Experiencing the Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Blue and an Introduction to Bonniksen
Could Greubel Forsey take a "casual" approach? Let's also explore one of the most captivating emerging brands in the independent watchmaking world.
Double tourbillons, quad tourbillons—the movement's assembly is so exquisite, it's like a sci-fi structure embedded in the wrist. Every time I hold a Greubel Forsey watch, I can't help but feel the brand's unique style. However, the Balancier 3 always carries a hint of contradiction. First launched in 2023, this watch is the brand's most understated and structurally straightforward entry-level piece.
The Balancier 3 watch features three bridges, a simple balance wheel, no tourbillon, and no fancy design elements; on paper, it appears remarkably understated. However, when I put this newly released watch on my wrist, my first impression was that even a restrained Gruber Fouché timepiece is stunning. It skillfully balances technical details with new craftsmanship; perhaps on paper it's the brand's simplest watch, but from any angle, it's far from simple.
replica Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono
replica Zenith Zenith Defy Extreme watches
replica watches Online
The Balancier 3 has been around for three years, and the latest model features a central large bridge with a hand-brushed finish, giving its entire curved surface a unique texture. This deep matte texture is difficult for a machine to perfectly replicate on such a complex shape, extending from the edge between 1 and 2 o'clock to the seconds area between 7 and 8 o'clock. The balance wheel and mainspring barrel bridges around the bridge retain their bright polished titanium, creating a captivating contrast of reflections and depth. Furthermore, the subtle use of blue tones makes the bridges stand out even more than simple polishing. The design philosophy of the movement remains unchanged, as does the convex titanium case. The 41.5mm diameter case perfectly conforms to the wrist, a testament to Greubel Forsey's continuous refinement of the convex case design since its inception.
If you are already familiar with the Balancier 3, you'll know that it houses a Greubel Forsey-manufactured variable inertia balance wheel, 12.6mm in diameter, with six gold averaging screws, its presence clearly visible from the dial side. The open-design movement comprises 282 parts, with two high-speed series-connected barrels providing a 72-hour power reserve. The functional layout remains unchanged: the hour and minute hands are displayed on a suspended central bridge, the small seconds subdial is read via a fixed indicator, and the power reserve indicator is hidden on the side of the movement.
It is worth mentioning the finishing of the movement and the exquisite craftsmanship displayed by Greubel Forsey. Even in its best condition, titanium is difficult to polish to perfection. The seemingly insignificant detail of evenly hand-brushing the curved titanium surface and maintaining a clean, crisp transition to the polished chamfers is crucial. This watch's purpose is not a redesign, but rather a different presentation, showcasing the richness of the brand's language.
This convex-case watch exudes confidence and style, instantly recognizable as a Greubel Forsey classic. A minimalist creation by Greubel Forsey, the blue accents on the case contrast sharply with the exquisite craftsmanship and finish, particularly evident in the choice of strap. While focusing solely on the strap when discussing Greubel Forsey might seem inappropriate, this textured rubber strap is unlike any other commonly found on other watches, adding both practicality and style.
replica maurice lacroix watches
best replica watches
replica porsche design 1919 watches
For Greubel Forsey, the launch of this timepiece is also perfectly timed. With Stephen Forsey stepping down from the board and the Balancier Convexe S² movement ceasing production in March 2026, the brand is about to embark on a new chapter. This limited edition of 22 pieces, priced at 160,000 Swiss francs, marks a new phase for the brand in a subtle yet thoughtful manner, centered around a groundbreaking finishing technique. This foreshadows a future direction for the brand that deserves close attention.
Bonniksen and the new Naissance d'une Montre 4 – Le Carrousel
This leads to another significant event showcased by Greubel Forsey on his recent watchmaking journey. In addition to the Balancier 3 watch, the brand also announced the establishment of Bonniksen—a brand new independent watchmaking workshop—through its long-supported Time Æon Foundation. Unfortunately, we weren't able to personally handle their first watch, the Naissance d'une Montre 4 – Le Carrousel, but we saw product displays and a series of final design drawings, so the following is for reference only and not a final conclusion.
