Concepts On The Greubel Frosey Nano Foudroyante EWT

Whereas everyone knows Greubel Forsey for outsized and fairly outgoing wristwatches with not lower than one, nonetheless sometimes two and even 4 tourbillons, their latest timepiece seems common, every in dimension and in appears. Certain… let that sink in… The press launch is usually trumpeting about saving nano joules of energy with their tenth primary invention, a specific energy-saving foudroyante. On a very personal discover, I’ve to say, that I uncover fast-rotating foudroyante fingers visually annoying and distracting. So, truth be told, the tenth Elementary Invention from Greubel Forsey started – in my inbox – with a setback. However, the case dimension talked about, 37.9mm (and that coming from Greubel Forsey), made me significantly curious to take a extra in-depth look and see what it’s all about.

So… a quite a bit smaller Greubel Forsey. That in itself is already big (pun meant) data. And to my shock, it’s their very first chronograph, one factor that is nearly not underlined inside the press launch! Plus, it’s their first flying tourbillon. However, after seeing so many watches with various tourbillons from GF, you may nearly not be swept off your toes by a ‘simple’ flying tourbillon. And there could also be additional proper right here as we’ll see later. Nonetheless as soon as extra, a pleasantly sized, 37.9 mm in diameter and 10.5 mm thick, wrist chronograph from Greubel Forsey is already a extreme novelty. And since the mannequin is simply not solely recognized for together with quite a few tourbillons to their watches, they’re moreover recognized for spectacular, biggest in class, ending of the actions. So, altogether one factor that must be of curiosity to extreme collectors – with a very extreme funds.

What popped into my inbox:

Press launch: To have time the 20th anniversary (2004-2024), Greubel Forsey presents its tenth Elementary Invention: the Nano Foudroyante EWT. The mechanism’s energy is managed on the nanojoule scale, significantly decreasing the number of parts and the overall dimensions. The result is a 37.9mm timepiece that mixes the world’s first perpetual Nano Foudroyante with Greubel Forsey’s first flying tourbillon and information wind flyback. This timepiece, set in a white gold and tantalum case, might be restricted to easily 11 gadgets.

… This new Elementary Invention is basically essentially the most technologically disruptive—not only for Greubel Forsey however moreover for the universe of mechanical watchmaking. What’s nanomechanics? It is a realm previous the miniaturization of parts to the nanometric scale. After we talk about nanomechanics, we’re talking about controlling energy on a nanojoule scale inside a mechanical movement. This revolution in energy administration inside a caliber permits for a drastic low cost in every energy consumption and the number of parts.

…and the press launch goes on about saving nano joules.

Nonetheless let’s get once more to what’s behind the fairly pompously named “tenth Elementary Invention”. A foudroyante is a hand that completes a full rotation in a single second to indicate fractions of a second. The complication is generally included proper right into a chronograph to measure time intervals with increased precision and/or legibility than a sole second hand would do. Nonetheless that is not the case proper right here, as a result of the foudroyante hand is simply not associated to the chronograph and cannot be stopped. So by the use of precise learning of the elapsed time very exactly, it’s ineffective.

Proper right here the foudroyante hand is expounded to the escapement (additional particulars further down the article) and with its small foudroyante dial, it rotates thankfully in spherical actions atop the flying tourbillon whereas frequently in a vertical orientation.

And within the occasion you allow me a small digression, apparently early examples of a foudroyante have been made by Tixier (the great-grandfather of the unbiased watchmaker now working together with Dominique Renaud!) circa 1850 inside the Val de Travers. These weren’t associated to a chronograph function each, however proper right here they served as a simple second hand. Its mechanism consisted of “merely” mounting a hand on its 4-toothed escapement wheel that was rotating as quickly as per second with its 14.400vph frequency (visualised inside the drawing beneath).

Once more to modern days and Greubel Forsey, what they’ve achieved to drive the foudroyante deserves a extra in-depth look, although not quite a bit is talked about inside the press launch. The system seems to be derived from their 2017 Nano launch (patent EP 3220207 A1) referring to the creation of a present mechanism for a system driving by a major toothing and comprising a second toothing; an excellent small gear module, to drive a present straight or circuitously. The aim of it is to allow a dimension low cost and as a consequence of this truth a reduction of inertia and energy consumption. EWT stands for Distinctive Wheel Experience, to clarify.

For the foudroyante, the thought is to make use of these “nano-mechanics” on to the escapement wheel (axis) to drive 6 jumps per second. Throughout the event of this new 2024 Foudroyante, the present will not be lateral, thus seen by the use of a spot of the case flank, by a loupe.

As an alternative, it makes use of a loyal set of gears, a differential, to indicate it “dial side” – which is much extra smart. An additional drawback for GF was to embed this proper right into a flying tourbillon, creating an assembly that shall be small and light-weight enough. One may shock whether it is sensible to incorporate such an assembly in a tourbillon whose operate is to boost precision – one factor that has on a regular basis been a extraordinarily extreme matter at Greubel Forsey.

What often is the have an effect on on the watch’s precision of this extra ‘burden’ on such a vital ingredient of the escapement? The Tourbillon cage ends up at 142 parts! The mannequin reassured us that it was delicate enough to guarantee that chronometry was not disturbed. And that they may have not at all moved forward if it did. After all, the complete idea of this “nano” thought is to show the aptitude to miniaturize mechanisms. So, if I am not completely happy by the Foudroyante efficiency proper right here, the complexity of this flying tourbillon and the technical feat in itself is pretty spectacular.

One different feat on one in every of many particulars of this tenth primary invention, as outlined by the press launch, is a “revolution in energy administration”. The foudroyante is traditionally an energy greedy mechanism and the miniaturization carried out by GF is, as quickly as as soon as extra, pretty spectacular.

However, this equivalent press launch mentions an affect reserve of solely 24 hours when the chronograph is working which sounds a bit disappointing. We would have liked to check this with the mannequin… They often educated us that the ability reserve was actually approx. 40 hours, nonetheless talked about inside the press launch is a “chronometric vitality reserve” – 24-hour to verify wonderful chronometric effectivity they often encourage clients to keep up their watch accurately wound.

Now that we now have talked regarding the foudroyante, I wish to say a few phrases regarding the excellent chronograph itself; Greubel Forsey’s first chronograph! And as soon as extra the press launch has nearly no information in addition to that it’s a “information wind flyback”. As if GF’s first chronograph is a side topic…

Greubel Forsey’s first chronograph must be big data, although the issue that triggered me was the concise dimension as a result of the phrase “chronograph” is absent in all of the press launch. The movement measures solely 31mm in diameter and is because of this truth small enough to fit in an exceptional, fairly sized watch. The compact calibre, with 428 parts, is a hand-wound column-wheel actuated flyback chronograph with a vertical clutch. The movement presents a large ranging view of the on a regular basis top-notch Greubel-Forsey finishes; lovely chamfers, the ending of the surfaces and the chatons. There are a few troublesome inside angles, nonetheless nothing too superior at first sight. Maybe the chamfers on the prolonged curves are more durable to amass by hand.

The case is crafted in white gold, whereas the bezel and caseback are crafted from tantalum. It comes on a hand-sewn non-animal supplies strap with a white gold folding clasp that’s engraved with the mannequin’s GF monogram. Restricted to 11 gadgets solely, it is priced at CHF 465,000.

For additional information, please go to Greubel-Forsey.com.