We often need to go back to photography archives to discover stories and timepieces we haven’t had a chance to report yet. The number of timepieces we see, photograph, and then never get a chance to report on each year is actually staggering. Browsing through some of the photos I took of the rare Greubel Forsey fake watch, I was immediately reminded of a moment in Stephen Forsey when he decided it was a good idea to wear a ‘unique edition’ quad tourbillon watch and it made my heart race The table was in front of me several times.
Why would Stephen Forsey do this to a watch worth over half a million dollars, if it breaks, it will cost a penny to fix? He’s trying to prove to me that when people spend so much money on a timepiece, they should expect a certain level of durability as well as decorativeness and sophistication. Love or hate Greubel Forsey watches, you can’t deny that their work is mechanical. Nothing proves (at least potentially) durability more than smashing a case against a table a few times. Yes, the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret watch does a great job, but now, a few months later, the experience still impresses me. It’s original and unexpected, I’d say that for sure.
When Greubel Forsey initially launched the Quadruple Tourbillon Secret (hands-on experience here in platinum) a few years ago, it was seen as an over-the-top tourbillon that Greubel Forsey himself actually helped popularize A tongue-in-cheek comment on display. Among luxury buyers, the tourbillon is not so much the holy grail for watch sports nerds as it is an indication of price, and therefore the status of the wearer. In other words, in the right circles, even those who don’t know much about watches are still trained to know that “tourbillon = expensive”.
Greubel Forsey’s own response to the growing popularity of the tourbillon mechanism was to create a timepiece with a tourbillon that no one else could (or would not) make. For example, the movement of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon contains two tourbillons, each containing a smaller tourbillon. As such, the model can claim to have four tourbillons – each of which is actually a bit unique in the tourbillon scheme – something other tourbillon watch makers are unlikely to offer.
Currently, no other timepiece of the brand has more tourbillons than the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon equipped with the GF03 movement. So, what’s the best way to play with this concept? Of course, the tourbillon is hidden. In fact, the only major difference between the standard quadruple tourbillon and Greubel Forsey’s secret quadruple tourbillon is the dial (there are a few other minor detail differences). The two places on the dial where the double tourbillon assembly could once be seen are now closed and the dial looks more traditional.
I’m a little confused as to why the brand refers to these Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret watches as part of a “unique edition” since each of these two editions is a limited edition of eight pieces. “Unique” often means only one thing, so you can understand my confusion. Regardless, these are still extremely rare watches that will only appeal to a small group of watch collectors. I suspect the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret watch is the brand’s first men fake watch.
At 43.5mm wide and 16.11mm thick, the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret isn’t a petite watch, but it’s very wearable – honestly, like most Greubel Forsey timepieces. As a lover of black and gold, I really like the combination of the black dial with the 18k red gold case and applied dial elements. Proper organization also ensures that everything is nice and clear.
Even if you don’t see the four tourbillons visually through the dial of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret, there’s still “helpful” text on the face that reminds you what’s going on in the movement. In addition to the “Quad Tourbillon” printed on the dial, you can get more hints explaining what you’re seeing. This actually matters for those who happen to wish to use the watch, as at least some of the metrics are not standard.
Only three of the six hands on the dial of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret are used to indicate the time (at least traditionally). You also have a power-reserve indicator hand as well as two external tourbillon hands, each of which rotates every four minutes (240 seconds). Inside the outer four-minute tourbillon are two smaller one-minute tourbillons, which are inclined at a 30-degree angle and rotate every 60 seconds. According to Greubel Forsey, the seconds hand on the dial shows an average of 60 seconds, depending on the performance of the two tourbillon structures.
To a large extent, that’s what it’s all about having multiple tourbillons in one movement, even intellectually. The idea is to average their performance (one double tourbillon ready to run slower than ideal, the other faster than ideal – averaging them close to the desired 0 deviation), hoping for maximum performance. While Greubel Forsey does produce the most accurate tourbillon-based mechanical movements, in some ways it is futile to improve the precision of mechanical movements, as electronic timekeeping will always beat the most perfect mechanical movements anyway. . Then again, it’s all about passion and engineering…even if we want to imagine there are situations where these objects are still relied upon as tools.
This particular edition of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret in 18k red gold is a prototype, so there may be some changes between it and the final piece, but for the most part, this is the final model. Flip the watch over and the “secret” disappears, revealing the beautifully crafted Greubel Forsey GF03j hand-wound mechanical movement, which is where most of the item’s value lies. The “j” refers to the movements present in the secret edition Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon, which are made of 509 parts, 260 of which are for the tourbillon alone.
Each balance wheel operates at 3Hz (21,600bph), and the movement has a power reserve of 50 hours (not bad, since the movement needs to power four tourbillons). For a timepiece at this price point, the movement is clearly as stunning as you could hope for. This includes everything from the amount of polish you get from each small movement component to the clever textures and finishes you see on every part of the movement. Movement enthusiasts will have great pleasure scrutinizing every angle of this and other Greubel Forsey movements – as Mr. Forsey kindly showed me, movements are designed to be both durable and decorative .
Greubel Forsey watches are sometimes accused of lacking elegance. If you measure it by the tendency to promote traditional design elements like pure symmetry, then no, Greubel Forsey watches are not elegant. Instead, I see the concept as a well-established function and stay true to my own values and design elements. Clearly, Greubel Forsey’s timepieces don’t want to look like anyone else’s. These watches strive to be legible, while also serving as a frame for the inner workings, something Greubel Forsey really wants its buyers to appreciate. Although these are undoubtedly extremely luxurious items,
So if it’s good enough for Stephen Forsey, is it good enough for you? It all depends on whether you like his particular values as a watchmaker, who came across in that meeting as being very forthright and confident, but not pretentious. I have to say that, in general, some of the most talented watchmakers like Stephen Fauci and Robert Grubel have absolutely no unpleasant egos at all, and many consider them to be super expensive “ultra-luxury” watches part of the world. Don’t worry, though, there’s a lot of lost egos in the actual sales process in a retail environment.
Given the inherent theme of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret, it’s hard not to like it, even if buyers with enough cash to enjoy this particular wrist statement are rare. For something so expensive, can you blame others for wanting to show it off? That being said, in the right circles, timepieces like the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret say exactly the right information for the wearer, which is why rare timepieces like this even exist. luxury replica watches