In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth… And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.
The innovative, very distinctive Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees VISIONThe founding magicians at Greubel Forsey have been creating horological wonders since the company’s humble beginnings in 1999, but it was at the unveiling of their signature piece in Baselworld 2004 where true magic was beheld.
Despite coming from different backgrounds and nationalities, Englishman Stephen Forsey and Frenchman Robert Greubel shared one common passion: the tireless pursuit of peerless quality. As watchmakers they also shared another obsession, the Tourbillon; they both expressed the need to elevate the escapement to the Horological peaks they felt it should occupy. Not only did they set out to achieve this rather lofty goal, but along the way, they decided to produce the most resolutely technical watches of their time as well. To do this, Greubel Forsey decided to take the horological-road-less-traveled, to focus on innovation and experimentation.
Having first met while both working for Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi, they decided to set off on their own in 1999 and to work together after realizing that they shared the same vision of pushing the boundaries of technical haute horlogerie. In 2001, the two founded CompliTime SA in La Chaux-de- Fonds, a company dedicated to the development of complicated movements for other haute horology brands. But their genius could not be contained and sure enough, the pair was not satisfied with producing movements 
One month’s worth of work is clearly seen in the hand engraved “spiral of infinity” on the side of the case.for other companies, which reaped the rewards of their labor; so it was during this time that Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey lay the foundation for their own inevitable blaze of glory. It was 3 years later in Baselworld 2004, that the fledgling company of Greubel Forsey was introduced to the world as a bright and shining fierce independent and what better way to showcase this? Why, to introduce their signature time piece as well: The Double Tourbillon 30 degrees VISION . With this time piece, Greubel Forsey had set or rather offset a one minute tourbillion inside a 4 minute tourbillion carriage. This was to be their first invention, (innovation?) the very distinctive, three dimensional, double axial tourbillon; literally, a tourbillon within a tourbillon.
A crank operated working Meccano model of the double tourbillon conceptThe tourbillon, one of the most captivating and certainly one of the most enduring inventions in horological history, has been around for a little more than 200 years; Invented by Abraham- Louis Breguet, the tourbillion’s beginnings was brought about by the need to counterbalance the effects of gravity on the mechanisms of pocket watches, which are traditionally worn upright inside vest pockets. The tourbillon escapement neutralized the position error caused by the pull of gravity on the balance wheel of pocket watches (which could never be poised with absolute perfection), resulting in greater rate accuracy. Today, fascination with the escapement has not waned, nor has the mechanism lost any of its hypnotic allure.
Greubel Forsey found that mounting a one-minute tourbillon within a 30 degree offset tourbillon carriage with a four minute rotation, ensured a better chronometric performance while still maintaining an acceptable depth to the watch. This configuration also has the added benefit of allowing the whole of the Double Tourbillon to be admired. But a watch is more than just the sum of its parts and the aesthetics of Greubel Forsey creations are certainly not left unattended. The architecture of their movements is designed not just for function but for form as well. To showcase the main features of the movement is a goal never far from the minds of the inventors. As in the case of the Double Tourbillon, the solid gold two-piece dial has four substantial blued security screws that, 
The finished model in all its 3D glorynot only make an impressive visual statement, but are also vital in keeping the heavy dial in place as well. In fact, design elements throughout the entire case, watch dial and movement, all serve one purpose: to showcase the magnificent intricacies within. For Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, the aesthetic design of the watch is as important as its movement and its look is therefore developed in conjunction with it rather than as an afterthought.
Having decided quite early on that Greubel Forsey watches were not only going to be technical masterpieces but that they would also be finished to the highest levels possible that the pair deemed befitted their creations, Stephen and Robert set out to create a workplace that would suit their most highest of standards.
Upon visiting the non-descript Ancien Manage (old ridingschool) that Greubel Forsey had converted into their factories and offices, it becomes instantly obvious that for a relatively small independent company, Greubel Forsey has certainly taken the leap into the 21st Century. The manufacture has an IT department where a CAD desk is employed to extensively design and test movements and parts in the virtual world long before actual prototypes are even considered (fierce, remember?). Sophisticated 3D programs take a lot of the guess work out of “only” having physical prototypes to work with and certainly speed up the development process. However, there is still a significant gap between concepts working on-screen and having an actual working model in the real world and this is where Greubel Forsey blazes such a bright light. Co-creator Stephen Forsey actually wears an extremely well made brass-cased prototype of their signature piece, the double tourbillion; while nowhere near as finished as the production units, and while he may never allow it to be sold, its value as a one-of-a-kind collector’s item is priceless.
