Episod 1:Trilobe, Gerald Charles et L.Leroy
For the latest edition of Geneva Watch Days, watchmakers are pulling out all the stops: dials are hand-hammered, the hours begin to sing, and burgundy even makes its way onto the wrist like a fine vintage. To open this series of programmes dedicated to the show’s latest releases, Trilobe, Gerald Charles and L.Leroy are already setting the tone.
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GENEVA WATCH DAYS – DAY 1
TRILOBE, Château Trente-Deux : Like a fine vintage on the wrist
With Château Trente-Deux, Trilobe gives its Trente-Deux collection the character of a fine vintage. A deep burgundy dial, an integrated steel bracelet and the in-house X-Nihilo calibre: a creation that brings together two French savoir-faire with a shared appreciation for beautiful things.
At Trilobe, they obviously couldn’t settle for just any red. For Château Trente-Deux, the dial takes on a deep burgundy hue, matched to the exact shade of a fine vintage selected by the Maison. Its matt sunray finish creates reflections that seem to radiate from the centre of the dial. This surface is complemented by a grained disc for the hours and minutes, and a seconds wheel combining an azurage finish with Clous de Paris guilloché. The circular rehaut, alternately satin-brushed and mirror-polished, frames the whole composition with just enough contrast to give the dial a real sense of depth. But as always with Trilobe, traditional hands are nowhere to be found. Here, the hours, minutes and seconds are indicated by three rotating rings and fixed pointers. Time therefore seems to flow around the dial rather than simply pass across it. An original, almost choreographic way of reading the time, given an entirely different dimension by this burgundy livery.
Le X-Nihilo steps up a gear
Beneath this elegant exterior lies one of the Château Trente-Deux’s key strengths: its in-house X-Nihilo calibre. Developed, manufactured, decorated and assembled in Paris, this automatic movement with a winding rotor is the result of three years of development. And Trilobe clearly leaves no room for approximation: each movement undergoes 400 hours of testing before leaving the Parisian manufacture.
Behind the three rings that animate the dial lies a 218-component movement, including 34 functional jewels. The balance beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz, while a single barrel provides a 42-hour power reserve. The mechanism is compact enough to fit into a movement measuring just 7 mm thick and 35.2 mm in diameter. And since we are talking mechanics, it is only fitting to look behind the scenes. The sapphire crystal caseback offers a view of the X-Nihilo and its finishing.
The bracelet: the final touch of the vintage
To complement this new burgundy livery, Trilobe has opted for an integrated steel bracelet, a true extension of the case. Designed specifically for the Trente-Deux collection, it plays a full part in the watch’s silhouette and reinforces its contemporary character. Its metallic surfaces echo the different finishes of the case and bezel, while the double-folding clasp preserves the impression of a perfectly cohesive design. A rubber strap is also available, but only as an additional accessory. Château Trente-Deux is being offered in an initial limited edition of 100 pieces, each accompanied by a carefully selected bottle of French wine and featuring an exclusive engraving on the back of the watch. It will subsequently join the permanent Trente-Deux collection.
With its X-Nihilo, carefully matured through 400 hours of testing, and its burgundy dial playing with light like wine in a glass, Château Trente-Deux may not be made for tasting, but it certainly has a nose.
€21, 000
Technical specifications:
Mouvement – X-Nihilo Calibre :
In-house Mouvement
Self-winding mechanical movement with a winding rotor.
Power reserve: 42 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
Functional jewels: 34
Total movement components: 218
Movement dimensions:
Thickness: 7 mm
Diameter : 35,2 mm
Patent :
Display concept comprising three display elements for the hours, minutes and seconds, positioned on the same plane as the dial
Display :
Hours, minutes and seconds indicated by rotating rings and fixed pointers Pad-printed numerals
Case :
316L Stainless steel case
Comprising 7 elements
Mirror-polished surfaces alternating with satin-brushed and microbead-blasted finishes
Fluted bezel with mirror-polished edges and microbead-blasted fluting
Sapphire crystal with multi-layer ARDUR anti-reflective coating
Fluted push-button crown
Anti-reflective sapphire crystal caseback
Watertightness tested at a pressure of 5 bar (≈ 50 metres).
Thickness : 10,15 mm | Diameter : 39,5 mm
Lug-to-lug height : 46,18 mm
Dial :
Matt sunray finish, grained disc for the hours and minutes, and seconds wheel combining an azurage finish with Clous de Paris guilloché. Circular rehaut with alternating satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes
Bracelet :
Supplied exclusively with a steel bracelet and double-folding clasp. Rubber strap available only as an additional accessory.
GERALD CHARLES, Masterlink Atelier Edition : The beauty of the gesture
With the Masterlink Atelier Edition, Gerald Charles brings together high precision and artisanal savoir-faire. Its secret weapon? A hand-hammered German silver dial and an integrated bracelet whose every link follows the contours of the case to the millimeter.
