SimplyAbuDhabi XXXIII

1 2 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T he new Art Piece Edition Historique crowns the avant- garde aesthetic approach behind numerous exceptional Greubel Forsey creations. Combining technology, exclusivity and craftsmanship, this 33-piece limited edition (of which the first 11 are in platinum) presents a new vision of time. The art of invention has been Greubel Forsey’s determined mission since its founding in 2004. The focus on art and invention is both technical and architectural, in terms of the highly original aesthetic approach that robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey pursue in their creative process. This major artistic adventure took off in 2006, when the two inventor watchmakers created the opus 6 for HarryWinston. At a time when open dials were virtually unheard of, Greubel Forsey were pioneers of this revolution by showcasing their double Tourbillon 30° within a masterful multi-level three-dimensional movement. This marked the start of a groundbreaking journey. rather than reworking an existing calibre in order to create a visual impact, Greubel and Forsey opted right from the outset to approach the entire conception of the movement in architectural terms. The period between 2007 and 2011 thus saw the emergence of the first three invention Pieces, each paying tribute to one of Greubel Forsey’s Fundamental inventions in the realm of tourbillons and defining the essence of a new aesthetic vocabulary. A new means of expression: Art Pieces The birth of the astonishing Art Pieces heralded the next stage in the approach to a timepiece as a means of artistic expression. Art Piece 1 (2013), co-created with british artist WillardWigan, was distinguished by a micro-sculpture housed inside the case. Art Piece 2—Edition 1 (2016) paid a stunning tribute to watchmaking art with a micro-engraved sketch of the double Tourbillon 30°. it was followed by the Art Piece 2—Edition 2 (2017), which further pushed creative limits by combining the double Tourbillon 30° with an on-demand display of the hours and minutes along with an oversized power reserve indication. Crowning achievement Greubel Forsey now pays tribute to this artistic and architectural approach with a creation that sums up and magnifies its true spirit. Following on from previous Art Pieces, the Art Piece Edition Historique houses within its 44 mm-diameter case a new movement with a variation on the theme of the double Tourbillon 30°: a mechanism designed to enable the balance wheel to oscillate consistently in all planes ensuring maximum precision. The new 475-part hand-wound movement boasts a 72-hour power reserve with optimal chronometric performance, ensured by two series-coupled fast-rotating barrels. Three-dimensional architecture The gaze is first drawn to the double Tourbillon 30°, majestically set against a royal blue background. it is a veritable sculpture in motion, with its inner tourbillon inclined at a 30° angle performing one rotation per minute and its outer tourbillon completing a revolution in four minutes. Lifted onto a significantly higher plane, the power-reserve indication bears large Arabic numerals and a blued-steel hand. Higher still, at 2 o’clock, the offset hours/minutes subdial has been replaced with a daring titanium dome, featuring a hand-punched background engraved with the Greubel Forsey key values. The hours are discreetly displayed by a red hand on a separate rotating ring, while the minutes appear on request through an aperture thanks to a simple press on the pusher. by giving pride of place to the tourbillon and power reserve in relation to the hours/minutes indication, the Art Piece Edition Historique asserts itself as a ‘philosophical timepiece’. it draws the collector to experience a new relationship with temporality, based on a deeper consideration of the time passing and the time that remains. A true carpe diem invitation to make the most of the moment in hand.