Gerald Charles marks two milestones with the Maestro GC19 Becker Anniversary Edition—a striking, violet-coloured limited edition of just 20 pieces. This watch celebrates both the 150th anniversary of Hamburg-based Juwelier Becker and the 25th anniversary of the Gerald Charles watch brand. As a collaborative project with Juwelier Becker, which introduced Gerald Charles to its collection only two years ago, this is the brand’s first special edition created exclusively for the German market. Here are the key details.
When Gérald Genta—the most prolific watch designer of the 20th century—founded Gerald Charles in 2000 (named after his first and middle names), the move was widely seen as an attempt to channel his creativity into a fresh venture. This followed the sale of his first brand, established in 1969, to an Asian group in 1998, which soon after sold it on to the Bulgari Group. Yet, despite Genta’s creative genius, Gerald Charles initially struggled to find commercial success, largely due to a lack of business acumen. In 2003, Genta decided to sell Gerald Charles to the Ziviani family—trusted partners and long-standing friends—and remained with the company as chief designer until his death in 2011. From that point onwards, Giampaolo Ziviani took the helm as CEO.
A new chapter began for the brand in 2019, when Federico Ziviani was appointed CEO. He shifted away from a product portfolio focused solely on very small production numbers and complex watches, opening the brand up to a broader—though no less discerning—audience. Today, Gerald Charles produces around 1,500 watches annually and acts as custodian of the many original, often unpublished, designs created by Gérald Genta over the last eleven years of his life.
Juwelier Becker has a long-standing tradition. Founded in Hamburg on 9 November 1875 by Albert Becker, the company has been an integral part of the city ever since. Over the decades—particularly in order to weather challenging periods—Becker has repeatedly reinvented itself. Following near-total destruction during the Second World War and the subsequent rebuilding process, the business now employs over 50 people and looks back on 150 years of history. Today, the family-owned company is managed by the third generation, remaining committed to quality and offering a broad selection—including, for the past two years, timepieces from the comparatively young brand Gerald Charles.
The defining feature of the Maestro GC19 Becker Anniversary Edition is the distinctive case design of the Maestro line, now regarded as the hallmark of Gerald Charles and originally created by Gérald Genta in 2005. In developing this unique case shape, Genta drew inspiration from both the flowing facade and the octagonal roof of a 17th-century Roman building designed by the Swiss-Italian architect Francesco Borromini.
As one of the final designs conceived by Gérald Genta—profoundly influenced by the architecture of the Roman Baroque—the Maestro case is characterised by an elongated octagon with unequal sides, a double-stepped bezel adding depth to the design, and a sweeping, “smiling” line at 6 o’clock, echoing the building’s curved façade. The result, which unites both angular and curved elements, is not only one of the few truly asymmetrical watch cases on the market, but also a design that continues to be explored in new materials and variations. The Maestro GC19 Becker Anniversary Edition features a case crafted from polished stainless steel, comprising 37 individual components and measuring 39 mm by 40 mm.
Under the direction of the Ziviani family, Genta’s original concept was further developed—alongside the Masterlink—into the Maestro collection, which now constitutes one of the brand’s two principal model families. Today, this range includes slender three-hand models (Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin), chronographs (Maestro 3.0), skeletonised watches (Maestro 8.0 Squelette), complicated pieces with tourbillon (Maestro 9.0), and sports editions such as the Maestro GC Sport Tennis—all united by the signature Maestro case.
For the dial of this special edition, the brand has once again looked to the GC33 chronograph, designed by Gérald Genta in 2006. This model featured a Clous-de-Paris pattern—small, tightly arranged pyramids that create a striking play of light—which has also been incorporated into the special edition. The motif is paired with a bold lavender hue intended to evoke the spirit of summer. In addition, the unusual construction of the case offers both functional and aesthetic advantages for the dial: the “smiling” aperture at the lower edge of the case can, for example, provide space for a tourbillon without disturbing the harmony of the design. In the case of this special edition, however, the aperture leads to a displacement of the minute track and one of the white indices.
At the heart of the special edition is the automatic calibre Ref. GCA131-9391 offering a 50-hour power reserve. Turning the watch over, the bridges of the special edition reveal two refined decorations visible through the sapphire caseback: firstly, a spiral “colimaçon” finish, and secondly, a sunray “soleillé” finish—both highly regarded in fine watchmaking. These are complemented by a “Côtes de Genève” motif on the rotor. Last but not least, the watch is water-resistant to 100 metres and offers shock resistance up to 5G.
This special edition, limited to just 20 pieces, is priced at €20,400.
