From the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to the Rolex King Midas and Bulgari Bulgari, Gérald Genta has found inspiration for some of his most famous designs from the world around him. That is exactly what happened when he dreamt up the Oursin in 1994 following a family vacation to the beach in Corsica. With its spiky armor and round shape, the curious sea urchin lent itself to the appropriately named Oursin, which translates to “sea urchin” in French. The watch the brand today describes as “startlingly unique” would become one of Genta’s and his wife’s favorite creations.
Thirty years later, the Oursin has been faithfully redone in what is Genta’s first commercially produced watch since the brand was relaunched last year under Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps. For those unfamiliar, Gérald Genta sold his watch brand to The Hour Glass in 1996. Bulgari bought the brand in 2000 and was later acquired by LVMH in 2011. The new Oursin keeps the same sea urchin-inspired moniker and quirky bezel as the original model, while incorporating a few noteworthy modern design elements via three titanium models with either white gold, rose gold, or yellow gold. This the new Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin.
Like many vintage Genta watches, the sapphire crystal is faceted. It reflects the shape of an octagon on the dial below, a form often seen in many Genta timepieces. The exterior of the crystal is slightly domed, creating a continuous silhouette from the crystal to the convex case. Considering the beautifully decorated bezels in this capsule (my favorite is the Lady Gaga-esq gold studded/black DLC titanium model), the faceted crystal is a nice touch. Keen-eyed collectors will also notice that the rounded hands are similar in style to the original 1994 model.
The new Oursin also has the same 36.5mm case, which is quite sensible when you think about it. 36.5mm positions the Oursin squarely as a unisex timepiece, but one would argue that it will likely appeal more to women with its fashion-forward aesthetic. For many women with small wrists, myself included, anything larger than 37mm is too large. Add the ornate bezel to the mix, and I would say 36.5mm is just the right size. It affords the watch enough space to show off the reflection of the faceted crystal and to make room for the bezel embellishments without weighing down the wrist. At the same time, it is relatively slim at 9.6mm.
Each of the three models features a convex grade 5 titanium case and a bezel adorned with several rows of beads or studs (223 for each watch) that have been threaded and screwed into the case. The white gold model has a brass anthracite guilloché dial, matching Anthracite calfskin leather strap, and polished white gold beads. Next is the rose gold model with a similar titanium case but with a Mother-of-Pearl pink guilloché dial, pink calfskin leather strap, and bezel decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds set into polished rose gold beads. Lastly is the yellow gold model, and the most avant-garde of the bunch. While the case is also grade 5 titanium, Gerald Genta has given it a matte DLC coating to achieve an all-black design. Instead of beads or diamonds, this model is decorated with yellow gold spike studs and features a brass black dial without guilloché texture.
The hands and crown on each model are made from the same precious metal as the embellishments on the bezel. The white gold and rose gold models have a delicate beading on the crown, while the yellow gold model is decorated with gold spikes. Furthermore, the gray and pink models feature white dot minute tracks, while the black model is decidedly more “punk” with black minute dots and, you guessed it, gold studs at each hour marker.
For this watch, the Gentissima design lab has chosen a self-winding movement based on the Zenith Elite called the caliber GG-005. The 27-jewel movement operates on a frequency of 4Hz and boasts a 50-hour power reserve. It has a bespoke octagonal rotor and bas-relief beads. Images of the movement haven’t trickled out yet, but I imagine the customized sculptural relief is just as remarkable as the rest of the watch.
Gerald Genta admits in marketing material for the Oursin that this watch won’t be for everyone, and that’s okay. When you think about it, urchins aren’t exactly subtle creatures, and neither is the Oursin. Rather this watch is for the collector with a bold sense of style and who appreciates unconventional Genta design language. With that in mind, the Oursin will have a limited production run to make room for other Genta offerings. However, the brand promises to release more variations of this fascinating trio in the future. Retail pricing for these models includes 22,000 CHF for the titanium/white gold model, 32,000 CHF for the titanium/rose gold and diamond model, and 25,000 CHF for the black DLC titanium/yellow gold model. For more information on the Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin, please visit the brand’s website.
