Visionaries: Gérald Genta

Few men can look back at their time on Earth and truly say that they were visionaries of industry. Automobiles had Henry Ford. Entertainment had Walt Disney. Modern technology had the likes of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. In the world of horology, one such man was Charles Gérald Genta, the revolutionary mind behind some of the world’s most iconic watches including the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, IWC Ingeniur, and Omega Constellation. 

Gerald Genta Heritage

Born to a Swiss mother and Italian father on 1st May 1931, Gérald Genta began his career as an apprentice at a jewellery business at the age of 15. It didn’t take long for his talent to be noticed by Universal Genève, a key pioneer of chronographs and Genta’s first major step forward in the world of luxury watch design. Over his career, Genta also shaped the histories of many other key brands including Patek Philippe, IWC, Omega, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Yet, Genta’s passion for good design wasn’t exclusive to luxury price points either, with key collaborations alongside other iconic brands such as Hamilton, Seiko and Timex. 

Let us explore some of Gérald Genta’s most iconic designs: 

Iconic Designs

Universal Genève SAS Polerouter

Genta’s first iconic contribution was the SAS Polerouter. The SAS Polerouter was designed in 1954 for the Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) to commemorate one of history’s most groundbreaking flight routes from Copenhagen to Los Angeles via the North Pole. The first known models of this reference were given to cabin crew on that iconic flight. 

Omega Constellation

The first Omega constellation made its debut in 1952, approximately half a decade before the Speedmaster. Starting off as a basic chronometer for men, the Constellation’s history is filled with many iconic design transitions including the pie-pan and cross-hair dials, and ultra-thin models. The iconic 8 stars on the Constellation medallion represent eight chronometry records set by Omega at Kew-Teddington and the Geneva Observatory in the 1950s. In 1959, Genta was tasked with reviewing Omega’s constellation range leading to many of the designs you still see today. 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Inspired by a vintage diving helmet, the Royal Oak and its iconic 8 screws was designed by Genta in 1970. It only took the legendary designer one night to sketch out the Royal Oak which revolutionized the world of horology. The Royal Oak is the first ever luxury watch to be crafted in steel. Although it was not well received at first instance, the Royal Oak is today a key addition to any serious collector’s assemblage. 

Patek Phillipe Nautilus

Genta presented the first design for the Nautilus to Patek Philippe in 1974. Inspired by the submarine in the literature classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea which had oval-shaped portholes, the Nautilus was designed for unparalleled underwater performance. While not literally leagues under the sea, the original Nautilus had a water resistance of up to 120 metres, a major technological advancement at that time. The design of the watch was bold at the very least, being neither completely round or rectangular but an octagon with distinct curvatures.

At the time of release, the big and sporty Nautilus was revolutionary for Patek Philipe because up till then, Patek Philipe’s collections was almost exclusive to gentleman’s dress pieces such as the Perpetual Calendars and Minute Repeaters. Today, the world of horology can only thank Genta and Patek Philippe for deciding to take that risk in 1974 to put the Nautilus to production. 

Advertisement for the Patek Phillipe Nautilus (1978)

Disney Collaborations

In the 1980s, Genta began designing exclusive pieces in a collaboration with the Walt Disney company, featuring many of the world’s favourite animated characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse. This ‘Fantasy’ range contain some of the most collectible timepieces you can get your hands on today.  

Grand Sonnerie

 

After five years of intensive R&D, Genta launched the Grand Sonnerie in 1995, widely acknowledged to have been the most complicated and sophisticated timepiece at the point of release. The piece featured an astonishing number of distinct complications and literally included thousands of spare parts. The watch included a Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar, Tourbillon with Westminster Chime, Retrograde Date and Power-Reserve Indication. 

 

For a more in-depth interview with the man himself, you can refer to this exclusive piece at VeryImportantWatches.com.