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Lot Essay
Combining state-of-the-art watchmaking with robust sporting capabilities, this titanium ‘Balancier S’, the ‘S’ standing for ‘Sport’, is one of the remarkable high precision timepieces for which Greubel Forsey have become justly famous. The present series with green dial was made in a limited edition of only 8 examples, to the best of our knowledge, it is the only example of this small limited series to be offered at auction to date. Presenting an incredibly rare opportunity to acquire a superlative creation by one of the most exciting independent makers of contemporary haute horologerie, this watch is the perfect choice for those who hold the endless pursuit of timekeeping excellence in the highest regard. The impressive 45 mm. diameter ergonomic titanium ovoid-shaped case is an ingenious design that provides a streamlined presence on the wrist, from the front the watch appears circular, from other angles oval due to its subtle curvature.
What sets the ‘Balancier S’ model apart from most other Greubel Forsey watches is that it does not have a tourbillon, instead it is designed with a large-diameter inclined fixed balance at an angle of 30° held by a shaped bridge.
Stephen Forsey explained the philosophy of the inclined balance: 'When we started, we made it our mission to improve the performance of the wristwatch, the fundamental research we performed in the beginning led to the idea of the double tourbillon for which we have become known. But we also knew even at the early stage that we wanted to explore other avenues, and fixed inclined escapements quickly became important.'
The purpose of the inclined fixed balance movement was, in common with the tourbillon, intended to reduce or eliminate the effect of gravity on the watch in various different positions. Greubel Forsey’s aim has always been to mechanically produce an average of the different positional rate errors for better overall performance. The ‘Balancier S’ movement has its balance inclined at 30° in respect to the mainplate. The specific angle of incline is most important because it means that the positional errors imposed upon the balance in any given position are offset, the theory is that the movement’s chronometric performance is equal to a tourbillon. A small seconds display is placed to the left of the balance and a power-reserve indication sector with red arrow hand in the upper right of the dial.
What sets the ‘Balancier S’ model apart from most other Greubel Forsey watches is that it does not have a tourbillon, instead it is designed with a large-diameter inclined fixed balance at an angle of 30° held by a shaped bridge.
Stephen Forsey explained the philosophy of the inclined balance: 'When we started, we made it our mission to improve the performance of the wristwatch, the fundamental research we performed in the beginning led to the idea of the double tourbillon for which we have become known. But we also knew even at the early stage that we wanted to explore other avenues, and fixed inclined escapements quickly became important.'
The purpose of the inclined fixed balance movement was, in common with the tourbillon, intended to reduce or eliminate the effect of gravity on the watch in various different positions. Greubel Forsey’s aim has always been to mechanically produce an average of the different positional rate errors for better overall performance. The ‘Balancier S’ movement has its balance inclined at 30° in respect to the mainplate. The specific angle of incline is most important because it means that the positional errors imposed upon the balance in any given position are offset, the theory is that the movement’s chronometric performance is equal to a tourbillon. A small seconds display is placed to the left of the balance and a power-reserve indication sector with red arrow hand in the upper right of the dial.