A Brilliant Behemoth: The Greubel Forsey GF02 Double Tourbillon 30° Vision

Horology is an ancient art. With each year that passes, makers find more and more ways to apply the principles of centuries old to further refine the accuracy and art of modern timepieces. Today we are exploring one example of this phenomenon, a watch that is simultaneously incredibly traditional and hyper-modernist. This is the Greubel Forsey GF02 Double Tourbillon 30° Vision in 18k white gold. This watch is a brilliant behemoth, massive in physical stature and mechanical significance.

Greubel-Forsey-Double-Tourbillon-30°-Vision-GF02 — Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Vision GF02

History

Greubel Forsey was founded in 2004 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey with the expressed purpose of creating as accurate a mechanical watch as possible while exploring new artistic avenues with their timepieces. In 2004 at Baselworld, the “power couple” presented their very first watch, the model we are covering today, the Double Tourbillon 30°. With the incredible watch, Greubel Forsey worked to dispel the rumor that nothing new could be presented to the world of traditional watchmaking. The supremely accurate watch proved a massive success and GF earned the respect of the rest of the industry and collectors.

Since the 2004 success, the brand has presented a number of other pieces with tourbillon innovations. A quadruple tourbillon and 24 second tourbillon to name just two, found further ways to push the confines of past assumptions and heighten the precision of their wristwatches.

Design Details

The actual layout of the dial is quite simple. The dial is constructed from solid 18k white gold, and is balanced by the subsidiary seconds at 9 and the power reserve at 3. Situated firmly in the center is the monstrous double tourbillon with its intertwined cages — more on this later. The perimeter of the dial is lined with a minute track.

The whole of the 43.5mm case is constructed from white gold, and is just shy of 16mm thick. This is quite substantial, although the lug profile slopes sharply downward to help the watch wear as small as possible. The sizing is the one component that may make this piece prohibitive to those with small wrists. Across the dial are four strategically positioned blued fasteners that affix the dial to the movement. As should any watch of this heft and complication, the GF02 Double Tourbillon is outfitted with a white gold deployant clasp.

Moving to the case sides, Greubel Forsey has engraved a wave pattern on the sides, likely to call to mind the fact that their double tourbillons are designed to equalize the amplitude of the balances. As a secondary advantage, the waves interrupt what would otherwise be a very large expanse of case sides which would have made the piece look very chunky.

Another component of this watch’s design that’s of note is that it features distinctive lugs that are scooped. This is not a common lug profile, but it enhances this watch’s aesthetics. The bezel is domed and then stepped to help make the piece slide under the cuff more readily. To match the blued screws and hands, this piece is outfitted with a blue alligator strap. This detail pulls together the accents across the model to create a cohesive design language.

Inner Workings

The highlight of this watch, and the reason Greubel Forsey is where it is today, is as a result of the movement. The idea with this piece was to make a tourbillon that’s advantageous even on a wristwatch. Practically, when a watch is on the wrist, for the tourbillon to rotate on one axis doesn’t do much for the gravitational equalizing that the tourbillon was invented for with pocket watches (where the watch is in a fixed position, and thus the rotating tourbillon changes the escapement’s orientation). Therefore, Greubel placed a tourbillon at 30 degrees within a second flat tourbillon. This ensures that the escapement is moving in a 3D path rather than a 2D one. From a timekeeping standpoint, this provides a mechanical advantage for chronometric performance.

Another interesting component is that the two tourbillons are moving at different rates. The outer tourbillon cage makes one revolution in four minutes while the inner makes a revolution in one minute. This further extends the advantages of the tourbillon by varying the rates and averaging out the inconsistencies across four different positions.

The movement itself is constructed from German silver (just like Lange), and is exquisitely finished. As a result of the interlocking tourbillons, the outer tourbillon is quite large. The cage in turn is much larger and has a lot of surface area to be finished. Greubel Forsey has brought these components to a mirror shine. This is incredibly difficult to do, because the surface is curved and the polishing tool is flat, requiring the craftsman to continually alter the angle of the abrasive tooling to maintain a consistent shine. Looking at the pristine surface, you never would guess the incredible marvel this is. One other point of note is that in spite of having two tourbillons, which provides a huge drain on the power reserve (1 tourbillon would already be a heavy load), this piece has a 72 hour power reserve as a result of twin mainspring barrels. Well done.

Versus the Competition

First up as an alternative to the GF02 is a slightly later variant of the same movement architecture, the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees Technique. This model has an entirely open movement carcass, with four mainspring barrels and a reworked layout to help expose as much of the cavernous movement as possible. This piece is a great representation of what else the brand can do with the tourbillon, as yet another artful interpretation of the legendary complication.

Next up is a watch that I have a personal affinity for, the Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Double Spiral Tourbillon. One of only 18 in the world, this piece is so subtle, no one would ever guess how incredible this watch is. This tourbillon uses a double hairspring to allow the balance to remain centered on its axis. Just like the Greubel Forsey pieces, this watch is impeccably hand finished, although it takes a much more traditional approach to the finishing and layout than the GF. Furthermore, this watch has a solid dial, so no aperture is showing off the tourbillon. That is reserved purely for the enjoyment of those that take the watch off their wrist. This watch is pure class.

I think it is only appropriate to mention Breguet when covering tourbillons (since Breguet first registered the patent for the innovation), and this Breguet 3357BA may just epitomize the brand’s approach to the complication. Centered at the bottom of a guilloché dial, the tourbillon is surrounded by elaborate hand engraving which continues on the rear of the timepiece. While Breguet may be seen as a traditional maker, when he first started making watches, his excessively ornate designs were seen as flashy and hip compared to the reserved aesthetics of other watchmakers. This ornamentation has carried itself through the generations to this watch, and it seems fitting for a piece with this degree of movement prominence to be fitted with equally special dial and movement decorations.

Personality

The collector that buys this watch appreciates high horology creations and wishes to support the work of a smaller innovator. This watch is part of the highest end segment of independent makers, crafting a boutique product for a particularly discerning collector that appreciates the aesthetics and mechanics of the brand. This watch will likely go in a collection alongside other Greubel Forsey pieces, as one of the most significant references for the brand as their very first model.

Final Thoughts

Greubel Forsey has come into its own in recent years, developing a passionate following of dedicated enthusiasts who value the brand’s innovations in the space. This watch arguably best captures the brand’s approach to watchmaking and might be the best entrance into the world of Greubel Forsey. For a high end compilation with accuracy as the very first priority, this is an excellent option.