JEWELLERY & WATCHES 95
From Gerald Charles archive : the first skeleton Jumping Hours complication
For the first time in over 13 years , Gerald Charles has reintroduced the jumping hour complication , one of the most iconic complications of Mr . Genta ’ s designs . This piece represents an evolution from the historical Gerald Charles jumping hour Maestro 39 , manufactured prior 2011 when the founder was still the Maison ’ s designer-in-chief .
Devised for both durability and design , the watch features a mat black ceramic bezel on a marbledblack Carbon Forged case body , seamlessly integrated with Grade 5 Titanium crown , case-back and buckle - a testament to Gerald Charles ’ s unwavering commitment to excellence . These materials , known in the motorcycle world as superlight and resistant , were ideal for this new watch . In addition , the finishings are an ode to race track asphalt . Due to the special case construction , high water-resistance to 10 ATM / 100 mt and 5G shockresistance are guaranteed .
At its core , the timepiece boasts an in-house , proprietary developed new jumping hour calibre , featuring the Gerald Charles movement , Ref . GCA 3002JH . This complication , a result of R & D studies that reach new level of performance , pays homage to the brand ’ s heritage , inspired from Mr . Genta , and his affinity for this distinctive complication .
The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30 ° Anniversario 916 is the first Gerald Charles skeleton jumping hours watch as well as the first to display time on a motorcycle wheel .
Gerald Charles ’ savoir-faire meets Ducati ’ s vibrant identity
“ To create this timepiece , we encountered many challenges between the design and the creation of the watch , especially in terms of balancing the weight . When we started , the disk was unbalanced due to the different numbers weight . We had to develop a system with a circular black outer line at the top so that all the numerals were held together by two lines , the inner and the outer . This way , although the numerals seem to be on the dial , the reality is that the numerals , the central wheel and the outer line are all together on a big disk that turns .”, Octavio Garcia , Gerald Charles Head of Creative team .
At the centre of the case , a central wheel has been added as a subtle nod to the original Ducati 916-wheel rim . The golden jumping hour disk mirrors the motorcycle ’ s original three-spoke bronze alloy wheel , with black contours enhancing the colour contrast .
In a refined touch , the top sapphire includes a “ guichet ” frame , also adorned with SuperLuminovainfused red contours , offering a subtle view of the hour when lights go down .
ISSUE 66 2024 THE ART OF LUXURY