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Bracelet that flows directly from the case without separate end-links. Genta\'s 1972 Royal Oak innovation.
Every Patek Nautilus: 3700/1A Jumbo Genta, 5711/1A, 5712 moonphase, 5980 chrono, 5990 Travel Time, 5811/1G white gold, 5740 perpetual.
Biography and iconic designs of the 20th century's most influential watch designer.
Monochrome
IWC staged the much-anticipated return of its Ingenieur in 2023, an iconic reference designed by the late Gérald Genta. Recovering genetic traits of Genta’s famous 1976 Ingenieur SL Jumbo reference 1832, the current collection was rekindled with a handsome, fully integrated 40mm Automatic in steel and titanium. The latest Ingenieur Automatic is slightly larger and […]
Monochrome
The Gerald Charles brand was founded by the legendary designer Gérald Genta in 2000, with backing from the Zivani family. After the designer’s death in 2011, Federico Zivani set about reviving the brand and has since created a solid collection of watches around the idiosyncratic yet immediately recognisable Maestro case. Celebrating 25 years of the […]
Fratello
When IWC released the Ingenieur Automatic 40 at Watches and Wonders in 2023, it was a return to the classic ’70s-style integrated-bracelet look. It draws heavily upon the Gérald Genta-designed Ingenieur SL ref. 1832 from 1976. These collectible vintage watches are expensive and rare, so having a modern alternative makes sense. Two years after the […] Visit Revisiting The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 With A Blue Dial to read the full article.
SJX Watches
In the 1970s, arguably no watch brand was having more fun than Seiko, which launched the bold King Seiko Vanac collection in 1972. Five decades on, Seiko returns to the concept with the all-new King Seiko Vanac, with bold dial colours and an angular, faceted case inspired by its namesake. Despite an entirely new design – the modern-day Vanac is not a remake – the collection captures the style and spirit of the funky 1970s originals perfectly. Available in five different dial colours, each inspired by the Tokyo skyline at a different time of day, the Vanac also features a new automatic cal. 8L45, now the highest-spec movement for Seiko’s mid tier watches. Initial thoughts The past decade has treated us to more than our fair share of vintage reissues, which by and large have focused on the glorious designs of the 1950s and 1960s. But there are only so many historical designs from this era that a brand can revisit, and as we move into 2025, it’s nice to see a little variety as Seiko looks to the 1970s. And while the Vanac is very much vintage inspired, it isn’t quite a reissue of any particular historical model. Though the bracelet is integrated, the design is different enough from Gerald Genta’s designs that it avoids the common pitfall of looking like it’s trying too hard to look like something else. A selection of vintage Vanac watches The Vanac features a 41 mm case that is quite chunky at 14.3 mm. The case itself is essentially an elongated hexagon, with a ...
SJX Watches
Have revived the Credor Locomotive last year with the limited edition GCCR999, Seiko has now added the Gerald Genta-designed sports watch to its regular production lineup. The Credor Locomotive GCCR997 is identical to its limited edition counterpart, save for the dial, which is now dark green with an intricate hexagon pattern. Initial thoughts Having already gotten wind of the Locomotive becoming regular production, the new GCCR997 isn’t a surprise. It is also inevitable given the good response enjoyed by the limited edition, which was well priced, especially for the case and bracelet quality. The honeycomb dial with its novel pattern is a nice touch. Seiko has wisely kept the retail price essentially unchanged over the limited edition – this is about US$500 more expensive – which means the is still good value, and also more accessible. And I’m sure this won’t be the only Locomotive in the catalogue, so expect to see more variants in the future. Hexagon themed The new Locomotive has the same titanium case and bracelet found on last year’s model. The GCCR997 retains the dimensions of the vintage original that was launched in 1978, but with an improved construction and finish. Made of Seiko’s “high-intensity” titanium, the case and bracelet are finished with a combination of brushed and polished surfaces that gleam a little more than usual because the proprietary alloy has greater hardness than the conventional titanium alloys used in watches. The original,...
