Gerald Charles Masterlink Atelier Edition: Three New Dials Made From Hammered Maillechort

Depending on the angle of the light, different raised areas, recesses and reflections stand out on the dial of the new Gerald Charles Masterlink Atelier Edition. Available in three finishes – Golden Rose, Rhodium and Golden Yellow – and limited to a total of 75 pieces, this edition retains the Masterlink’s case, bracelet and ultra-thin micro-rotor calibre, whilst introducing a new design highlight in the form of a hand-hammered Maillechort dial.

Inspiration: The 2007 Sarawak

When Gerald Charles unveiled the Masterlink in 2024, the basic design concept was already 17 years old. In 2007, the Gerald Charles ‘Sarawak’ was created as a bespoke piece for the royal family of the Malaysian state of the same name. The model, lavishly set with diamonds and rubies, already combined an asymmetrical case with a fully integrated bracelet.

For today’s Masterlink, this approach has been reinterpreted: the gemstone setting has been replaced by a 38 mm x 38 mm stainless steel case, whilst the watch’s asymmetrical basic shape has been retained. This is particularly evident in the concave curve at six o’clock, which is referred to as the ‘Smile’ within the collection. This curve distinguishes the Masterlink from many integrated sports watches, whose cases and bracelets are constructed along a largely symmetrical central axis.

A dial made from hammered maillechort

The dial is made of Maillechort, a copper-nickel-zinc alloy with a silvery base colour, which – despite appearances – contains no silver. Each blank is hammered and shaped by hand in Gerald Charles’s Geneva workshop. This process creates an irregular texture from numerous individual indentations, with each small surface reflecting light in a different direction.

This effect differs from a classic sunburst finish. In the latter, the reflections of incident light follow a uniform radial pattern and move across the dial as a continuous glow. In the Atelier Edition, by contrast, many small areas and breaks react independently of one another to the viewing angle. Light-coloured edges may lie immediately adjacent to darker recesses, making the surface appear more three-dimensional.

As the hammered pattern is applied by hand to each blank, whilst the design follows the same principle, every dial turns out differently – meaning every watch is unique. There are three colours to choose from: Golden Rose, Rhodium and Golden Yellow.

Applied hour markers? – Not necessary!

Unlike the standard Masterlink, the Atelier Edition has no applied hour markers. This leaves a larger portion of the hammered surface visible, as there are no additional markings on the dial apart from the central hour and minute hands and the brand logo.

However, the absence of hour markers is not merely for aesthetic reasons; it also affects the watch’s readability. Without marked hour positions and a minute track, it is harder to tell the time as accurately as on a classically laid-out dial. This brings the structure and texture of the dial to the fore. As the watch displays only hours and minutes anyway, this minimalist approach remains coherent, even if it makes reading the time to the minute a little more difficult.

You can find out more about the Masterlink in its top-of-the-range version – featuring a perpetual calendar – in our article.

When asymmetry appears balanced

The case is made of 316L stainless steel and combines polished and satin-finished surfaces. Due to its asymmetrical shape, the integrated steel bracelet cannot attach identically at the top and bottom. On the 12 o’clock side of the case, the links continue the comparatively straight line of the case. On the opposite side, the central links initially follow the concave ‘smile’ contour before gradually transitioning into the straight line of the bracelet.

The bracelet is also designed to create as seamless and uniform a look as possible. Screws are not visible from the outside, whilst the folding clasp is concealed within the final links. The bracelet is available in lengths of 157, 205 and 222 millimetres; there is also a fine-adjustment mechanism the size of a short bracelet link. This range of sizes is particularly practical with an integrated stainless steel bracelet, as the watch cannot be positioned flexibly in the same way as with a leather or rubber strap.

The case is 7.99 millimetres high. The Masterlink features a screw-down crown with a Clous de Paris finish and is water-resistant to 100 metres. The sapphire crystal has multiple anti-reflective coatings on both sides. The slim profile not only ensures an elegant appearance on the wrist, but also offers features that are essential for a sporty steel watch in everyday use.

An ultra-thin calibre with a micro-rotor

Inside, an automatic in-house calibre measures just 2.67 millimetres in height. Instead of a centrally mounted automatic oscillating weight, the movement uses an off-centre micro-rotor. This occupies only a small portion of the movement’s surface area, thereby enabling a flatter design without sacrificing automatic winding.

The calibre comprises 176 components and 29 jewels, operates at a frequency of 3 hertz and offers a power reserve of 50 hours. Only the hours and minutes are displayed. Through the sapphire crystal case back, one can see, amongst other things, Geneva stripes, circular graining and snail-finished sections. The micro-rotor remains visible, illustrating how the automatic winding mechanism has been integrated into the movement’s slim profile.

Three colours, with 25 pieces in each

There are 25 watches in each of the Golden Rose, Rhodium and Golden Yellow variants. The Masterlink Atelier Edition therefore comprises a total of 75 pieces. The retail price is available on request only from Gerald Charles; a five-year warranty applies following registration.

geraldcharles.com