This watchmaking factory, named Bonniksen, was founded this year in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Maximin Chapuis and Jason Chevrolat, students of Michel Boulanger. Its name comes from the Danish watchmaker Bahne Bonniksen, who worked in Coventry in 1892 and patented his "position-balancing carrousel rotator." This was a rotating regulator designed as a more robust and durable alternative to the tourbillon. The tourbillon's fourth wheel is fixed to the mainplate, around which the cage rotates; while the carrousel rotator drives its rotating cage through a separate gear train, with no gears fixed to the mainplate. It shone brightly in observatory tests for two decades, but with the outbreak of World War I, the British watchmaking industry shifted to other areas, and the carrousel virtually disappeared.
It's worth noting that Blancpain introduced the Carrousel Volant Une Minute watch in 2008, applying this mechanism to a wristwatch and proving that the concept could be miniaturized. However, no one had previously attempted what Chapuis and Chevrolat were working on. After more than 5,500 hours of research, and with the support of Bonniksen's descendants, they planned to completely handcraft a rotating movement in a watch with a diameter of less than 40 mm, with all components conceived, designed, and assembled by watchmakers in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
replica jacob and co Astronomia sky watches
richard mille replica
fashion replica watches
The drawings show that the movement features an inverted three-quarter plate design, with the hour and minute hands off-center at 12 o'clock on the outer edge of the dial, modern English pear-shaped hands, and a central seconds hand that pays homage to the great scientific pocket watches. An off-center window will showcase the internal structure of the rotating movement, compressing a rotation that historically took nearly an hour to a mere 30 seconds. The entire movement is framed by two domed crystal glass panels, creating a profound visual effect.
Greubel Forsey, renowned for his tilting tourbillons that solve positional errors, is now dedicated to reviving the tourbillon mechanism, which has historically served as an alternative, through the Time Æon Foundation. It's too early to draw final conclusions, but this sounds and looks like a very compelling and ambitious project, and it will be my focus among all the pieces exhibited that day.
Experiencing the Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Blue and an Introduction to Bonniksen
Could Greubel Forsey take a "casual" approach? Let's also explore one of the most captivating emerging brands in the independent watchmaking world.
Double tourbillons, quad tourbillons—the movement's assembly is so exquisite, it's like a sci-fi structure embedded in the wrist. Every time I hold a Greubel Forsey watch, I can't help but feel the brand's unique style. However, the Balancier 3 always carries a hint of contradiction. First launched in 2023, this watch is the brand's most understated and structurally straightforward entry-level piece.
The Balancier 3 watch features three bridges, a simple balance wheel, no tourbillon, and no fancy design elements; on paper, it appears remarkably understated. However, when I put this newly released watch on my wrist, my first impression was that even a restrained Gruber Fouché timepiece is stunning. It skillfully balances technical details with new craftsmanship; perhaps on paper it's the brand's simplest watch, but from any angle, it's far from simple.
replica Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono
replica Zenith Zenith Defy Extreme watches
replica watches Online
The Balancier 3 has been around for three years, and the latest model features a central large bridge with a hand-brushed finish, giving its entire curved surface a unique texture. This deep matte texture is difficult for a machine to perfectly replicate on such a complex shape, extending from the edge between 1 and 2 o'clock to the seconds area between 7 and 8 o'clock. The balance wheel and mainspring barrel bridges around the bridge retain their bright polished titanium, creating a captivating contrast of reflections and depth. Furthermore, the subtle use of blue tones makes the bridges stand out even more than simple polishing. The design philosophy of the movement remains unchanged, as does the convex titanium case. The 41.5mm diameter case perfectly conforms to the wrist, a testament to Greubel Forsey's continuous refinement of the convex case design since its inception.
If you are already familiar with the Balancier 3, you'll know that it houses a Greubel Forsey-manufactured variable inertia balance wheel, 12.6mm in diameter, with six gold averaging screws, its presence clearly visible from the dial side. The open-design movement comprises 282 parts, with two high-speed series-connected barrels providing a 72-hour power reserve. The functional layout remains unchanged: the hour and minute hands are displayed on a suspended central bridge, the small seconds subdial is read via a fixed indicator, and the power reserve indicator is hidden on the side of the movement.