Monochrome
Last year, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Credor – the high-end, most classical brand owned by the Seiko Corporation – unveiled a very special watch based on the Locomotive concept and being a faithful recreation of Gérald Genta‘s original 1978 sketch. While Genta is best known for designing the iconic Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Ingenieur, […]
Monochrome
Let’s get up close and personal… We have already explored the revamped IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 in detail when it was launched in 2023, the same year that the Schaffhausen-based brand decided to give this long-lasting collection its 1976 Genta-inspired design back. More recently, what is now a strong contender in the luxury sports watch […]
Fratello
It predates the Nautilus, Ingenieur, and Overseas and debuted three years after the Royal Oak. So why is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, a very relevant 1970s timepiece, not on the same appreciation level as the other luxurious sports watches with an integrated bracelet? It’s not just the Genta name missing because the 222, the predecessor of […] Visit Hands-On With An Unsung And Humble Hero - The Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm In Steel to read the full article.
Monochrome
Gerald Charles, the watch brand founded by the late watch designer Gérald Genta in 2000 and now in the hands of Federico Zivani, celebrates its 25th anniversary with two special editions of its flagship Maestro watch. As a brand that relies on one case design alone, it is surprising how much variety it has introduced […]
Worn & Wound
Vacheron Constantin is the world’s oldest watch brand in continuous operation, and they celebrate a big anniversary this year: 270 years. That’s an incredibly long time for a company to exist, and simply by virtue of its age, Vacheron has survived virtually every kind of calamity that can befall the human beings who, at the end of the day, are responsible for keeping the thing going. Wars, disease, more wars, Instagram hype – Vacheron has seen it all. It’s certainly a milestone worth celebrating, and as brands tend to do when these big numbers crop up, they’re doing it with a watch (probably a bunch of watches, to be fair – it’s only January). In any case, to begin their big anniversary year, Vacheron Constantin has introduced a new version of their 222 in steel, a watch that has been anticipated and speculated about since its most immediate predecessor was introduced just shy of three years ago. Just in case anyone needs a refresher, the 222 was Vacheron Constantin’s original entry in the integrated bracelet sports watch sweepstakes in 1977, the brand’s 222nd anniversary year (this is an anniversary watch to its core). It came after their counterparts in the so-called Holy Trilogy of Swiss watch brands released their own takes on this style (the Audermars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, both designed by Gerald Genta) and was not continuously produced, so it didn’t attain the household name status of those watches. The 222 was always...
Worn & Wound
It is not common practice for us to spend time crafting a hands-on review for watches that sit outside of our personal periphery. There needs to be a thread to pull, some emotion to lean on, and an opinion worth sharing. So, in full disclosure, when arranging a loan for the Gerard-Perregeaux Leureato Chronograph 42mm I did so based on the fact that it had been a while since I had spent any considerable time with a GP and didn’t have any solid thoughts on writing about it. The model is a bit overlooked in the market, has a higher and extremely competitive price point, and has been overshadowed a bit by the titanium version released earlier in 2024. But sitting there with the Laureato Chronograph dial dancing in the light shooting bursts of blue at me, I really began studying the piece. To understand the Laureato though, you must understand the history and a bit of the controversy surrounding it. An oft-forgotten integrated bracelet watch originating from the “golden” Genta age of design, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato can trace its roots back to 1975. While not a Genta design, some believe the Laureato bears a striking resemblance or is a love child of the iconic AP references that gained him eventual fame. For full context, we had the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in 1972, the Baume et Mercier Riviera in 1973, the original Laureato in 1975, the IWC Ingenieur and Patek Philippe Nautilus in 1976, and then the Vacheron Constantin 222 following in 1977. Of course, there are...
Worn & Wound
As I write this piece, I find it fitting that Worn & Wound was co-founded by Zach Weiss, who, as many of you may know, happens to be an Industrial Designer too. There are dozens of us! DOZENS! When it comes to Industrial Design and the watches we love, it’s hard to separate the two, especially in the modern day. For this argument, let’s assume “modern day” refers to everything after 1972, when Gerald Genta changed the watch landscape forever with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Not only did this release change the landscape for folks within the watch industry, but it caught the eye of Industrial Designers who were green in their careers at the time, which later created a snowball effect of designing outside the box when it comes to watches. No longer were we restricted to the round case and the simple forms of previous years. Yes, there were unique watches before this period, but with the progression of design aesthetics and newer advanced manufacturing methods, this was the jumping-off point for wild designs and new methods of manufacture. Marc Newson, the world-renowned industrial designer, is one of those who likely caught the curiosity bug of watches at the right time (pun fully intended). This is purely speculation on my part, but there is some evidence for my madness here, so bear with me. He would have been 9 years old when the Royal Oak was introduced, and years later, when adolescent youth and creativity were at a high for him during his university years, I...
