Maison

Gerald Charles is an independent, family-owned watch company based in Switzerland. It was founded in 2000 by the great Gérald Charles Genta, the 20th century’s foremost watch designer.

Monsieur Genta, often referred to simply as ‘Maestro’, was a prolific artist and watch designer. After selling the company in 2003, he stayed on as its designer-in-chief until his death in 2011, leaving a treasure trove of watch designs in the company’s care. Every watch created by Gerald Charles is based on one of his original designs and carries his legacy of ‘artistic creativity, technical mastery’ forward into the future.

Gerald Charles watches are at the cutting edge of ergonomics and designed and manufactured to sit comfortably and elegantly on the wrist, while being hard-wearing and fit for daily wear at the same time. Gerald Charles watches are produced without compromise and marry the finest traditions and most up-to-date technologies of Swiss mechanical watchmaking to deliver superior precision and performance, as well as exceptional water and shock resistance. Every piece is an elegant sports watch, the signature of the company's founder and eternal inspiration, Monsieur Genta.

Mr. G.C. Genta

Monsieur Gerald Charles Genta (1931-2011), born in Geneva, is deemed the most acclaimed watch designer in the world. In the early 2000s Monsieur Gerald Charles Genta – at the height of his success and willing to continue his creative production – founded the most modern of his brands: Gerald Charles.

He designed some of the most modern of his watches for the Maison Gerald Charles: amongst them the Maestro is one of his highest achievements. Its asymmetric watch case, one of its kind, has never been seen before and represents an exclusive innovation.

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Universal Geneve Polerouter*

At the young age of twenty-three, Mr Genta was asked to design a watch to commemorate the first commercial flights over the North Pole, operated by the Scandinavian Airlines Systems. This model represents nowadays an icon of vintage watches.

Sketch of the Universal Geneve Polerouter watch

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse*

Mr Genta designed the Golden Ellipse* for the prestigious watch manufacturer, Patek Philippe Geneve, a very thin and classic watch that takes distance from the canonical circular shape. The artist begins to experiment with new forms.

Sketch of the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse watch

Omega Constellation*

Mr Genta creates the Omega Constellation C-model* and he is subsequently offered an exclusive contract to produce several other designs for Omega’s Constellation line of watches.

Sketch of the Omega Constellation watches

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak*

Legend has it that Mr Genta created the watch that would become his most well-known design in an overnight storm of paper and pen, taking inspiration from an old-fashioned diving helmet. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak* with its iconic shape represented the world’s very first, stainless steel, high-end sport-watch. The bold, angular design of the Royal Oak* was unlike anything that anyone had ever seen, and it persuaded the public that a sports watch made of stainless steel could justifiably cost more than a solid gold dress watch.

Sketch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch

Patek Philippe Nautilus*

Mr Genta created for Patek Philippe, Geneva, the best-seller Nautilus*, which went down in history as a rare and great investment for collectors. According to legend, the original design for the Nautilus* was sketched on a restaurant napkin and completed in 5 minutes.

Sketch of the Patek Philippe Nautilus watch

IWC Ingenieur SL*

Mr Genta re-designed the Ingenieur SL* for the prestigious Swiss manufacturer, IWC. Once again, the artistic touch of the Maestro may be easily recognised in the smooth design lines characterising this timepiece.

Sketch of the IWC Ingenieur SL watch

Bvlgari Bvlgari*

Inspired by an Ancient Roman coin, Mr Genta creates the Bulgari Bulgari* for the house of Bulgari, based in Rome, Italy. As the name of the Emperor was always engraved on Roman coins, so is the name of the brand engraved on the circular flat bezel of this watch.

Sketch of the Bvlgari Bvlgari watch

Walt Disney Retro Fantasy*

Obtaining an exclusive licence from Disney, the world-acclaimed Gerald Charles Genta manufactures a limited edition of playful timepieces. Combining a precious jumping-hours retrograde movement with the joyful Disney characters on the dial. For the first time in history a Disney watch sells for several thousands of dollars. These Retro Fantasy* watches are now very rare and sold on auctions.

Sketch of the Walt Disney Retro Fantasy watches

Gerald Genta Grande Sonnerie *

During the last decade of the 20th Century, Mr Genta investigates the mechanics of complex Swiss movements, giving birth to a collection of Grand Sonnerie and Minute Repeater. These watches represent extraordinary engineering clockworks, some reproducing the sound of London’s Big Ben, others breaking the record of the most expensive wristwatch ever sold for over a million dollars.

Sketch of the Grand Sonnerie watch

Gerald Charles Renaissance

At the end of March, the well-known designer launches the first model of the Gerald Charles brand. The evocative name, RENAISSANCE, perfectly describes this collection, characterised by the revival of art and technological novelty. These watches are conceived to be a bolder expression of the soft line which Mr Genta was always particularly fond of.

Sketch of the Gerald Charles Renaissance watch

Gerald Charles Maestro

The Maestro Gerald introduces this concept wristwatch, innovative from the point of view of design and technology. The Maestro’s case, whose shape lies between a square and an octagon, has never been seen before. An iconic case made to last for future generations.

Sketch of the Gerald Charles Maestro watch