The New Gérald Genta Minute Repeater

Now in the hands of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, alongside Daniel Roth, watchmaking brand Gérald Genta came back on the scene last year with one of the boldest and least expected creations, the Gentissima Oursin collection. A watch paying tribute to the man’s bold designs, it will be joined this year by a watch that’s far more restrained, but that will be a tribute to one of Genta’s favourite complications, the minute repeater. A refined, complicated and elegantly subtle watch, the new Gérald Genta Minute Repeater also adds another of the man’s beloved features to the equation, a stone dial. 

Chiming watches were close to Mr. Genta’s heart. In the 1980s, he was among the few watchmakers creating minute repeaters, taking the challenge to revive (post-quartz crisis) this complex mechanism to the wrist of enthusiasts. 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. Not to mention that he also made a grande sonnerie watch, something that is still a rarity these days.

The new Gérald Genta Minute Repeater aims to capture the spirit of these complex watches made during the 1980s and 1990s, and yet isn’t a copy of the past. Starting with a blank sheet, Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, created a new case shape that feels like the next link in the chain of the brand’s history. As such, the elegant and compact case, measuring 40mm in diameter and only 9.6mm in thickness, relies on a softly cushioned (coussin) central part with a design element that’s always been dear to Genta, central lug modules to connect the watch head to the strap. The case is made of yellow gold, with brushed and polished surfaces, as well as double gadroons that pay tribute to historic watches of the designer. The whole case is sleek and elegant, with a thin trigger for the repeater function and a crown set with a black onyx cabochon.

This sleek yet precious, almost jewellery-inspired look continues on the dial of this new Gérald Genta Minute Repeater. Bordering on minimalist, it, however, offers great contrast with the yellow gold case thanks to its polished black onyx base – Genta was fond of stone dials. A white railroad minute track frames the dial, with an inner segment shaped as a circle, the indexes following this round profile, while the outer segment echoes the shape of the case. Discreet yet highly contrasted yellow gold, polished and rounded hands and applied markers give the finishing touches to the dial.

At the heart of the Gérald Genta Minute Repeater is a movement developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (by Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas). The base of this calibre GG-002 isn’t entirely new, as it was used to power the unique Mickey Mouse-themed model for Only Watch 2023. This thin (5.46mm), hand-wound movement is a beauty to look at, with intricate finishing and nicely shaped bridges. It runs at 3Hz and stores about 80 hours of power reserve. A nice detail, the inertia wheel has been crafted in an octagonal shape, a tribute to Mr. Genta’s favourite shape. And as for the acoustics, the black polished hammers and gongs have received great attention and are manually tuned by ear and hand to ensure optimal vibration and amplitude together with the yellow gold case – an ideal material for maximising the sound and acoustics of the minute repeater.

Worn on a centrally attached black leather strap, the Gérald Genta Minute Repeater is an elegant reinterpretation of Genta’s love for shapes, chiming watches and complex movements. It will be produced in no more than 10 pieces a year, with a price upon request (expect in excess of CHF 300,000 excl. taxes). For more details, please visit www.geraldgenta.com.