SJX Watches
IWC’s sports watch with an integrated bracelet, the Ingenieur Automatic 40, now gets a dial in dark blue, arguably the quintessential dial colour for such watches. Modelled on the Ingenieur SL designed by Gérald Genta’s in the 1970s, the modern day Ingenieur was released last year in several dial colours, including black and silver. The new model with a blue dial retains the exact same design, including a bezel secured by five functional screws, an integrated H-link bracelet, and a grid-patterned dial. Initial thoughts As a classic colour for such a watch, the blue dial was long expected. It’s arguably the most appealing Ingenieur, though the titanium model has an edge (at a much, much higher price). While it is hard to find fault in the execution of the Ingenieur, it was released somewhat late, as the fad for integrated bracelets already lost steam last year. This new addition is arriving even later, though the upside is it will be more easily available than before. The blue dial model is priced the same as the earlier versions, making it a little expensive considering the entry-level movement inside. Most sports watches with integrated bracelets in the same price segment rely on more sophisticated calibres. Textured blue The new version has specs identical to its siblings in the collection. The stainless steel case is 40 mm in diameter and 10.8 mm thick. Featuring brushed surfaces with polished bevels, the case has the 1970s Ingenieur elements of a circular bezel ...
Monochrome
Born in the mid-1950s as a watch designed for people working in magnetic environments (hence its name), the IWC Ingenieur is mostly remembered in its 1976 shape when IWC released the SL Jumbo reference 1832, designed by Gerald Genta using his classic integrated luxury sports watch concept. It took some years for IWC to finally […]
Time+Tide
A handsome addition to IWC's Genta-inspired sports collection.The post A classic blue dial joins the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having been acquired by Breitling’s private-equity owners last year, Universal Genève is scheduled to officially come back to life in 2026. But ahead of its revival in two years, the brand has unveiled a trio of one-off vintage remakes, the Polerouter SAS Tribute. Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the inaugural Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) flight across the North Pole from Copenhagen to Los Angeles, the three watches are modelled on the Polerouter, a watch created especially for the pilots of SAS. Notably, the Polerouter was designed by the late Gérald Genta when he was just 23 years old. The SAS Tribute is made up of three unique watches, one each in stainless steel, 18k white gold, and 18k red gold, with the white gold example slated to be sold at Phillips in May 2025 with proceeds going to a Geneva arts school. The remaining pair will be retained by Universal Genève as part of its archive and will not be offered for sale. Initial thoughts The Polerouter trio are essentially faithful remakes, right down to the new-old-stock cal. 1-69 micro-rotor movement inside, but with dials in modern colours and finishes. While drawing inspiration from the vintage design, they look modern. The trio isn’t particularly imaginative, though it will appeal to fans of the brand’s vintage watches. Such remakes aren’t enough to revive a Universal Genève, though the brand’s attention to its historical models will be appreciated by enthusiasts. Whether or not Universal...
Monochrome
The Polerouter is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic watches ever created by Universal Genève. Not only was it designed by young Gérald Genta, but it was powered by an important micro-rotor movement and was a purpose-built watch created by request of SAS, asking Universal Genève to create a watch that could support […]
Fratello
If 100 people were asked about the first words that come to mind when “Audemars Piguet” is spoken, I wager that almost all would respond with “Royal Oak.” That signals how popular Gérald Genta’s groundbreaking 1972 design has become. However, before this and even after the Royal Oak was released, Audemars offered a very different […] Visit In-Depth: The Audemars Piguet 5043BC “Ultra-Thin” And Caliber 2003 to read the full article.
