ROBBREPORT.COM 167
while that project looked
to the past, modern watch-
making is equally at home
here, in this 21,000-square-
foot glass structure. It was
designed by Neuchâtel-based
architect Pierre Studer and is attached to the farmhouse
through a hallway, which connects a structure inherent
to watchmaking’s past to one creating its future, like a
physical embodiment of the passage of time. Its façade is
constructed from double-skin glass that acts as a thermal
buffer, producing natural air-conditioning and ensuring
a constant temperature year-round. Even the position-
ing of the various workshops throughout the atelier has
been carefully considered. (And, yes, most watchmaking
houses are known as manufactures, but Greubel Forsey
feels that “atelier” is more indicative of its highly spe-
cialized workplace.)
The brand is known for its superior, almost maso-
chistic level of hand-finishing and employs an incredible
22 people specifically for this work on the 100 watches
the company produces a year. That’s why their work-
shop is placed on the north end of the atelier, with its
high ceiling. “We want to provide the perfect environ-
ment, because as watchmakers ourselves, we’re sensi-
tive to light right from the beginning,” says Forsey. “You
want to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible and
have a fairly constant natural light because it’s best for
this kind of work.”
The grass-lined roof of the modern atelier, rather
than the farmhouse, now serves as the main attraction
for the occasional rogue farm animal, which peeps down
at the artisans through the skylights. Not that anyone
notices: Hand-finishing a Greubel Forsey timepiece
takes laser-focus. The difference between an industrial
machined part and one done by hand in this atelier can
be many hours of work—for a part that may not even be
seen by the naked eye—while a tourbillon cage can take
20 hours to several days.But to even reach the hand-finishing workshop or the
rest of the atelier you exit the farmhouse into the long
hallway, which is three stories high and has, at the far
end, an elevator with a black façade decorated in white
chalk renderings of the firm’s famous movements. You
could mistake the building for a Silicon Valley start-up,
and you half expect to see a bunch of tech gurus playing
ping-pong and solving algorithms. And that’s not far off.
The bright minds inside are, in fact, busy solving com-
plex mechanics and new ways of telling time, except
they are using knowledge based on the traditions of cen-
turies-old techniques. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t
using new technology and new ideas.
“Because we’re not a traditional company with an
archive and a way of doing things for hundreds of years,
we’ve been able to make it more modern,” says Forsey.
“So we do have modern machines. We just use them in
a particular way.” There are 3-D designs executed on
computers, simulation tools that help reduce errors in
prototyping phases, and data feedback that allows them
to develop better models. And while many watch com-
panies build their calibers in-house, very few make all
the components: In Greubel Forsey’s case, every part of
the movement, save for barrel mainsprings and jewels,
can be made in-house and then constructed into a move-
ment on the third floor of the atelier. “If you’re going to
ask somebody to invest half a million dollars or more in
one watch, then it’s really got to work for us,” says Forsey.
To date, Greubel Forsey has made 25 different cal-
ibers in the span of 15 years. That’s a major feat for a
watchmaker producing such small quantities. Not to
mention the cost—approximately $3 million to develop
a single movement. Greubel Forsey’s timepieces start at
$160,000, but for collectors it’s not about the money. You
could easily spend just as much at a historic brand, and
while you might get a certain provenance and recogni-
tion, some of those dollars just fund larger marketing
and advertising budgets. At Greubel Forsey, collectors
invest in a work of art backed by an enormous amount
of research and development, as well as superior levels
of craftsmanship and guaranteed rarity. And, of course,
you’re contributing to watchmaking’s future, ensuring it
will continue to exist for generations to come, thanks to
what is being developed in Greubel Forsey’s 17th-centu-
ry-farmhouse-cum-21st-century-atelier.FROM FAR LEFT:
The restored
farmhouse; the
modern Pierre
Studer-designed
atelier.W
LEFT: Fingers and thumbs
at work on the movement
of the Quadruple Tourbillion
Secret. ABOVE: The 2019
Art Piece Edition Historique.ROBBREPORT.COM 167
whilethatprojectlooked
tothepast,modernwatch-
making is equally at home
here,inthis21,000-square-
foot glass structure. It was
designedbyNeuchâtel-based
architectPierreStuderandisattachedtothefarmhouse
througha hallway,whichconnectsa structureinherent
to watchmaking’s past to one creating its future, like a
physical embodiment of the passage of time. Its façade is
constructed from double-skin glass that acts as a thermal
buffer, producing natural air-conditioning and ensuring
a constant temperature year-round. Even the position-
ing of the various workshops throughout the atelier has
been carefully considered. (And, yes, most watchmaking
houses are known as manufactures, but Greubel Forsey
feels that “atelier” is more indicative of its highly spe-
cialized workplace.)
