality of every piece.

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“The incredible thing about obsidian dials is that no two are alike,” says Hegi. “This rare blend of golden and brown tones brings a true sense of individuality, as obsidian is typically black with lighter inclusions.”  

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These warm hues complement the Geneva collection's design language, while the dial's iridescent surface pairs naturally with the yellow gold case. Complementary yellow gold indexes and hands, both curved and rounded, display the time. Softening the overall appearance, the printed white minute track plays with perception, balancing a circular inner profile against an outer contour that follows the case's sculptural shape. 

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Set against the golden brown obsidian dial, it creates a flirtatious optical illusion - shifting between round and cushion forms as the light moves across the surface. The warmth of the obsidian dial transforms the Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian from a work of precision into something deeply alive and expressive.

Manufacturing Chimes, Ring by Ring

Developed entirely in-house at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton by Master Watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas, the manual-winding GG-002 calibre is fully revealed through an open caseback.

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Concerning the approach behind the GG-002, Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas explain, “Mr. Genta believed a minute repeater should create emotion through sound. With the GG-002, we pursued that same balance between mechanical excellence and beauty.”

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Each gong is individually cut, then tuned by ear and hand, and adjusted to the desired vibration amplitude. Paired with black-polished hammers and a traditional single-revolution gong construction, they produce a clear, crystalline chime of exceptional resonance and volume.

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The movement is finished entirely by hand according to the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie, featuring Côtes de Genève, hand-beveled angles, and circular graining throughout. 

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Polished gold masselottes fitted to the balance wheel form a refined regulating system rarely found in minute repeater watches, combining precise inertia adjustment with exceptional movement finishing. 

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The octagonal inertia wheel pays tribute to one of Mr. Genta's signature forms, while an 80-hour power reserve and a refined bar-click winding system add a tactile dimension to the watch's experience. 

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With the Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian, the Maison presents a new iteration of its minute repeater, showcasing its expertise in acoustic performance and technical craftsmanship. 

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Guided by the creative spirit of the Geneva collection, the new addition balances vintage inspiration and contemporary refinement in a design defined by both structure and softness, culminating in a watch that feels unmistakably alive.

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS    

Model:  Gérald Genta GENEVA Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian  

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Reference: EBFE02A1

Case
Material: Yellow gold 3N
Crown: Yellow gold, Golden obsidian cabochon
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 9.6mm
Double-sided anti-reflective treatment
Dial 
Golden obsidian
Indexes: Yellow gold 3N (polish & rounded)
Minuterie: White
Hands: Gold – polished & rounded – with arrow tip
Movement
    Caliber GG-002
    In house manufacture caliber. Minute-repeater. Manual winding.
    Frequency: 3 Hz, 21'600 vph
    Diameter: 32.4 mm
    Thickness: 5.46 mm
    Number of parts: 316
    Number of jewels: 32
    Power reserve of 80 hours
Strap 
Brown calfskin leather 
Buckle: 18mm - Yellow gold 3N

🔴 Price:  Upon request 💰 

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Friday, October 3, 2025

Gerald Genta – GENEVA Minute Repeater Gold Edition

Gérald Genta – GENEVA Minute Repeater Black Onyx Dial 40 mm Yellow Gold Edition 2025

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

SCULPTURAL DESIGN AND SONIC MASTERY 

On the occasion of Geneva Watch Days 2025, Gérald Genta unveils The Minute Repeater, a refined, complicated and limited collector’s piece that pays homage to the intuitive and instinctive artistry of Mr. Genta. 

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Subtle yet powerful, impactful yet poetic, the Minute Repeater merges audacious elegance with the ultimate mechanical mastery - and favorite complication of Mr. Genta: the minute repeater.

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Chiming watches were close to Mr. Genta’s heart. In the 1980s, he was among the few watchmakers creating minute repeaters, inspired by the challenge to perfect this most complex of mechanisms. In addition to launching several models, he also created an automatic minute repeater, a water-resistant version and combined the complication with a perpetual calendar.

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Quality of sound was key to Mr. Genta, and he worked extensively on the case to capture the best sound. La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton now channels that spirit of innovation with a completely new shape for the Minute Repeater.

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Softly cushioned and infused with creative ingenuity and audacious elegance, the new shape revives Gérald Genta’s unmistakable design language for today, while celebrating proportion, softness, and balance.

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The 40mm Minute Repeater is crafted in a yellow gold case paired with a lustrous onyx dial, celebrating Mr. Genta’s love for stone dials.

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Remarkably thin at just 9.60mm and specifically designed to offer optimal acoustics, it beautifully marries elegance with mechanical complexity.

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Starting with a blank sheet, Matthieu Hegi, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director, conjured a new shape intended to embody the artistic dimension of Mr. Genta’s repertoire while magnifying the acoustics of the minute repeater complication. 

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“I wanted to capture the intuitive, instinctive genius and artistry of Mr. Genta,” explains Mr Hegi. The result is an almost magical object – a piece of art on the wrist, for which only 10 pieces will be produced per year.

Celebrating Genta's Legacy

The minute repeater was one of Mr. Genta’s most beloved complications, blending technical mastery with the pursuit of emotional resonance and beauty that were core to his approach. 

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The Maison Master Watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas have brought this spirit forward with the GG-002, a manual-winding minute repeater caliber developed entirely inhouse at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Acoustic and sonic mastery were the key elements that Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas considered for this watch, and the black polished hammers and gongs have received the utmost attention. 
 