Fratello
Another Friday, another list! This week, we’ll take a look at the famous Patek Philippe Nautilus. It’s a great reminder of what makes Gérald Genta’s creation stand out. The watch was first introduced in 1976 and has become one of the industry’s leading silhouettes over time. But we all know that the brand discontinued the […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Patek Philippe Nautilus References to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Stern family has been at the helm of Patek Philippe since the 1930s, and for all intents and purposes the family has been responsible for – or, at the very least, overseen – just about every notable iconic release from the brand in the modern wristwatch age. Sure, split-seconds chronographs and the first Patek perpetual calendar wristwatch pre-date the Stern legacy, but when it comes to pure iconography across known collections spanning the Calatrava, the Nautilus, the Ellipse, and the Aquanaut – names that make boutiques quiver at the notion of adding yet another name to a medieval scroll’s worth of a waitlist – we can all thank generations of the Stern family. And now we can add the Patek Philippe Cubitus to that list. Brothers Jean and Charles Henri Stern invested in Patek in 1932 and were tangentially a part of the brand when the first Calatrava launched. Henri Stern oversaw the development and release of the Ellipse, followed by a watch that has come to define the brand by the general salivating public: the Nautilus (though the ultra-thin Ref. 3940 is just as deserving of praise). Philippe Stern took over in 1993, and it was under his stewardship that Patek followed up on the Gérald Genta-designed Nautilus with a new take on the format: The Aquanaut. Patek loves to delight and surprise, and so, for a deeper look at Patek launches over the years, read Mark Bernardo’s piece here. You might be thinking to yourself that a whole host of watches are missin...
Worn & Wound
I have a confession to make: I’m a bit of an integrated bracelet sports watch skeptic. As the watch community went crazy for integrated, Gerald Genta inspired designs over the last few years, I largely observed from the bench. Watches like the Royal Oak, the Nautilus, and newer challengers like Moser’s Streamliner and Chopard’s reissued (and heavily redesigned) Alpine Eagle have always been curiosities at best, for me. I’ve never lusted after an integrated bracelet sports watch. It feels like that’s almost transgressive to say, or at least would have been at the height of Royal Oak mania a few years ago – but it’s just never been a real point of interest for me. Now, part of the reason for that is certainly the prohibitive price point of many of the most sought after integrated bracelet sports watches. I don’t have thirty thousand dollars (or more) to spend on a watch, and quite frankly if I did, I think I could find other watches I’d prefer for the money. But it’s not just the expense. I’ve never been a fan of the way these watches look on my wrist. Even if I admire the craftsmanship of a Royal Oak bracelet – because it’s honestly undeniable – something about the hard angles just didn’t do it for me. Anyway, skeptic though I am, part of the deal when you work in the watch media world is that you just get to see and try on a lot of stuff. And so there I was at Windup Chicago earlier this year, checking out watches at the Citizen boot...
Monochrome
Gerald Charles, a brand founded by the legendary watch designer Gérald Genta in 2000, has made a convincing comeback under Federico Ziviani’s leadership. The revival began in 2020 with the reintroduction of a distinctive 2006 Genta design, the unique Maestro Anniversary case, paired with a moulded rubber strap. Several iterations of the Maestro have been […]
Fratello
Another Friday, another list! We’re slowly coming to the end of our series of lists that highlight the best of the first half of 2024. This week, we picked our favorite modern luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets. The category that was started by Gérald Genta’s Royal Oak has really taken off in the past […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Modern Sports Watches With Integrated Bracelets Of The First Half Of 2024 to read the full article.
Fratello
The Credor Locomotive is, without a doubt, the most surprising release of the past few months. Credor’s revival of this Gérald Genta-designed classic from the 1970s had people talking. In particular, strong opinions about whether this was a good design or not quickly made the rounds on social media. At first sight, the Locomotive doesn’t […] Visit Going Hands-On With The Divisive Modern Version Of The Credor Locomotive to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The IWC Ingenieur is, in my opinion, one of Gerald Genta’s most underrated designs. But does it hold up compared to some of his most iconic pieces? Let’s find out! What We Love: Breathtaking design Moulds perfectly onto my wrist Genta heritage, but feels unique What We Don’t: A micro-adjust butterfly clasp would be nice Would love a display back Would be nice to have a COSC movement Final Score: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 8/10 IWC is a watch brand that for me personally, I hadn’t really done a deep dive into before. I feel that it is a brand that if you know, you know, and once you get into the brand, many people are hooked. But when I joined Watch Advice, I began to delve deeper into the industry and watchmaking itself. To my surprise (and nobody else’s), I discovered that IWC had contributed much more to horology than I had ever cared to know before. This and the fact that the guys visited the Manufacture in Schaffhausen in April, and regaled me of their adventures there! The giant perpetual calendar movement on the wall in the entry of the IWC Manufacture in Schaffhausen which we visited earlier this year before Watches & Wonders 2024 Founded in 1868 by Bostonian watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company found its roots during Jones’ time in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. From there, they would combine American manufacturing with Swiss craftsmanship to produce high-quality timepiece...
