Not a Timepiece, but a stellar Art.

A new interpretation of the Double Tourbillon 30° in an asymmetric case

Greubel Forsey presents the Double Tourbillon Asymétrique, a reinterpretation of Robert

Greubel and Stephen Forsey’s first Fundamental Invention, the Double Tourbillon 30°,

featuring an asymmetric case marking a striking departure from how this complication has

been previously presented.


In harmony with its distinctive design, the power reserve is indicated by a rotating disk,

underlining the highly original nature of this timepiece. The Double Tourbillon Asymétrique

is available in a unique edition comprising 11 pieces in white gold and 11 pieces in 5N red

gold.

Asymmetry and harmony of form

Greubel Forsey launched the Double Tourbillon 30° Vision in 2004, now, nearly a decade

later, this new interpretation features an asymmetric positioning of the Double Tourbillon

30°; which has only previously been presented symmetrically in the collection.

To achieve this, the movement architecture has been completely reconstructed, with the

outer cage of the patented Double Tourbillon 30° inversed. However, the one‐minute

rotation of the inner tourbillon cage and the four‐minute rotation of the outer tourbillon

cage remain the same.

The movement is housed in a 43.5 mm diameter case with a curved lateral window in the

case band at 8 o’clock. This three‐dimensional opening offers the observer a very special

view of the double tourbillon system, showcasing the complexity and aesthetic qualities of

this unique complication.


The black treatment of the mainplates, forming the backdrop for the tourbillion system

accentuates the three‐dimensionality and depth of the double cages, which are composed

of no less than 130 components. The polished conical arm and the flat black polish of the

steel tourbillon bridge is one example of Greubel Forsey’s signature superlative hand

finishing.


The power reserve indicator at 2 o’clock features an innovative rotating disk displaying

optimal remaining running time by means of a fixed red triangle instead of a conventional

hand.



Sobriety and exclusivity


The architecture of the gold dial contributes to the perfect balance of the timepiece. The

minute ring is concentric around the satin‐finished hour display, with the applied polished

gold hour indexes creating additional contrast and relief.

In the white gold version, the dial is finished in shades of grey, anthracite and black, while

the dial of the red gold version is treated in black and anthracite. The hands and indexes are

in perfect harmony with their case – white gold or in red gold, depending on the version. For

ideal legibility at night, the tips of the hour and minute hands have been filled with luminous

material.


The individual number of each timepiece is engraved on a gold plate concentric to the power

reserve indicator. The small seconds at 6 o’clock features a striking triangular red hand, one

of three bright red details on the dial.


An asymmetric domed sapphire crystal display back mirroring the lines of the case reveals

the beautiful movement beneath. The nickel‐palladium treated frosted and bevelled geartrain

bridge juxtaposes against the sobriety of the black‐chromed mainplate.


The polished internal angles of the beautifully finished one‐piece gear ‐train bridge bear

testimony to the meticulous hand finishing throughout the timepiece. This bridge, fixed by

four blued‐steel screws, supports two white gold plates: one with the individual number of

the timepiece mirroring that on the power reserve indicator; the other signed ‘Greubel

Forsey’. With their golden finish against a black background, the two series configured

mainspring barrels and centre wheel stand out visually from the black mainplate.


Unique edition


Presented in a unique edition of 11 pieces in white gold and 11 pieces in 5N red gold, the

Double Tourbillon Asymétrique is an exclusive and original addition to the Greubel Forsey

collection.

The timepiece is completed by a hand‐sewn alligator strap with folding clasp in the same

colour gold as the case.

Technical Specifications

The manual‐winding movement comprises 326 components. It is powered by two rapidly

rotating mainspring barrels in series, which provide a72‐hour reserve of optimal power. The

Double Tourbillon 30° features a variable inertia balance with Phillips terminal curve beating

at 3Hz/21,600 vibrations per hour – the inner and outer cages make one revolution in 1

minute and 4 minutes respectively. The inner cage is at a 30° angle to the outer cage.


The mainplates in nickel silver are frosted with straight grained flanks, hand polished

countersinks and bevels, with a black chrome treatment, while the bridges are frosted,

spotted, with hand polished countersinks and polished bevels with a nickel‐palladium

treatment. The dial is in black‐oxidised or anthracite finished gold, with indications for hours,

minutes and small seconds. The power reserve indicator is via a rotating disk. There are two

hand‐finished gold plates engraved with the individual number of the timepiece: One on the

dial side, the other visible through the display back.


The asymmetric case is available in white gold or 18K 5N red gold and measures 43.5 mm in

diameter and 16.13 mm in height. It features asymmetric synthetic sapphire crystals on the

dial side and for the display back, as well as a lateral window set into the case band, three dimensional, variable geometry shaped lugs, raised polished engraving "Greubel Forsey" on

a hand‐punched background and gold security screws. The black alligator strap is hand

stitched with a white gold or red gold folding clasp to match the case.

Decoration and aesthetic

Like all Greubel Forsey timepieces, levels of finishing and decoration are executed without

compromise. To provide optimal visual effect, all components of the movement are created

according to architectural criteria that highlight a myriad of details revealing their beauty.