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Each gong has been manually tuned by ear and hand, and watchmakers cut and adjusted each component to ensure the optimal vibration and amplitude. 
 
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The Minute Repeater features a traditional gong with one revolution, which emits an exceptionally clear and crystalline chime, exuding a notably high volume, ideal for a wristwatch.

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Requiring more than four weeks to assemble a single movement, the caliber GG-002 has been finished to the highest standards of traditional Haute Horlogerie – including Côtes de Genève, hand-beveled angles throughout, and snailing detail on the base plate. 
 
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Meanwhile, the inertia wheel has been crafted in an octagonal shape, a tribute to Mr. Genta’s favorite form. Boasting an 80-hour power reserve, the GG-002 also incorporates a bar click for a unique, emotive feel when winding the watch.

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Grounded in Mr. Genta’s love of form and smooth case design, free of any sharp edges, the cushion shape is a natural evolution of his signature octagonal form.

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Achieving an extraordinary dimension of a mere 9.60mm thick, the Minute Repeater case is crafted for thoughtful and deliberate chime amplification. 
 
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO   
 
The ultrathin case walls and internal architecture are deliberately designed to allow the chime to breathe and resonate with sonorous clarity, expressing its melodious essence. This recalls Mr. Genta’s own exacting criteria for a minute repeater, where sound quality was led by intensive work on the case, complemented by elegance on the wrist.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

The case has been reduced to its absolute minimum – as little as 0.6mm at its thinnest point – while the sapphire crystal has been reduced from the typical 1mm thickness to 0.8mm. As Michel Navas explains: “It is a small watch, with very little leeway for enhanced sound propagation. We had to carefully consider how to optimize the sound, which led us to create such a thin case.”

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

At the same time, in the spirit of Mr. Genta, this meticulous tuning is as much an aesthetic choice as a functional one. At 40mm, the Minute Repeater’s dimensions are designed to be as constrained as possible, to ensure perfect we arability and elegance.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Meanwhile, subtle contrasts are at the heart of the Minute Repeater’s case design.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Alternating brushed and polished surfaces offer a subtle yet deliberate interplay of light, enhancing the purity of the design. The case’s double gadroons pay tribute to Mr. Genta’s historical pieces, and come in polished gold, presenting a visually slim profile against the satin-brushed part of the case. The trigger is also polished and notably thin, following the watch’s shape and its sensorial architecture – yet extremely tactile and easy to manipulate. 

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A single lug for attachment to a black leather strap further nods to historical Genta pieces, presenting a wider and shorter design that seamlessly blends with the case, celebrating the Minute Repeater’s unique form. The crown, topped with an onyx cabochon, not only echoes the slim profile with a refined cannelure finish but also adds to the overall preciosity and refinement of the watch.

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Finally, the profound depth of the onyx dial channels the watch’s audacious elegance. Rather than selecting a lacquer dial, Matthieu Hegi opted for the intense luster of onyx, which further embraces Mr. Genta’s historical preference for hard stone dials. 
 
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A black onyx dial was an obvious choice, adds Matthieu Hegi, especially when paired with 3N yellow gold – a tone that he says evoked “sunshine and the Mediterranean spirit, which was very Genta”. Yellow gold is also an ideal material for maximizing the sound and acoustics of the minute repeater, reiterating the very essence of the new Gérald Genta Minute Repeater.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

Amplifying the Minute Repeater’s subtle shape is the minute track, which Matthieu Hegi calls, “the very core of the watch’s design.” 

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 The minute track is crafted with an inner segment shaped as a circle, the indexes following this round profile, while the outer segment echoes the shape of the case. “We wanted to explore something that was not quite round – something that evoked the cushion – and achieved this by reimagining and playing with the design of the dial. The effect mixes up the shape and is subtly transformative. At first glance, one wonders if it is truly round, as the suggestion of a cushion is created.”

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Ambitious yet discreet, architectural yet soft, vintage but modern while exuding technical mastery – the new Gérald Genta Minute Repeater is a synthesis of artistic heritage, sonic mastery and sculptural design, and a quietly sophisticated piece that pays tribute to one of watchmaking’s greatest legends.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS    

Model: Gérald Genta GENEVA Minute Repeater  

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

 Reference: EBFE01A1

Case
    Material: Yellow gold 3N
    Diameter: 40 mm
    Thickness: 9.6mm
    Crown: Yellow gold, black onyx cabochon
    Components & Jewels: 316 - 32
Dial
    Dial: Black onyx
    Indexes: Yellow gold 3N (polish & rounded)
    Minuterie: White
    Hands: Gold – polished & rounded – with arrow tip
Movement
    Caliber GG-002

    In house manufacture caliber. Minute-repeater. Manual winding.
    Frequency: 3 Hz, 21'600 vph
    Diameter: 32.4 mm
    Thickness: 5.46 mm
    Number of parts: 316
    Number of jewels: 32
    Power reserve of 80 hours
Functions
    Hours, minutes
    Minute repeater
Strap 
    Black sheep leather 
    Buckle: 18mm - Yellow gold 3N

🔰Edition -✅Only ❱❱❱ 10 pieces 
🔴 Price:  310’000 CHF excluding VAT 💰 

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www.instagram.com - GeraldGentaOfficia 
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www.GeraldGenta.com