Teddy Baldassarre
IWC released a new generation of its Ingenieur collection in 2023, at what many would consider the tail end of the integrated-luxury-sport-watch craze that gripped the industry heading into 2020. At the time, it was tempting to say that IWC was a bit late to the punch here, especially considering the Schaffhausen-based brand's enviable position of having an original Gérald Genta design from the ‘70s to utilize. In hindsight, however, it seems that IWC was playing the long game, and wasn’t interested in rushing out a throwback type of release. Instead, IWC took a bit more time and released a modern rendition of the original Genta design, released in 1976, as a foundation for years to come. The result is the Reference 3289 Ingenieur, and it’s a watch that looks to do more than merely capitalize on a passing trend. There are two watches with which you likely associate the name Gérald Genta, and those are the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Genta penned both of these now iconic designs, in 1972 and 1976 respectively, and they have served as cornerstones in creating the premium sport-watch genre as a whole, as well as helped to spawn the subset of integrated-bracelet designs within it. But those are far from the only watches that can be attributed to Genta, and in fact, aren’t even the only integrated-bracelet sport-watch designs to come out of that era. In 1976, he also designed a new Ingenieur for IWC, known as the SL Ref. 1832 (tha...
Monochrome
Gérald Charles Genta, one of our time’s most respected and well-known watch designers, sold his eponymous brand Gerald Genta to Bulgari in 2000. However, instead of resting on his laurels and enjoying a stress-free retirement, he created a new brand, naming it – again – after himself; Gerald Charles. In 2003, Genta sold the company […]
In episode 82 of A Week in Watches, things turn to the unconventional. Well, unconventionally shaped, that is. Yes, this week features three new watches, each featuring sculptural cases that break the mold. First, we have Anoma making its debut. Then we have Holthinrichs, who have launched a new entry-level line. Lastly, Credor celebrates its 50th anniversary by bringing back a little-known watch by a well-known designer, Gerald Genta. This week’s episode is brought to by the Windup Watch Shop. New in the shop are everyday carry items by Gerber, including knives, multi-tools, and camping utensils. Check those out and their ever-growing catalog of new and interesting watches from brands like Fortis, Louis Erard, Nivada Grenchen, and more. Windup Watch Shop The post A Week in Watches Ep. 82: The Death of the Circular Watch Case (Well, Not Really) appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
Walking into Grand Seiko’s Madison Avenue boutique last week, I was ready for a fun evening with great company. After all, that’s what you expect anytime you go to an event hosted by Complecto. What I wasn’t expecting was the opportunity to check out the latest and greatest from Credor, the recently relaunched Locomotive, just a day after its public launch. Timed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Credor, the revival of the Locomotive resurrects a long-dormant design from probably the most influential and well-known watch designer of the 20th century, Gerald Genta, and it more than lives up to both his name, and that of Credor. And speaking of names; when is a Seiko, not a Seiko? I admit, it’s a slightly odd question, but it bears asking. Seiko sells watches at just about every conceivable price point for every conceivable customer. But whether you’re picking up a Seiko for $79.94 on Amazon or a Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon for $350,000, every watch in the Seiko lineup will always have something in common - the word “Seiko” on the dial. It’s hard to think of another watch brand that not only sells watches at such dramatically different prices, but that doesn’t shy away from putting the same name on their entire collection. Sure, there are slight differences we learn to decode. Grand Seiko and Prospex elicit different reactions from collectors than Seiko 5 or Astron but, fundamentally, Seiko proudly declares just about every watch they make a Seiko. ...
Time+Tide
The Gerald Charles Masterlink is an evolution of Genta's Maestro design that the Maestro himself would be proud of.The post The Gerald Charles Masterlink evolves the Maestro into a slimmer and sportier form (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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