The one-minute tourbillon within a 30 degree offset tourbillon carriage with a four minute rotation
It has come to be that even highly respected watchmakers known for their own exemplary finishes have commented on the superb level of finishing that Greubel Forsey endows on their creations. The tourbillon bridge on the Double Tourbillon 30 degrees Vision alone needed eight hours of work which included deburring, hand filing and cleaning of corners and angles, a hand-finished and polished bevel, 
hand-finished and polished conical barreled sections, hand-finished straight grained flanks, straight graining by hand on the underside, polished and beveled screw countersinks and hand executed flat black polish to the upper side - and that is just one part! That bridge is only one of 128 parts that make up to two tourbillon carriages - that’s more pieces in the tourbillon carriages alone than many complicated watches have in total. The complete movement has just over 300 finely crafted components. The watchmakers even aspire to a mirror-like black polish finish of all the key parts, which they do just before the final assembly.
Greubel Forsey makes certain that the assembly of all its components are rigorously controlled and that they pass through the most rigorous of laboratory testing before being implemented. Parts undergo exhaustive and demanding checks to ensure that they confirm to the relentlessly exacting requirements Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey expect. All the pieces are then tested and are checked over in every minute detail to guarantee that they are on par with Greubel Forsey’s exacting standards; perfect is the byword at the Ancien Manage. Then and only then is the black polish finish applied right before assembly to avoid the slightest microscopic mark or scratch.
Each Greubel Forsey creation takes a minimum of one month of meticulous work in assembling the movement and fitting it to its case. No expense is ever spared in the design and construction of any of their inventions, proof positive when taking into consideration that the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees was only the pair’s 1st creation. At 43.5mm in diameter and at 15.76mm thick, one just needs to look at the watch to see their majestic Vision: Guarding the crown on each side of the watch case, is a hand engraved “Spiral of Infinity” while 3 dimensional geometry-shaped lugs hold the watch to its alligator leather strap. The dial itself is the epitome of technical beauty: 4 blued steel security screws hold the solid gold hand-beveled two-piece dial in place. Dominating the face at 6 o’clock is the double Tourbillon, with a 4-armed hand and a sectorial sub-dial to follow the 4-minutes cycle of the outer Tourbillon and above it a solid gold plate with an individual timepiece number completes the escapement. At the 3 o’clock position is a 72-hours power reserve 
indicator sub-dial, while at the 9 position is another sub-dial to follow the 1 minute cycle of the inner Tourbillon. The Double Tourbillion 30 Degrees Vision is offered in red gold, paired with either a silvered gold or a black gold dial; in white gold, paired again with either the silver gold or black gold dial; and in platinum, paired with a gold and mother-of-pearl dial.
Introduced in Baselworld 2004, the response that met the dynamic duo was almost overwhelming, the accolades seemingly unending and they saw that it was good. But not Greubel Forsey; not keen to rest on their laurels the pair set out to top their modest 2004 success. Soon the words inventors and patents became synonymous with the brand and the next several years were met with the introduction of some even more audacious horological innovations.
Just a year later saw the unveiling of not only the duo’s second patented invention: the Quadruple Tourbillon à Différentiel in which four Tourbillons are linked to a spherical differential but the introduction of the EWT or the Experimental Watch Technology research platform as well. The latter is Greubel Forsey’s proprietary research and development platform. It incorporates a dedicated laboratory, which enables in-house experimentation, testing and ratification for the development of experimental watches.
Then again a year later, Baselworld circa 2006, and Greubel Forsey presents an even bigger surprise: not one but two inventions. The first was the wholly unexpected collaboration with another maverick, Harry Winston, and the unveiling of the Opus 6 at the opening of Baselworld 2006. The second was the brand’s third invention, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné, with a patented movement, which at the time was still in its initial experimental phase in which the mechanism derives maximum advantage from the fast rotation of a single inclined Tourbillon cage (maybe most of their time was spent perfecting their project with Mr. Winston).