A dial that captures the Light
A single glance at the dial is enough to understand that this Masterlink is no ordinary watch. The German silver is hand-hammered, blow after blow, by an artisan at the Gerald Charles Atelier in Geneva. Hundreds of strikes transform a flat sheet of metal into a multitude of small facets, each subtly different. The result: no two dials are ever identical.
The choice of German silver is far from incidental. More difficult to machine than the brass traditionally used in watchmaking, it requires more time, wears down tools more quickly and generates more waste. Yet it is precisely this demanding material that makes it possible to achieve such a distinctive texture.
And above all, it does more than simply look beautiful: it literally brings the watch to life. Unlike a sunray-brushed dial, which organises its reflections around a central axis, the hammered finish scatters them across the entire surface. With the slightest movement of the wrist, the light appears, disappears and shifts. To preserve this effect, no applied hour markers interrupt the texture. Three versions are available: rose gold, rhodium and yellow gold, each limited to just 25 pieces.
The Bracelet Continues the Story…
… and quite literally so. The Masterlink introduces another defining first for Gerald Charles: the Maison’s first timepiece with an integrated bracelet. Here again, it is the smallest details that make the greatest difference. The case retains the iconic curve at 6 o’clock, inherited from the Maestro — that distinctive “smile” that has long defined its silhouette and demanded a bracelet conceived far beyond conventional design codes.
At 6 o’clock, the central links follow the curve of the case before gradually straightening out; at 12 o’clock, they extend its upper line. An asymmetrical construction, therefore, yet one that creates the visual impression of a perfectly fluid whole. With no visible screws, a butterfly clasp concealed within the final links and half-link adjustment, every detail has been designed to make the bracelet’s mechanics disappear from view.
Entirely developed in-house in 316L stainless steel, the bracelet alternates polished and satin-brushed surfaces. It is available in three sizes and fitted with a micro-link for even finer adjustment.
The Mechanics
Beneath this apparent simplicity lies a fine piece of mechanics. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the 38 × 38 mm case measures just 7.99 mm thick, despite the integration of a screw-down crown adorned with Clous de Paris. Inside, the ultra-thin in-house automatic calibre, measuring just 2.67 mm thick, features an offset micro-rotor decorated with a honeycomb pattern
Its 176 components, 29 jewels and 3 Hz frequency are complemented by a 50-hour power reserve. The bridges feature circular graining, Geneva stripes and perlage, while Incabloc shock protection and hacking seconds complete the package. The transparent caseback offers a view of the movement, protected, like the dial, by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.
Masterlink Atelier Edition Golden Rose – €32,400
Masterlink Atelier Edition Rhodium – €32,400
Masterlink Atelier Edition Golden Yellow – €32,400
Technical specifications:
Case :
Entirely designed in-house, an exclusive Gerald Charles design
316L stainless steel, medical-grade qualityPolished and satin finishes
31 components
Dimensions: 38 mm × 38 mm
Screw-down crown at 3 o’clock, adorned with a Clous de Paris finish
Water resistance: : 10 ATM équivalent à 100 mètres
Thickness : 7,99 mm
Mouvement :
In-house ultra-thin automatic movement, Calibre GCA 1000, featuring an off-centred micro-rotor.
Functions :
Central hours and minutes display
Finishing :
Bridges finely decorated with snail-pattern engraving, Geneva stripes and perlage.
Thickness : 2,67 mm
Components : 176
Gemstones : 29 rubis
Frequency : 3 Hz
Incabloc® shock protection, hacking seconds, unidirectional rotor.
Power reserve : 50 hours
Crystal :
Sapphire crystal with multi-layer anti-reflective coating on both sides.
Dial :
Hand-hammered German silver
Caseback:
Open-worked, flat, brushed steel with sapphire crysta
Bracelet :
Entirely designed in-house, an exclusive Gerald Charles design
316L stainless steel, medical-grade
3 sizes : 157 mm (small), 205 mm (medium) et 222 mm (large)
Micro-adjustment link available for a more precise bracelet fit
Polished and satin-brushed finishes
Folding clasp with hexagonal cover, engraved with « GC »
L. LEROY, Vox Temporis : When Time Begins to Sing
With Vox Temporis, the L.Leroy watchmaking house offers a new way of telling time. A rotating guilloché dial, a single hand, and, when the minutes become too curious, a minute repeater to make them heard. A creation as rare as it is sophisticated, limited to just fifteen pieces across all editions.
A dial that makes the hours turn
Simplicity can sometimes be remarkably complex. Vox Temporis is a case in point, reducing the display of time to its absolute essentials: a single hand and a rotating dial. Yet behind this seemingly simple reading lies a far more sophisticated mechanism. The hand remains stationary while the dial rotates beneath it to indicate the hours.
