Greubel Forsey Celebrates 20 Years with Innovative Chronograph
In 2024, Greubel Forsey commemorated its 20th anniversary by unveiling its inaugural chronograph, the Nano Foudroyante EWT. This timepiece represents the brand’s tenth “Fundamental Innovation” since its inception in 2004, showcasing a flyback chronograph equipped with a flying tourbillon and an independent micro-scale lightning seconds hand, also known as foudroyante.
A Historic Milestone for the Brand
The Nano Foudroyante EWT is significant for being Greubel Forsey’s first venture into chronograph timepieces, marking a departure from their traditional focus on tourbillons. The brand has a rich history of creating innovative tourbillon designs, yet this is their first attempt at a flying architecture, which adds a new layer to their horological repertoire.
Initial Impressions of the Nano Foudroyante EWT
Greubel Forsey is widely recognized as a leader in avant-garde watchmaking and high-precision timekeeping. While some may find the brand’s design language to be overly elaborate, the essence of their high-end craftsmanship is evident in their meticulous finishing and superb engineering. The Nano Foudroyante EWT stands out due to its unique combination of complications, serving as a conceptual showcase for the independently functioning “nano” lightning seconds, a hallmark of their innovative approach.
Design and Aesthetic Features
The watch’s design elements are distinctly Greubel Forsey, incorporating familiar features seen in previous models. Although the craftsmanship of the dial and hands meets the high standards expected from the brand, the overall aesthetic may come off as somewhat simplistic, resembling a prototype rather than a polished final product. Notably, the Nano Foudroyante is the smallest watch produced by Greubel Forsey, deviating from their historical trend of larger timepieces. The just-under-38 mm case feels reminiscent of vintage designs, particularly with its domed “box” crystal, a departure from the brand’s usual oversized styles.
Reaffirming Mechanical Philosophy
The watch exemplifies Greubel Forsey’s mechanical philosophy, showcasing concepts that only experienced watchmakers could conceive. It signifies a shift in the brand’s direction from large sports watches back to a focus on high-end horology, reaffirming their commitment to precision and craftsmanship.
Price Tag Reflects Innovation
In line with Greubel Forsey’s reputation, the Nano Foudroyante EWT comes with a hefty price tag, retailing at nearly half a million Swiss francs. This positions it among the priciest watches of its kind, even when accounting for its complex features and superior quality.
Beyond Conventional Utility
The question arises as to why such a highly engineered, costly watch exists, especially considering its limited practical utility. The likely reasoning is that the Nano Foudroyante EWT serves not merely as a product for sale but as a proof of concept for the micro-gear mechanism, which could be further refined for future developments in energy-efficient movements with extended power reserves.
Understanding Experimental Watch Technology (EWT)
EWT stands for “Experimental Watch Technology,” a research initiative within Greubel Forsey aimed at reinventing traditional watch mechanisms. One of their earlier projects focused on miniaturizing components to a near-nanoscale to decrease energy consumption. The prototype featuring a “nano” foudroyante hand was first introduced in 2017. Traditionally, the foudroyante hand rapidly completes one revolution per second, which consumes significant energy from the mainspring, leading to short power reserves.
Innovative Component Design
The EWT initiative successfully downsized the foudroyante components, allowing for reduced energy usage, though they remain substantial enough to be manipulated with tweezers. The term “nano” here refers more to energy efficiency rather than actual nanoscale technology, which is defined at a billionth of a meter. The parts are constructed using LIGA lithography techniques, and this micro-mechanical concept has now been incorporated into the Nano Foudroyante EWT with a novel implementation.
Energy Efficiency Claims
Greubel Forsey asserts that the micro-scale design of the EWT lowers the energy consumption of a traditional foudroyante by a staggering factor of 1,800 while also reducing its volume by 90%. The patent documentation reveals a structure comprising multiple components, which typically introduce friction-related energy losses. If their claims hold, with the foudroyante consuming merely 1.6 nanoJoules per tick, this extreme miniaturization could pave the way for more energy-efficient mechanical watches in the future, resulting in increased power reserves and enhanced precision.
Chronometric Power Reserve and Performance
The foudroyante within the Nano Foudroyante EWT operates continuously, being directly connected to the escapement. Its minimal energy consumption should not affect the watch’s timekeeping accuracy. With the chronograph engaged and the foudroyante sweeping across the dial, the watch maintains a 24-hour “chronometric” power reserve, ensuring stability within chronometer specifications, though it lacks formal certification from COSC or similar authorities. Given the experimental nature of this piece, the single-day power reserve is understandable, yet it will likely be improved as the concept develops.
