The case bulges are typical of the brand and either add to the charm of oddity of the character inherent in each of these models. Though the movement is something most everyone can appreciate. In the GMT however not too much of the movement is visible. Sure you can see the inclined 24 second tourbillon spinning happily on the dial, but much of the mechanism is hidden under the dial and movement plates.

Nevertheless, because it is a Greubel Forsey, you know the movement is decorated and finished to the umpteenth degree–even all the parts you can’t see. The calibre GF05 is made up of 443 parts and has a power reserve of 72 hours while running at 3Hz. While not part of the movement per se, you can view more of the spinning globe through the side of the case, through a sapphire crystal window.

Dial finishing is very important to Greubel Forsey and something they get really right is texturing. Print and hands pop because they often know how to properly (and often creatively) texture elements. That tends to mean that polished surfaces are mirrored but also don’t blur together, and that hands and indicators are easy to see. Most of the dial is in gold, albeit with various plating or finishes applied.

Each Greubel Forsey watch is a work of art no matter if you are a fan of their look or not. This GMT is perhaps not my favorite model from the brand, but it is undeniably attractive and actually useful. Also new for 2014 was the Greubel Forsey QP (perpetual calendar), that is perhaps the most pleasurable calendar watch of its type to read and operate. It really just depends on what you are looking for, but if it happens to be a fabulously luxurious timepiece that still considers functionality important, it might just be a Greubel Forsey. Price for the GMT in platinum is $630,000. greubelforsey.com

Tech specs from Greubel Forsey

Movement
Movement dimensions
• Diameter: 36.40 mm
• Thickness: 9.80 mm
Number of parts
• Complete movement: 443 parts
• Tourbillon cage: 87 parts
• Weight of the cage: 0.36 g
Number of jewels
• 50
• Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
Power reserve
• 72 hours
Barrels
• Two coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating
barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), one of which
is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid
excess tension
Balance wheel
• Free sprung variable-inertia balance with
gold mean-time screws (10 mm diameter)
Frequency
• 21’600 vibrations/hour
Balance spring
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
Main plates
• Nickel silver, frosted and spotted,
hand-bevelled with countersinks,
straight-grained flanks, black chrome
treatment
Bridges
• Nickel silver, frosted and spotted,
hand-bevelled, straight-grained flanks,
polished countersinks, black chrome
treatment
• Gold plate engraved with the individual
number
• Flat black polished steel tourbillon bridge,
hand-bevelled
Tourbillon cage
• Inclined at a 25° angle, 24-second rotation
• Cage pillars in Avional
• Titanium cage bridges
• Gold counterweight
Gearing
• Involute circle profile
• Conical gearing with corrected profiles
Displays
• Hour and minute
• Small second
• 72-hour power reserve on a sector
• 2nd time zone GMT indicator
• 24 time zone worldtime display
• Rotating titanium globe with universal time
display
• Summer time indicator
• Day-and-night indicator
Exterior Case
• Platinum with asymmetrical convex synthetic
sapphire crystal
• Transparent back with asymmetrical convex
synthetic sapphire crystal
• Polished bezel and centre band with handfinished
straight graining
• Lateral window with shaped synthetic
sapphire crystal
• Three-dimensional, variable geometryshaped
lugs
• Platinum pusher with raised polished
engraving “GMT” on a hand-punched
background
• Raised polished engraving “Greubel Forsey” on
a hand-punched background
• Hand-engraved individual number
• Gold security screws
Case dimensions
• Diameter: 43.50 mm
• Thickness: 16.14 mm
Water resistance of the case
• Water-resistant 3 atm – 30 m – 100 ft
(standard NIHS 92-20/SN ISO 22810:2010)
Crown
• In platinum with engraved and black
lacquered GF logo
Dial
• Principal hour-minute dial: in gold, frosted,
black chrome treatment
Hour-ring: white gold
• Gold power-reserve sector
• Gold small second dial
• Gold GMT indicator
• Applied gold Greubel Forsey logo
Hands
• Hour and minute in polished gold, with
Super-LumiNova
• Small second blued steel and power-reserve
in polished gold
• 2nd time zone GMT indicator, red triangle
Strap and clasp
• Hand-sewn blue or black alligator
• Platinum folding clasp, hand-engraved with
the Greubel Forsey logo