Step inside the atelier of Greubel Forsey in La Chaux-de-Fonds to unravel redesigned calibres and an expansion project
Twenty years, 20 million Swiss francs. In haute horlogerie, we don’t always talk about big numbers, but these two are striking in their impact. It sums up some of Greubel Forsey’s own convictions, which put it more than ever in the vanguard of disruptive haute horlogerie.
Next year, the independent atelier will be 20 years old—youthful by the standards of centuries-old maisons, it is nonetheless rich in achievements that many would envy, including seven fundamental inventions that have propelled the escapement to new horizons of performance. Today, it’s this dimension of innovation, coupled with a deeply inspired aesthetic, that the atelier intends to reinforce.
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The 20 million figure isn’t an expense but an investment: Greubel Forsey will more than double its property footprint in La Chaux-de-Fonds from 21,500 to about 59,000 sq ft, a token of confidence in the atelier’s future. There’s good reason for this, daring since it has also doubled its production by 2022, with 180 timepieces delivered to top-level collectors: “collectors, but above all connoisseurs,” as Antonio Calce, CEO and shareholder of Greubel Forsey, reminds us.
With this extension, Calce aims to push the boundaries of excellence even further, not only in terms of innovation, but also by opening an R&D department dedicated solely to decoration—an unprecedented approach in haute horlogerie.
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Fired by this new momentum, Greubel Forsey is widening the gap between itself and the traditional players in the world of haute horlogerie. Each timepiece now aims to make a double difference, both in terms of technique and chronometry, thanks to high-precision movements based on its own inventions; and in terms of aesthetics, by pushing current finishes to the limit while already working on those of the future. It’s an aggressive strategy that aims to set new standards for haute horlogerie in the 21st century.