A Collection of Complications
The name Nano Foudroyante EWT might suggest the watch is solely about the lightning seconds indication, but it incorporates much more within its compact 37.9 mm case. The timepiece features an integrated chronograph movement, a flying tourbillon regulator, and the foudroyante hand, all working in concert. The case design is straightforward yet well-finished, combining white gold for the middle section with tantalum for the bezel and back, resulting in a pleasantly substantial feel despite its smaller size.
Distinctive Dial Features
The dial showcases a bright silver finish with understated markings, including the signature Greubel Forsey typeface and sword hands, combined with an asymmetric layout that has become a hallmark of the brand. The flying tourbillon prominently occupies the watch face, with a substantial cutout situated between five and six o’clock, though it does not resemble a typical tourbillon due to the balance and cage being less pronounced.
Unique Sub-Dial Configuration
The foudroyante sub-dial, which is mounted on the tourbillon cage above the balance, commands attention. The lightning seconds hand makes a complete revolution every second, while the eccentric foudroyante sub-dial rotates once a minute alongside the tourbillon cage. This arrangement allows the sub-dial to maintain a vertical orientation relative to the main dial, creating the illusion of a floating register. The patent suggests that this impressive feat is achieved by gearing the sub-dial to the escape wheel, ensuring the escapement powers both the foudroyante hand and its dial—an extraordinary accomplishment considering the claimed energy consumption of just 1.6 nanoJoules per tick.
Innovative Chronograph Design
While the tourbillon-foudroyante is the focal point of the movement, the mechanism also includes a flyback chronograph. In its two-decade history, Greubel Forsey has introduced double and quadruple tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and even a grande sonnerie, but this marks its first foray into chronographs. Given the brand’s history, it’s unsurprising that this chronograph is anything but conventional.
Complex Movement Architecture
Examining the movement from the reverse side reveals an intricate design that diverges from traditional chronograph layouts. Elements typical in chronographs are present, yet they don’t conform to conventional architecture. A large, open-worked bridge that appears to serve as a horizontal clutch arm at first glance is complemented by various steel levers and a column wheel, though the overall construction lacks familiarity with classic chronograph designs.
Patented Reset Mechanism
Upon the launch of the Nano Foudroyante EWT, Greubel Forsey introduced a unique feature within the vertical clutch aimed at minimizing play during resets, though details were initially sparse. However, a recent patent filing clarifies the system’s workings. A brake wheel situated co-axially with the vertical clutch assembly cooperates with a brake finger, ensuring that gear 5, which is powered by the going train, remains unaffected during resets. This elegant solution aims to mitigate any potential play during the reset process, although it may seem overly complex for the issue it seeks to address.
Unconventional Button Arrangement
In contrast to traditional chronograph designs, the button configuration on the Nano Foudroyante EWT is unique. The pusher positioned at two o’clock serves to start and stop the chronograph, while the pusher aligned with the crown is designated for resetting and activating the flyback function.
Signature Finishing Techniques
Beyond its intricate mechanics, the movement of the Nano Foudroyante EWT is finished in the classic Greubel Forsey style. The brand employs a variety of decorative techniques, including exquisite black polishing on steel levers and bridges, alongside light brushing on hidden components. The open-worked bridge is adorned with rich granular frosting and rounded bevelling, while each jewel is set in its own gold casing. The layered arrangement of gears within the movement creates a captivating visual effect, and the micro relief engraving on the chronograph seconds wheel subtly nods to Greubel Forsey’s design aesthetics.
Final Thoughts on the Nano Foudroyante EWT
With a starting price of CHF 465,000, the Nano Foudroyante EWT is undoubtedly one of the more luxurious offerings on the market. While it remains below the CHF 1 million threshold of the Hand Made line, it stands as an exclusive, artisanal proof of concept with a limited run of just 11 pieces. The intricate engineering behind the movement likely accounts for this restricted availability.
Key Specifications and Pricing Details
Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT
Diameter: 37.9 mm
Height: 10.49 mm
Material: White gold and tantalum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: In-house flyback chronograph movement with one-minute flying tourbillon
Functions: Hour, minutes, small seconds, flyback chronograph, foudroyante, and flying tourbillon
Winding: Manual winding
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 24 hours with the chronograph in operation
Strap: Textile strap with white gold Greubel Forsey buckle
Limited edition: 11 pieces
Availability: Through Greubel Forsey and authorized retailers
Price: CHF 465,000 before tax
