The Gerald Charles Heritage
What prompted Mr. Gerald Charles Genta to found this maison?
So far, Gerald Charles' 2023 has been full of a lot of novelties, the latest of which was unveiled just a few days ago.
Over the past few months, the high-end Swiss watchmaking Maison has been working hard on the GC Sport collection, focusing on developing a strong link to the world of tennis, not coincidentally, the dials of the Maestro GC Sport, Clay and Grass,, are reminiscent of the surfaces of concrete, grass, and red clay courts.
This collection was then expanded further in September with the presentation of the Maestro 8.0 GC Sport Squelette.
We then come to a few days ago when Gerald Charles launched two new models this time: the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin and the Maestro 3.0 Chronograph in a new configuration of 18K Rose Gold and chocolate brown.
In collaboration with Swiss partner Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, the timepieces boast two new exclusive calibres: the 3.7 mm GCA-3002 for the Ultra-Thin and the elegant 6.07 mm GCA-3022/12 for the Chronograph.
This technical improvement is another sign of how much the Maison is devoting itself to research and development to bring ever higher quality timepieces, as the CEO, Federico Ziviani, told us in the interview we published a few months ago and which you can find here:
When I spoke with Federico, I was interested to find out what business plans he had in mind to grow Gerald Charles and how he managed the heavy legacy of Mr. Gerald Charles Genta. The answers to the first question can be found in the previous article, while in this one I will tell you what he told me about why the Master, Mr. Genta, decided to create Gerald Charles.
The Maison Gerald Charles was founded in 2000 by Gérald Charles Genta. After creating some of the most iconic watches ever, the Swiss designer opened his Maison using his two names. From the beginning, the intention was to create a unique link between his vision and the models he would create.
Between 2000 and 2011, Mr. Genta designed watches with incredible complications. Many of his designs, each hand-drawn, were put into production, while many others remained only drawings, hidden in the Maison's archives like an undiscovered treasure.
After selling the company in 2003 to the Ziviani family, Gérald Charles Genta remained as designer in chief until 2011, with Giampaolo Ziviani as General Manager. After that, a few years ago, management passed to Federico, Giampaolo's grandson.
In creating this brand, Mr. Genta was looking for a place where he could express all his artistic flair to the fullest, establishing a link between his watch productions and the world of art.
In fact, when Mr. Genta was the chief designer of Gerald Charles, watch production was limited to a few very complicated timepieces, all destined for a niche of special collectors, to which the Maestro would accompany a painting that he made himself. In addition, some of his early creations had his signature engraved on the case back, like an artist's artwork.
Gerald Charles' new management is trying to keep Mr. Genta's spirit alive by making the master's designs relevant to contemporary style.
Picking up such a heavy legacy is far from easy because it requires daily commitment to live up to what the Mr. Genta delivered to us watch enthusiasts.
