News: What If A Sports Watch Was Complicated? – The 2021 Greubel Forsey GMT Sport
In 2020, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin met in a bar and were seen loudly debating who had the best sports watch. Little did they know, independent watchmaker Greubel Forsey was sitting at the other end of the bar with its new GMT Sport. Having had enough of the bickering, Greubel Forsey slid its watch across the bar to the three...the room fell silent. Looking at this contemporary, painstakingly hand-finished, Dali-esque watch, the three watchmakers had seemingly run out of things to say.
Greubel Forsey was founded in 2004 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey
Okay, okay, of course, I made all that up; but when Greubel Forsey announced the GMT Sport back in 2020, it pushed the boundaries on what a sports watch could be. Just look at it...
This 45mm titanium watch is packed to the brim with features. The first thing that draws the eye has to be the globe. Made from titanium, the globe is fully rotatable and can act as a world timer. Moving around the dial clockwise, we stumble upon the second time zone indicator and small seconds counter between 10 and 11 and the 25° 24-second tourbillon—used for its superior chronometric performance—at 1. Continuing down, we have the power-reserve at 3 and a large skeletonised bridge—at 5—which supports the curved arrow-shaped minute and hour hands used to tell local time.
Greubel Forsey is located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Turning over the GMT Sport reveals two things. The case design that makes the watch look as if it were ripped straight from a Salvador Dali painting and the functional case back. The case back allows the user to read UTC Universal and Summer Time for 24 major time zones.
Despite all those features, the hand-wound movement at the heart of the GMT Sport boasts a 21,600 vph beat rate and a 72-hour power reserve—which is similar, or even beats, other sports watches on the market.
Greubel Forsey remains an independent watchmaker
So, why am I talking about this watch now? Well, for Watches & Wonders 2021, Greubel Forsey has updated the GMT Sport with a shiny new integrated bracelet—a first for the brand—and in keeping with present-day sports watches, has extended the blue from the globe to the rest of the dial.
The GMT Sport is a fresh, complicated—be it expensive—take on the luxury sports watch. It's far removed from any of the 70s stylings we are used to seeing and is a real “have your cake and eat it” type of watch thanks to its rugged titanium build and assortment of complications.
Greubel Forsey GMT Sport 2021
Case | Titanium
Dimensions | 45mm Diameter x 17.80mm Height
Dial | Blue
Crystal | Sapphire Crystal
Water Resistance | 100m
Frequency | 21,600 vph
Power Reserve | 72 Hours
Strap | Integrated Titanium Bracelet, Blue Rubber
RRP | TBC
Limited Edition | Yes, 33 Pieces
