W&W 2025: Gerald Charles Celebrates Jubilee With Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition
As Gerald Charles commemorates its 25th anniversary, the maison is launching a special tribute to its legendary founder, Mr. Gérald Charles Genta, with the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition. This release not only celebrates the brand’s heritage but also pays homage to the extraordinary creativity and technical prowess of Mr. Genta, who is renowned as one of the most influential watch designers of the past two centuries. The design and function of this particular model are based on the original GC39 model from 2005, which was inspired by the ‘window watch’ style with a sliding-hour complication and was developed together with Antoine Preziuso.
The anniversary edition coincides with the opening of Gerald Charles’ archives to the public, offering a glimpse into the rich history and creative genius of its founder. With a contemporary twist on the original GC39 model, this limited-edition timepiece is set to captivate collectors and enthusiasts with its distinctive design and technical sophistication. Limited to just 100 pieces, the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition features a striking design characterized by its unique case inspired by Baroque architecture and advanced mechanical movement. Let’s take a closer look.
Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition case
The Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition is a testament to Gerald Charles’ innovative design ethos, featuring a case that captures the essence of Mr. Genta’s original vision. Crafted from polished Grade 5 titanium, the case offers a lightweight yet robust structure, measuring 42 mm squared. This size makes it the largest in the Maestro collection, expanding 3 mm beyond the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin’s case size. The design is rooted in Baroque style, inspired by Francesco Borromini’s architectural masterpiece in Rome. This becomes evident through the watch’s asymmetric profile, cascading bezel, and the unmistakable convex ‘smile’ at 6 o’clock.
Despite the case’s intricate design and the presence of a jumping hours complication, the watch maintains a slim profile at just 11 mm thick. The use of titanium, a challenging material to work with, reflects the maison’s commitment to innovation and quality, ensuring both durability and comfort. Additionally, the watch is equipped with a screw-down crown, enhancing its water resistance, rated at 100 meters, making it suitable for various environments while retaining its elegant design.
Dial
At the heart of the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition dial lies a piece of lapis lazuli. Its shape mimics the Maestro’s distinctive silhouette and is a nod to Genta’s fondness for this semi-precious stone. Surrounding it is a dial crafted using a new precision micro-chemical engraving technique known as meta-guillochage, which creates a captivating Baroque-style multi-ray star motif. This innovative process involves layered engraving that plays with light to produce a mesmerizing effect, highlighting the intricate beauty of the design.
At 12 o’clock, the watch features a jumping hours complication, an homage to the classic ‘montre à guichet’ style. The time is elegantly displayed via a blued central hour hand, which is skeletonised to allow light to pass through and interact with the dial’s engraved surface. Polished Colormix blue cabochon indexes and a black minute track round off the dial’s aesthetic, providing a harmonious contrast to the vibrant blue frame and adding depth to the overall aesthetic. A special 25th-anniversary logo adorns the dial, marking this edition as a collector’s piece.
Movement
At the core of the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition is the patented Swiss Manufacture 4.0 Calibre Jumping Hours, a marvel of horological engineering developed in-house by Gerald Charles. This automatic movement features a jumping hours complication, a sophisticated function rarely seen in modern watchmaking. The movement comprises 265 components and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), offering a robust 50-hour power reserve.
The jumping hours mechanism, which requires substantial energy to function, is a testament to the maison’s technical prowess and aligns with Mr. Genta’s admiration for this complication. The movement’s bridges are adorned with Côtes de Genève stripes and perlage finishes, showcasing the meticulous hand-finishing techniques perfected by Gerald Charles’ artisans. The rhodium-plated module wheels enhance the aesthetic, while the golden oscillating weight, visible through the sapphire case back, features a honeycomb motif designed by Octavio Garcia. This intricate design is complemented by the 25th-anniversary logo, underscoring the watch’s celebratory nature and the brand’s commitment to excellence.
Strap
The Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition is equipped with a Royal Blue vulcanised rubber strap, which embodies both luxury and functionality. This strap features a Clou de Paris pattern on the top side and a Gerald Charles logo tapisserie on the rear.
The choice of a rubber strap is in line with the maison’s philosophy of creating versatile watches that seamlessly transition from day to night and casual to formal settings. The strap is secured with a butterfly deployant buckle made from polished Grade 5 titanium, matching the case’s finish and ensuring a cohesive aesthetic. This combination of materials and design elements not only provides exceptional comfort and durability but also offers a sporty yet sophisticated look.