It is worth mentioning the finishing of the movement and the exquisite craftsmanship displayed by Greubel Forsey. Even in its best condition, titanium is difficult to polish to perfection. The seemingly insignificant detail of evenly hand-brushing the curved titanium surface and maintaining a clean, crisp transition to the polished chamfers is crucial. This watch's purpose is not a redesign, but rather a different presentation, showcasing the richness of the brand's language.
This convex-case watch exudes confidence and style, instantly recognizable as a Greubel Forsey classic. A minimalist creation by Greubel Forsey, the blue accents on the case contrast sharply with the exquisite craftsmanship and finish, particularly evident in the choice of strap. While focusing solely on the strap when discussing Greubel Forsey might seem inappropriate, this textured rubber strap is unlike any other commonly found on other watches, adding both practicality and style.
replica maurice lacroix watches
best replica watches
replica porsche design 1919 watches
For Greubel Forsey, the launch of this timepiece is also perfectly timed. With Stephen Forsey stepping down from the board and the Balancier Convexe S² movement ceasing production in March 2026, the brand is about to embark on a new chapter. This limited edition of 22 pieces, priced at 160,000 Swiss francs, marks a new phase for the brand in a subtle yet thoughtful manner, centered around a groundbreaking finishing technique. This foreshadows a future direction for the brand that deserves close attention.
Bonniksen and the new Naissance d'une Montre 4 – Le Carrousel
This leads to another significant event showcased by Greubel Forsey on his recent watchmaking journey. In addition to the Balancier 3 watch, the brand also announced the establishment of Bonniksen—a brand new independent watchmaking workshop—through its long-supported Time Æon Foundation. Unfortunately, we weren't able to personally handle their first watch, the Naissance d'une Montre 4 – Le Carrousel, but we saw product displays and a series of final design drawings, so the following is for reference only and not a final conclusion.
This watchmaking factory, named Bonniksen, was founded this year in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Maximin Chapuis and Jason Chevrolat, students of Michel Boulanger. Its name comes from the Danish watchmaker Bahne Bonniksen, who worked in Coventry in 1892 and patented his "position-balancing carrousel rotator." This was a rotating regulator designed as a more robust and durable alternative to the tourbillon. The tourbillon's fourth wheel is fixed to the mainplate, around which the cage rotates; while the carrousel rotator drives its rotating cage through a separate gear train, with no gears fixed to the mainplate. It shone brightly in observatory tests for two decades, but with the outbreak of World War I, the British watchmaking industry shifted to other areas, and the carrousel virtually disappeared.
It's worth noting that Blancpain introduced the Carrousel Volant Une Minute watch in 2008, applying this mechanism to a wristwatch and proving that the concept could be miniaturized. However, no one had previously attempted what Chapuis and Chevrolat were working on. After more than 5,500 hours of research, and with the support of Bonniksen's descendants, they planned to completely handcraft a rotating movement in a watch with a diameter of less than 40 mm, with all components conceived, designed, and assembled by watchmakers in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
replica jacob and co Astronomia sky watches
richard mille replica
fashion replica watches
The drawings show that the movement features an inverted three-quarter plate design, with the hour and minute hands off-center at 12 o'clock on the outer edge of the dial, modern English pear-shaped hands, and a central seconds hand that pays homage to the great scientific pocket watches. An off-center window will showcase the internal structure of the rotating movement, compressing a rotation that historically took nearly an hour to a mere 30 seconds. The entire movement is framed by two domed crystal glass panels, creating a profound visual effect.
Greubel Forsey, renowned for his tilting tourbillons that solve positional errors, is now dedicated to reviving the tourbillon mechanism, which has historically served as an alternative, through the Time Æon Foundation. It's too early to draw final conclusions, but this sounds and looks like a very compelling and ambitious project, and it will be my focus among all the pieces exhibited that day.