The brand is known for its superior, almost maso-
chistic level of hand-finishing and employs an incredible
22 people specifically for this work on the 100 watches
the company produces a year. That’s why their work-
shop is placed on the north end of the atelier, with its
high ceiling. “We want to provide the perfect environ-
ment, because as watchmakers ourselves, we’re sensi-
tive to light right from the beginning,” says Forsey. “You
want to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible and
have a fairly constant natural light because it’s best for
this kind of work.”
The grass-lined roof of the modern atelier, rather
than the farmhouse, now serves as the main attraction
for the occasional rogue farm animal, which peeps down
at the artisans through the skylights. Not that anyone
notices: Hand-finishing a Greubel Forsey timepiece
takes laser-focus. The difference between an industrial
machined part and one done by hand in this atelier can
be many hours of work—for a part that may not even be
seen by the naked eye—while a tourbillon cage can take
20 hours to several days.Buttoevenreachthehand-finishing workshop or the
restoftheatelieryouexitthe farmhouse into the long
hallway,whichisthreestories high and has, at the far
end,anelevatorwitha black façade decorated in white
chalkrenderingsofthefirm’s famous movements. You
couldmistakethebuildingfor a Silicon Valley start-up,
andyouhalfexpecttoseea bunch of tech gurus playing
ping-pongandsolvingalgorithms. And that’s not far off.
Thebrightmindsinsideare, in fact, busy solving com-
plexmechanicsandnewways of telling time, except
theyareusingknowledgebased on the traditions of cen-
turies-oldtechniques.Butthat doesn’t mean they aren’t
usingnewtechnologyandnew ideas.
“Becausewe’renota traditional company with an
archive and a way of doing things for hundreds of years,
we’ve been able to make it more modern,” says Forsey.
“So we do have modern machines. We just use them in
a particular way.” There are 3-D designs executed on
computers, simulation tools that help reduce errors in
prototyping phases, and data feedback that allows them
to develop better models. And while many watch com-
panies build their calibers in-house, very few make all
the components: In Greubel Forsey’s case, every part of
the movement, save for barrel mainsprings and jewels,
can be made in-house and then constructed into a move-
ment on the third floor of the atelier. “If you’re going to
ask somebody to invest half a million dollars or more in
one watch, then it’s really got to work for us,” says Forsey.
To date, Greubel Forsey has made 25 different cal-
ibers in the span of 15 years. That’s a major feat for a
watchmaker producing such small quantities. Not to
mention the cost—approximately $3 million to develop
a single movement. Greubel Forsey’s timepieces start at
$160,000, but for collectors it’s not about the money. You
could easily spend just as much at a historic brand, and
while you might get a certain provenance and recogni-
tion, some of those dollars just fund larger marketing
and advertising budgets. At Greubel Forsey, collectors
invest in a work of art backed by an enormous amount
of research and development, as well as superior levels
of craftsmanship and guaranteed rarity. And, of course,
you’re contributing to watchmaking’s future, ensuring it
will continue to exist for generations to come, thanks to
what is being developed in Greubel Forsey’s 17th-centu-
ry-farmhouse-cum-21st-century-atelier.FROM FAR LEFT:
The restored
farmhouse; the
modern Pierre
Studer-designed
atelier.
W
LEFT: Fingers and thumbs
at work on the movement
of the Quadruple Tourbillion
Secret. ABOVE: The 2019
Art Piece Edition Historique.