In A League Of Its Own: The New Greubel Forsey GMT Sport

When an email arrived in my inbox this morning asking me if I could "whip something up on Greubel Forsey", it made me laugh out loud. That's like asking someone to whip up a quick beef wellington for dinner or a plate of rose-perfumed macaroons for tea. Some things are just not that quick or simple.
 

When it comes to the territory of complicated watches, Greubel Forsey is the outright ruler of the land. Every year I sit in their SIHH press conference, pencil and notebook in hand, hoping that I'll be able to understand at least some of it. Admittedly, I have come a long way since my very first Greubel Forsey press conference, where I just sat there in total confusion, like I had walked into an astrophysics class when I was expecting art history (I did that at university by the way).

Anyway, enough rambling, let's whip something up on the brand-new Greubel Forsey GMT Sport.

The new Greubel Forsey GMT Sport follows on from the GMT Black presented in 2015 with its sporty black design, however, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have redefined almost every single element of the GMT Black in the creation of something entirely different.
 

Let's start with the case that comes in a brand-new shape and puts comfort and ergonomics center stage. It comes in a lightweight and ultra-strong profiled 45mm titanium case that is round from the top but arched and ovoid in shape when viewed from other angles to maximize comfort on the wrist. The case features integrated lugs and an integrated strap that fit perfectly. And just to give you an idea of the complexity of this "little" system alone, it is the subject of four patents.
 

The case is completed by a satin-finished bezel with Greubel Forsey's values engraved onto the outer bezel and an ovoid-shaped sapphire crystal, providing the perfect view on an entirely new movement architecture.

The GMT Sport features an entirely new hand-wound movement with a power reserve of 72 hours (ensured by two co-axial barrels in series). The movement is comprised of a whopping 435 components, all of which have been finished to the highest standards of the Greubel Forsey Atelier.

A 24 Seconds Tourbillon is positioned at one o'clock and represents the third "Fundamental Invention" by the watchmaking duo, after the Double Tourbillon 30° and the Quadruple Tourbillon. This new tourbillon stands out with a cage that is inclined at 25° and makes one full rotation every 24 hours. This inclination, paired with a faster speed, have significantly improved the chronometric performance of this single-tourbillon system, without increasing the height of the caliber.
 

In keeping with the sporting theme of the GMT Sport, the dial has been designed with a focus on legibility and efficiency. The hours and minutes are displayed by concentric curved openworked hands that follow the curvature of the case and movement. Mounted on the suspended black-coated arched bridges is the gear train that overlooks the globe and drives the hour and minute hands. An auxiliary dial between 10 and 11 o'clock displays both the small seconds on a rotating disc and the second time zone. At three o'clock, a power reserve differential is visible with an openworked hand and a red arrow.
 

(Images provided by Greubel Forsey and Watchonista)