Price & Availability of the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition
The Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition is a limited-edition release, with only 100 pieces available worldwide. Priced at 36,000 euros, the watch reflects the brand’s prestige and the exceptional craftsmanship involved in its creation. Given its limited production, the watch is expected to attract significant interest from the watch community. The first 40 pieces will be delivered at launch, with the remainder to follow, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a unique timepiece that celebrates the legacy of Mr. Gérald Charles Genta and the maison’s 25-year haute horlogerie journey.
Rolex is presenting its new releases for this year at Watches & Wonders 2025. Highlights include a left-handed GMT-Master II with a green dial, revised Oyster Perpetual models, and several new dials. This year's star of the show, however, is a completely new model: the Land-Dweller, housing several innovations in the movement. Land-Dweller: new model,…
Florentine watchmaker Panerai used to supply precision instruments to the Royal Italian Navy, which over time also gave rise to a passion for historic ships. One such vessel is the yacht Eilean, designed and built by boatbuilder William Fife and lavishly restored with Panerai's support. Shortly after the Eilean was completed in 1936, Panerai produced…
A depth of 4,000 metres or 400 bar – that is how much the Oris AquisPro 4000m can withstand. The new model is the most resilient diver's watch in Oris' portfolio to date. While a wave pattern on the dial visually encourages its wearer to venture into the deep, a robust titanium case and a patented ceramic…
On the occasion of the Rado Design Week, which took place virtually in collaboration with internationally renowned architecture and design magazine Dezeen, Rado is introducing three exceptional Rado True Square Design Specials. The timepieces are the work of several renowned design teams and demonstrate unique approaches to reinterpreting the classic wristwatch. All the models are…
Swiss watch manufacture Breitling is launching an extremely limited-edition Chronomat series as well as a new squad. Both dedicate themselves to the unions and federations that make up Six Nations Rugby: England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, and Italy. Breitling holds the title of exclusive luxury watch partner to Six Nations Rugby, and the Chronomat Six…
Oris is introducing a limited edition in the form of a new watch with a deep green dial – the Oris Aquis Hangang Limited Edition. The Oris timepiece is helping to support a Seoul-based project to clean up South Korea’s Hangang River. In order to do this, Oris is pairing up with Seoul KFEM, part…
OMEGA is introducing the De Ville Trésor Power Reserve, the first variation in a series of new Trésor models. The new editions will be available with various material and colour combinations. For example, some will only have a small seconds, while others will also feature a power reserve indicator. The latter can be found on…
The Master Control collection from Jaeger-LeCoultre has been around since 1992, and to mark its 30th anniversary, the Maison is presenting new dials for the Master Control Date and Master Control Calendar. Until now, the two models were only available with silver-grey dials. Now, however, they appear in deep blue with a sunburst finish and…
Now celebrating its 15th year of partnership with Austin Healey, Plan-les-Ouates based watchmaker Frederique Constant has released its annual new Vintage Rally Healey watch to add to its collection – the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Germany (Ref. FC-397HWB5B6). Presented in a 42mm polished stainless-steel two-part case that is water-resistant to 5m, the sporty looking timepiece…
Montblanc is unveiling the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18. The watch uses a new gold alloy called Lime Gold. The Montblanc 1858 line takes its inspiration from the professional Minerva watches from the 1920s and 1930s. These piece were used in extreme conditions, following their initial conception for use by the military.…
The Chopard Manufacture presents with the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF a new addition to the Alpine Eagle collection. It appears for the first time in a titanium case. The highlight, however, is the mechanics inside. Chopard has installed a new fast oscillating calibre that operates at a frequency of 8 hertz. The new model is…
Piaget is celebrating the history of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept with a unique piece. Until recently, the ultra-flat watch from 2018 was considered the flattest mechanical watch in the world. But then, on the occasion of Watches & Wonders 2022, Bulgari presented the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which has been leading the field ever since. Nonetheless,…
With the Olympic 1932 Chrono Chime and the Speedmaster Chrono Chime, Omega launched two evocative timepieces yesterday in Los Angeles. Both watches carry a high degree of historical heritage. Swisswatches was in attendance, reporting live from LA for this milestone in watchmaking, and was able to take a closer look at the two watches on…