Ahead of the Watches & Wonders, Greubel Forsey releases a new GMT Sport. Their popular GMT model is now encased in their Sport line – with an integrated metal bracelet, new bezel and new finishes. Limited Edition of 33 pieces.
Press Release information with commentary in italics
Retail price is set at CHF 480,000 on the rubber strap and CHF 520,000 on the titanium bracelet.
Commentary
This is an extension to the new Greubel Forsey Sport Lineup which was introduced in January 2020. The initial release was a rendition of their GMT model in a new case. This latest release is also of the same movement, but in a different finishing, and offered in a rubber strap with relief text. The 2020 release was limited to only 11 pieces, also in titanium. We covered the release, with a hands on comprehensive review:
The original Gruebel Forsey GMT where the base movement is derived from
As mentioned, the base movement is the GMT movement, first introduced in 2012. But the new movement is finished in a bright, electric matte blue, in contrast to the highly polished titanium bridges.
Also, this new release has the same basic case shape as the first GMT Sport. The complex, flowing ovoid shape remains largely unchanged. Which is a good thing, as this is perhaps the defining character for the Sport lineup. Love it or hate it, there it is. And we have grown fonder and fonder of it every time we consider it. If you loathe the shape, perhaps let some time pass, and look at it again. You may change your mind.
But what has changed is the new model is accented in blue, and has an entirely new bezel and new finishing. The bezel, which used to contain the Greubel Forsey values in relief engraving, is now a simpler, but equally difficult to achieve a straight graining with hand-polished contour and flanks. The aesthetics is totally different from the original release model.
And finally, an integrated three link titanium bracelet is available as an option. This is the first time GF has offered a bracelet on a watch.
With these refinements, the new Gruebel Forsey GMT Sport looks even more attractive to us. We are really looking forward to when we can handle and photograph the watch to bring you our comprehensive review. Till then, here is the press release.
New: Greubel Forsey GMT Sport
The GMT Sport emerges in a bold new character of titanium and blue. More ergonomic and contemporary than ever, this GMT Sport is the very first Greubel Forsey creation with a completely integrated metal bracelet. With a new bezel and new finishes, this limited edition is an exciting evolution that just 33 collectors will have the opportunity to discover first hand.
Taking centre stage for the first time on the GMT Sport, the distinctive Greubel Forsey bezel now subtly relieved of the relief engraved key values, takes on a completely new profile. With hand-finished horizontal straight-graining on top and the hand-polished contour and flanks taking on a soft yet striking new form, the bezel is beautifully refined, opening up the dial to attract even greater focus to the essential – the Greubel Forsey movement and hand-finishing, a characteristic of every timepiece. This new finish highlights the unique profile of the GMT Sport’s bezel, an ellipse that gently curves at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock to hug the contours of the wrist – a passion for perfect ergonomics that reaffirms the contemporary, everyday style of this exclusive timepiece.
This ergonomic design is further pursued in the new bracelet of this GMT Sport – the first ever metal bracelet on a Greubel Forsey creation. Entirely conceived in the Atelier and specifically for this timepiece, it is fully integrated into the case of the GMT Sport and profiled to seamlessly follow the elliptical shape of its case and bezel.
Faithful to its tradition, Greubel Forsey has devoted particular attention to finishing with three distinct styles distributed over both the lateral and central links: straight graining, frosting and hand-polished bevelling. For example, frosting was chosen to echo the finish of the lugs, underlining the aesthetic continuity between the case and bracelet. The latter, made of Grade 5 titanium, is lightweight, robust and very strong. It features a fine adjustment system, providing the valuable millimetres of play to allow the wearer to choose between a loose and casual or a snug, wrist-hugging fit.
As for the movement, this new GMT Sport is the first in a unified colour: the mainplate, bridges, globe, second time zone dial and 24-second indicator ring of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes at 1 o’clock are all in the same blue finish. The central suspended arched bridge as well as the tourbillon bridge are openworked to highlight the three dimensional movement architecture of its intense blue finish. The choice on the one hand of a deep, matte blue and on the other, the polished components in titanium (bridges, globe) or steel (hands, power reserve) accentuate the strong contrasts within the movement itself and ensure perfect legibility. Thanks to its 42mm case diameter (45mm on the bezel), the expression of the movement’s technicality is perfectly harmonious with the intuitive central hours and minutes display, second time zone at 10 o’clock, power reserve at 3 o’clock and rotating terrestrial globe at 8 o’clock.
With this new livery, more essential and refined than ever, Greubel Forsey offers a new means of expression to two of their signature creations. Their 3rd invention, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes is positioned between 12 o’clock and 2 o’clock. With its cage inclined at a 25° angle and completing a full rotation in 24 seconds, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes provides superior chronometric performance – in addition to the truly unique visual effect. Then, the terrestrial globe placed between 7 o’clock and 9 o’clock. More than any other, it embodies the three-dimensional time display championed by Greubel Forsey. Thanks to this invention which executes a complete rotation in 24 hours, universal time can be read easily, quickly and intuitively. Seen from above the North Pole, a ring with 24-hour markings allows the local time to be read for all longitudes while also acting as a day/night indication. On the caseback side, a disc displaying city names surrounded by 2 rings allows the wearer to read UTC Universal and Summer Time for 24 cities in 24 major time zones. It also distinguishes those time zones applying summer time (on a light background) from those who don’t (on a dark background). The new GMT Sport – a bold aesthetic choice from the Atelier, signed Greubel Forsey.
GMT Sport Specifications
In titanium, blue movement
Limited edition 33 pieces
Hand-wound movement with 3 patents • Patents pending GMT • 2nd time zone • rotating globe with universal time and day-and-night • universal time on 24 time zones • summer and wintertime • cities observing summer time • GMT and Earth pushers • Tourbillon 24 Secondes • hours and minutes • small seconds • power-reserve
MOVEMENT
NUMBER OF PARTS • Movement: 435
NUMBER OF JEWELS • 63 • Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
CHRONOMETRIC POWER RESERVE • 72 hours
FREQUENCY • 21’600 alternances/heure
3rd INVENTION • Tourbillon inclined at a 25° angle, 1 rotation in 24 seconds
CASE
• Titanium with curved synthetic sapphire crystal • Three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped bezel, hand-polished with hand-finished straight graining
CASE DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 42,00mm (caseband) and 45,00mm (bezel) • Height: 15,70mm (case) et 17,80mm (synthetic sapphire crystals)
WATER RESISTANCE OF THE CASE • Water-resistant 10atm – 100m – 328ft
DIAL SIDE
• Tour des heures en trois dimensions • GMT indicator, power-reserve indicator and Tourbillon rotation indicator • Rotating globe with fixed day-and-night UTC indicator
MOVEMENT SIDE
• Synthetic sapphire disc displaying city names surrounded by 2 rings • “Summer time” plate with limitation number
STRAP AND CLASP
• Rubber with text in relief, titanium folding clasp, engraved GF logo • 3-row metal bracelet in titanium, folding clasp with integrated fine adjustment, engraved GF logo