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A CAD desk brings the manufacture smack into the middle of the 21st century. |
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2007 saw the inventors slowing down…somewhat, by not coming up with a new invention but instead focusing on the perfection of their third, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné, and finding the time for a tribute…to themselves; hey if you’re as talented as these two, then why not? And to prove it (again - what is it with these two?) the pair presents not one but two tributes: the first is an extension, not a re-invention, of their original “VISION ” masterpiece, which they call the Double Tourbillon 30 degree SECRET; unlike the original wherein the dance of two tourbillon cages is shown in its full glory for all to see, this time the 
The finished Invention Piece 1, consider the boundary pushed.horological artistry is kept from public view as the escapement can be viewed exclusively from the back of the case; thus it’s name, the Secret.
The original Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees Vision was designed for the connoisseur of the more extrovert of inclination by focusing on the visual display of the invention. This time Greubel Forsey had the more modest connoisseur in mind when they conceptualized the Secret. Understanding that the act of observing the mechanism can be an intensely personal pleasure for the more discreet of collectors Greubel Forsey set out for a more “secretive” approach, making this variation an altogether more humble rendition of the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees concept. The owner is meant to appreciate the charms of this watch discreetly…from behind through a domed sapphire crystal. What is naturally intriguing about the watch is how it says tourbillon on the dial, even if the actual escapement is nowhere in sight. It may lead one to wonder if it is considered a cop-out to own a tourbillon watch even if no one can see it. But it is in the beauty and artistry of the piece wherein this watch excels, for it is the very dial, splendidly finished as it is, that naturally hints at the treasure it is guarding. As in the Secret’s sibling, the Vision, the inner tourbillon is angled at 30 degrees while the outer one rotates every four minutes. For those in the 
A secret within a secret: the hidden Double Tourbillonknow, the exquisitely crafted matt-finished gold dial suggests at the presence of its exceptional mechanism via the unusually large subdial at the 6 o’clock position with its elegant blue steel hand which shows the four-minute rotation of the outer cage of the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees while the power reserve is displayed in its full 72-hours glory at the 3 o’clock position. Issued in an extremely limited run of just 11 pieces, this watch is the epitome of exclusivity and any of the 11 lucky owners will feel privileged to join one of the most exclusive of exclusive clubs.
If the first tribute was an extension, then the second a homage: created to honor the first Greubel Forsey invention, the Invention Piece 1, is an entirely different take on the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees, one which raises the extremely high bar Greubel Forsey set even higher. The watch has an idiosyncratically atypical layout that showcases the 4 hard years it took Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey to push the boundaries of their original invention. Rearranging the layout of the timepiece allowed the inventors to place the Double Tourbillion at the center of the actual time display. The display itself is unique to say the least, a semi-circular hour and minute presentation, where the 7 o’clock indication used to be found, that visually buttresses the link between the heart of the mechanism and the display of time. Two pairs of triangular indicators, each indicator 180 degrees opposite each other, red arrows for the hours and blue arrows for the minutes, follow the passage of time on the mechanism’s two concentric semi-circles. To facilitate read-off, the 12-hour and 0- minute markers are aligned at the traditional 12 o’clock position, the various speeds of rotation of these different elements give an idea of the complexity of the mechanism: whereas the outer cage takes four minutes to perform a complete rotation and the inner cage just 60 seconds, the double 
hands turn in 24 hours for the hours display and two hours for minutes. To complete the indications on the dial, a traditional seconds subdial is found at the 11 o’clock position followed by the 72-hours power indicator at the 2 o’clock position (both off-centered of course). Taken all together the dial becomes reminiscent of a miniature solar system. To top this all off, the Invention Piece 1 has one more ace up its sleeve: directly engraved on a plate, appearing like stars on a night sky over the rising moon, is the story of Greubel Forsey and the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees that will forever accompany the owner of this exceptional timepiece.
388 parts contribute to the smooth running of the movement driving the piece including 128 for the double cage alone which weighs a mere 1.17 grams. The Invention Piece 1 is produced in a single edition limited to three versions of 11 watches in white gold, red gold and platinum respectively ensuring the watch will be a much sought after prize for discerning collectors. This number 11 was chosen by the inventor pair for its symbolic value (1+1) representing the stellar partnership of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey.
4 years on, its still the 7th day for the dynamic duo and they’re still not keen to rest on their laurels. In fact, the pair shows no indication of slowing down. Let’s hope that 2009 will be another spectacular year for Greubel Forsey and that they astound the horological world, indeed the rest of the world with yet another incredible invention.