The spectacle begins with the dial itself. No hour markers or logo interrupt its surface. Only a single arrow-shaped hand points to the hours, leaving the stage to the radial flinqué guilloché, enhanced by a translucent lacquer. Its rays appear to emanate from the off-centre pivot point, spreading across the surface like a wave of light. With every movement of the wrist, the reflections shift, lending the dial an extraordinary sense of depth.
And suddenly, time finds its voice
But, knowing the hour is one thing. Hearing the minutes is another. With Vox Temporis, the minutes must be summoned. A discreet touch of the sliding lever integrated into the caseband, between 8:30 and 9:30, breaks the watch’s silence, activating one of haute horlogerie’s most poetic complications: the minute repeater.
The mechanism chimes the hours, quarters and minutes on two finely tuned gongs struck by two hammers, each meticulously hand-angled and polished. Visible through the caseback, the striking mechanism reveals itself in a captivating mechanical ballet, as the hammers delicately strike the gongs.
A Tourbillon in a Supporting Role
As if one complication were not enough, the hand-wound calibre combines a minute repeater with a flying tourbillon. Entirely developed and manufactured in Geneva for L.Leroy, this exceptional movement comprises 321 components, 29 jewels and a free-sprung, variable-inertia balance fitted with a flat hairspring. Beating at 3 Hz, the movement features a single barrel delivering an impressive 90-hour power reserve.
Comprising 76 components, the flying tourbillon completes one full rotation every minute. Its defining feature? It appears to float in mid-air, supported only from below, with no upper bridge. Yet the Maison has chosen a more restrained approach: unlike many timepieces that proudly showcase their complications, the tourbillon remains hidden beneath the dial. Instead, the spotlight is reserved for the guilloché and the minute repeater.
The 43 mm round Officer-style case measures 14.74 mm in thickness, including the sapphire crystal and hinged cover. Offered in red gold, platinum or Grade 5 titanium, each interpretation possesses its own distinctive character. Through the sapphire caseback, the movement’s refined finishing is revealed in full, from finely frosted surfaces and hand-executed anglage to mirror-polished bevels and meticulously polished screw heads.
Limited to just 15 pieces across all versions, Vox Temporis lives up to its name. The Voice of Time doesn’t seek to reveal more; quite the opposite. It strips away everything superfluous, transforming the simple act of telling time into an experience. You look to it for the hour; you listen to it for everything else..
18K 5N Gold case – anthracite dial – €310,300
Platinium case – blue dial – €342,400
Grade 5 Titanium case – silver dial – €283,550
Technical Specifications:
Movement :
In-house Calibre L601SQR, hand-wound, featuring a minute repeater and flying tourbillon.
Number of components : 321
Movement diameter : 30 mm
Thickness : 8,89 mm (9,91 mm avec la cage de tourbillon)
Number of jewels : 29
Fréquence : 21 600 alternances par heure (3 Hz)
Free-sprung, variable-inertia balance with flat hairspring
Swiss lever escapement
Single barrel
Single rhodium-plated bridge, finely frosted and entirely hand-finished
Power reserve : 90 hours
Two-gong minute repeater operated by two hammers: the hours-and-quarters hammer on the right, and the minutes-and-quarters hammer on the left. The hammers are visible through the caseback and finished with mirror-polished surfaces.
Screws: Mirror-polished screw heads
Tourbillon Cage :
Diameter : 13,60 mm
76 components
One full rotation per minute
Functions :
Hour display
Two-gong minute repeater chiming the hours, quarters and minutes acoustically
Case :
Round Officer-style case
Available in:
Grade 5 titanium
18K 5N red gold
Platinium
Diameter : 43 mm
Thickness: 14.74 mm, including the sapphire crystal and hinged caseback cover
Polished domed bezel
Fluted crown adorned with a polished engraved logo on a microblasted background
Sliding lever for the minute repeater integrated into the caseband, positioned between 8:30 and 9:30
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Polished caseback ring, enhanced with microblasted segments and polished raised engravings
Customisable Officer-style hinged caseback cover, with opening pusher positioned at 4 o’clock
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Dial :
Rotating dial
Radial flinqué guilloché pattern enhanced with translucent lacquer, radiating from an off-centre pivot point
Fixed arrow-shaped hour hand
Dial colours:
Anthracite, with a gold-tone hand — 18K 5N red gold case (Ref. LL301/1)
Blue, with a silver-tone hand — platinum case (Ref. LL302/1)
Silver, with an ALD-treated blue hand — Grade 5 titanium case (Ref. LL303/1)
Bracelet :
Alligator leather strap available in black, dark navy blue or brown, featuring large scales on the outer side and smaller scales on the lining, with tonal stitching.
Open-worked round folding clasp, adorned with the Maison’s iconic interlaced double « L » motif, crafted in the same material as the case.
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