Elements of finishing such as spotting, frosting, straight‐graining, scintillating flat blackmirror‐

polishing, as well as the stunning hand finished bevels. The three‐dimensional

architecture of this timepiece showcases its mechanisms and components and emphasizes

the finishing and decoration, reflecting the extremely high standards of Greubel Forsey’s

craftmanship.



Robert Greubel

Robert Greubel grew up in Alsace, France and began his horological career somewhat

precociously, observing and working with his watchmaker father in the family shop, Greubel

Horlogerie. In 1987 he moved to Switzerland to learn more about complications and he

joined IWC to work on their Grand Complication project. He moved to Le Locle in 1990 for a

prototypist position at Renaud &Papi, where he eventually rose to Co‐Chief Operating

Officer and partner. In 1999 Robert Greubel left to work independently and in 2001 he

founded CompliTime in partnership with Stephen Forsey, with the aim of creating and

developing complicated mechanisms for high‐end brands. They cofounded Greubel Forsey in

2004.


Stephen Forsey

Stephen Forsey was born in St. Albans, England where he inherited his father’s passion for

the intricacies of mechanics. From 1987 he specialised in antique watch restoration, which

led to a position as head of Asprey’s prestigious watch restoration department and he then

furthered his horological education at WOSTEP. After moving to Switzerland in 1992,

Stephen joined Robert Greubel’s team at Renaud &Papi where he worked on the most

complicated mechanical movements. In 1999 he left to work independently and in 2001 he

founded CompliTime in partnership with Robert Greubel with the aim of creating and

developing complicated mechanisms for high‐end brands. Together, they then launched

Greubel Forsey in 2004.
ref: gruebelforsey.com

The Moonmachine on Earth, MB&F.

MOONMACHINE by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva is both the first of the MB&F Performance Art pieces by a watchmaker and the first to endow a Machine with a new complication. With MOONMACHINE, Stepan has taken a specially configured HM3 Frog and transformed it with his iconic moon-face moon-phase indicator set in a scintillating firmament of northern stars.

The MOON: Around 4.5 billion years ago when the young Earth was still forming, Theia, a proto-planet the size of Mars, is thought to have struck our planet and disintegrated in a ‘Giant Impact’. Some of the debris was attracted by the Earth’s gravity and the rest – consisting of material from both Earth and Theia – went into orbit around the Earth. Within 12 months this orbiting debris coalesced to form the Moon.

Over the next 4.4 billion years, the Earth’s tilt in relation to the sun was stabilised by the gravitational pull of the Moon, which provided regular relatively mild seasons over much of the planet’s surface – ideal conditions for life to form and evolve.

Without that cataclysmic event, we would not be here. You might say we are all Children of the Moon.

And no sooner did modern man start walking the earth than he stared up at the night sky in wonder and awe at the biggest and brightest orb in the heavens. Perhaps none more so than the inhabitants of Finland – including Stepan Sarpaneva – because the less romantic and less well-known counterpoise to the summertime Land of the Midnight Sun are extremely long nights in winter, which gives the population more time than most to study the moon and stars.

MOONMACHINE: While considerably less cataclysmic than the formation of our Moon, MOONMACHINE was also forged from the creative collision of two worlds: MB&F's HM3 Frog and independent watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva.

Before launching his own brand Sarpaneva Watches in 2003, Stepan Sarpaneva worked with some of the most prestigious Swiss brands including Piaget, Parmigiani – where he worked alongside Kari Voutilainen – Vianney Halter and Christophe Claret.

"Stepan has an incredible sense of design and a real sense of detail. His work and everything he surrounds himself with is extremely coherent." Maximilian Büsser

Stepan Sarpaneva: Stepan’s three signature themes are all celestial: his very distinctive moon face; the northern stars and constellations; and the crenellated form of his Korona case – the korona/corona is the plasma atmosphere of the Sun – and all three have been incorporated in MOONMACHINE. Sarpaneva's two moon faces indicate the phase of the moon through a Korona shaped aperture, while the mystery winding rotor is actually steel and 22k gold disc with laser-pierced stars forming stars and constellations visible in the northern sky.

“The visible movement at the top of HM3 Frog added a technical aspect that provided a serious counterpoint to the playfulness of the bulging frog-eyed indications. In covering the movement, the moon phase and sky hides this and makes the timepiece more poetic. With MOONMACHINE, HM3 is transformed into a fairy tale.” Stepan Sarpaneva.

The Moon: Technical Specifications 

While other planets have more moons – Jupiter has 62 – and larger moons – Saturn’s moon Titan is twice the size of ours – the Earth’s moon is unique in our solar system because at ¼ the size of Earth, it is very large in relation to its planet, which is why it is so influential. 
Average distance from Earth: 390,000km
Travelling time from Earth: three days
Gravity: 1/6th Earth gravity
Length of lunar day: 27.3 Earth days
The moon does not rotate in relation to the Earth
Influences on Earth: Causes two tidal cycles per day; often provides light at night; lunar cycle was one of the very first units of time; its gravity attracts many meteors and stops them hitting Earth; stabilises the tilt of the Earth in relation to the sun.

ref: mb&f.com