Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Gerald Genta Octo Tourbillon Sunray.

When I was a child, I visited a gold mine in South Africa. We were shown how gold was melted in a furnace and then poured into a bar. I remember the hot flaming liquid like molten lava, and I could feel the heat press against my face. At the end of the show we were allowed to place our hand around the bar of gold, and even try lift it. The gold was very yellow and smooth. Gerald Genta's Octo Tourbillon Sunray watch brought this memory back from decades of sleep. The muted yellow antique gold of the watch reminds me of the gold bar beneath my hand. So pure and vibrant is the gold, it could have been discovered in a cave among pirates booty. The geometric shapes balance the watch in perfect symmetry. The Tourbillon is framed by a brilliant gold octagon, and set deep into the slim 5.9 mm thick case, suspended on a sapphire bridge, so that when one looks down at the whirlwind of movement created by the tourbillon, one senses a fleeting sensation of timelessness.

The tourbillon is situated between two identical 6's which are part of the retrograde hour display. Gerald Genta is one of the Masters of complications being the first company to produce a self-winding tourbillon mechanism in the 1990's.
The craftsmanship is impeccable, a mark of craftsmanship at its best with finishes such as circular graining, bevelling, polishing. An anti ultraviolet-ray treatment slows the drying of oils and increases the life of the watch. The timepiece has a 64 hour power reserve.

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