Explore the New Timepieces at Geneva Watch Days 2022
New releases from Greubel Forsey, Bulgari, Corum, and more
Written by Theo Baker
September 1, 2022
Geneva Watch Days has returned to the horological capital of the world this summer, with forty brands coming together to showcase new timepieces in various hotels, manufactures, and boutiques across the city. The event spans three days, from August 29 to September 1, over its course offering guests firsthand access to watch industry professionals and their creations through an exhibition, panels, cocktails, dinners, and press conferences.
This year’s event is the third time Geneva Watch Days has taken place, the event was initially launched in 2020 by a pool of founding benefactor brands including Bulgari, Breitling, De Bethune, H. Moser & Cie, MB&F, Ulysse Nardin, and Urwerk. Since then, several other brands have joined the event as benefactors and associate members, in-turn helping create one of the most significant annual showcases of watch releases.
Greubel Forsey GMT Balancier Convexe
Among the participating brands is Greubel Forsey, attending this year’s Geneva Watch Days with a brand-new GMT. As part of the event, the watchmaker launched the GMT Balancier Convexe, introducing a new iteration of the brand’s previous GMT designs.
The 46.5mm titanium case of the new model features a “variable geometry” style that has become a distinctive aesthetic for Greubel Forsey cases. Another signature for the brand’s GMT designs is the three-dimensional globe, playing an integral part in the main dial configuration. The globe functions as a 24-hour world time hand; as it rotates, each “global” location matches with the corresponding current time on an outer indicating ring, providing a visual display of all 24 time zones.
Outside its globe, the new GMT Balancier Convexe features a novel dial layout, with running time indicated outside the sphere via two floating red triangular hands, a travel time showcased via a small subdial towards the 9 o’clock position, and a running seconds counter towards the 4 o’clock. An inclined balance wheel sits above the exposed movement plate at a 30-degree angle, serving as the final visual signature for the watch and brand, and further balancing the total visual design of the uncommon GMT.
Powered by an in-house hand-wound movement, only 66 editions of the GMT Balancier Convexe will be made, with 22 models planned for production each year between 2022 and 2024. The watch is available through authorized dealers, retailing for $400,000.
MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO
Another brand making its showcase at Geneva Watch Days is watchmaker MB&F, with the release of two new colorways in the LM Split Escapement EVO collection. Both new references feature 44mm titanium cases and make strong use of sporty design elements, including the use of an integrated rubber strap, a screw-down crown, 80m of water resistance, and a unique internal shock-absorbing system– all signatures of the MB&F EVO series.
Where the two new models deviate is their colorways, with one featuring a sky blue color with black subdials and the other, dubbed “the Beverly Hills edition,” having a black baseplate with electric blue subdials. Outside of color, the watches share the same general configuration, featuring three subdials: one indicating hours and minutes, another the power reserve, and a third for the date. Above the display, the watch’s escapement is suspended via a polished arched, V-shaped bridge. The unique escapement serves as part of the LM Split Escapement caliber produced in-house by MB&F, the mechanism capable of a 72-hour power reserve.
The MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO Sky Blue will enter serial production and will be available from MB&F retailers. The MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO Beverly Hills Edition is a limited release of 25 pieces, exclusive to the Beverly Hills MB&F LAB run by Westime Jewelers. Both models retail for $80,000.
Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon
Alongside a number of other notable releases by the brand, benefactor Bulgari brought its new Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon to the 2022 Geneva trade show. The new watch is at the intersection of haute joaillerie (high jewelry making) and haute horlogerie, with jewels surrounding the bracelet and case, the former housing a dandy tourbillon. The case itself is 34mm and made of white gold, with black spinels set into its bezels and diamonds set on the entirety of its other surfaces. A curved bracelet follows the design of the case, with diamonds and black spinels arranged into a serpent-skin-like pattern.
Like the case and bracelet, the dial of the timepiece is set entirely with diamonds, save the black Roman numeral indices and the tourbillon complication at 6 o’clock. Beneath it, the 3.65mm thick BVL 150 manual-winding movement powers the model, with the iconic snake-head case requiring the tailor-made miniature caliber to fit within its delicate height.
The new Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon is available for purchase via the brand’s boutiques, with pricing marked at $185,000.
Urwerk UR-100V “UltraViolet”
Next on the list of releases is the UR-100V “UltraViolet” from Swiss watchmaker Urwerk. The watch is an update to the UR-100 that debuted in 2019, with this latest edition featuring a vivid violet colorway and housing a new movement.
The new timepiece has a 41mm × 49.7mm sanded and shot-blasted titanium case with a violet-tone DLC. Following the avant-garde style of the case, the unusual dial layout of the watch displays three numerical pyramids that gradually pass over the minute track, which is marked on the lower portion of the dial. After an hour has elapsed, the hand that was actively indicating the time passes under a large shield, disappearing to the eye, and a new hand begins its movement at the zero marker to indicate the beginning of another hour. Inside, Urwerk’s new caliber 12.02 powers the timekeeping, with the mechanism replacing the previous-gen caliber 12.01.
The Urwerk UR-100V “UltraViolet” is set to retail for CHF 55,000 (approximately $56,500 USD).
Corum Bubble X Aiiroh
Last on our list of highlights from this year’s Geneva Watch Days is from Swiss watchmaker Corum, which collaborated with street artist Aiiroh for their most recent novelty. Titled the Corum Bubble X Aiiroh, the unusual timepiece takes influence from Aiiroh’s distinctive reinterpretation of pop art while playing to the innovative nature of the Swiss brand.
Its design is based on the 44mm Bubble watch that Corum debuted in 2000, though the new iteration is a leveled-up version with a 47mm steel case with black PVD coating. The large-wearing watch has a colorful dial as its focal point, which is inspired by Aiiroh’s “Black Série Rose” artwork, which uses street posters and headlines in a decoupage-like collage to form the petals of the vibrant rose. The effect is recreated on the watch’s dial with a black aluminum overlay indicating the outline of the intended rose shape. A mechanical automatic caliber CO 082 powers the watch, offering 42-hours of power reserve.
The new Corum Bubble X Aiiroh is limited to 88 pieces, each retailing for CHF 7,200 (approximately $7,400 USD).
