Greubel Forsey Defines A New Standard With The Balancier QM
Greubel Forsey has unveiled the Balancier QM, a striking new timepiece and the first timepiece to carry Qualité Musée standard, the formal name they have given to the level of hand finishing to which they hold their work.
Limited to just 33 pieces and presented in a refined 39.6mm white gold case, the Balancier QM is more than a new watch. It is the first model to formally carry the Qualité Musée designation, a standard that elevates the art of hand-finishing to an entirely new level.
For Greubel Forsey, exceptional finishing has always been fundamental to the identity of the brand. Long before hand-finishing became one of the most discussed aspects of haute horlogerie, the independent manufacture had already established a reputation for obsessive attention to detail. The Balancier QM now gives that philosophy a name.
Every Component A Work Of Art
The Qualité Musée standard adds a new dimension to Greubel Forsey’s already exacting approach. Every individual component must stand on its own as a miniature work of art, regardless of whether it is visible to the wearer.
A perfect example is the bridge supporting the balance wheel. Despite measuring only a few millimetres across, it combines multiple finishing techniques, including mirror polishing, black polishing, circular graining, straight graining and hand-polished bevels. The result is a level of visual refinement rarely encountered, even in the highest echelons of watchmaking. This painstaking attention extends across all 298 components of the movement.
Beauty Beyond The Visible
Greubel Forsey’s commitment to craftsmanship extends far beyond what can be seen through the sapphire crystal. Components hidden deep within the movement receive exactly the same treatment as those on display.
Turn the watch over and the winding mechanism becomes a showcase in itself, with polished wheels, meticulously finished springs and beautifully executed black-polished surfaces. It is a philosophy built on integrity rather than appearance; the manufacture believes excellence should never depend on visibility.
Even the Qualité Musée name itself remains discreet. Rather than appearing on the dial, it is engraved on a hidden plate within the movement, visible only to those who take the time to look closer.
Innovation At The Heart
At the centre of the Balancier QM beats a hand-wound movement featuring hours, minutes, small seconds and a 72-hour power reserve display. Dominating the dial is the large variable-inertia balance wheel that gives the watch its name.
The movement also showcases several technical developments emerging from Greubel Forsey’s Experimental Watch Technology laboratory. These include refined escapement architecture, newly developed finishing techniques and convex pallet jewels designed to enhance the play of light within the regulating organ.
Another significant achievement lies hidden from view. The hairspring is now produced entirely in-house, from raw material through to the finished component. After years of research and development, Greubel Forsey is extending this capability beyond its most exclusive projects and into the wider collection.
A Landscape In Miniature
One of the most captivating aspects of the Balancier QM is its three-dimensional architecture. Despite its relatively compact dimensions, the movement is designed as a landscape of varying heights and depths.
The eye is naturally drawn from the large balance wheel to the small seconds display, before discovering the mainspring barrel and the elegantly integrated power reserve indication. Twin high-domed sapphire crystals further enhance this sense of depth, creating a dynamic visual experience from every angle.
Looking Ahead
The Balancier QM represents both a milestone and a statement of intent for Greubel Forsey. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in which the principles of Qualité Musée will continue to influence future creations across the collection.
At a time when many brands focus on increasing production, Greubel Forsey remains committed to a different path. The objective is not to make more watches, but to make better ones.
With the Balancier QM, the manufacture has not introduced a new philosophy. Instead, it has chosen to define and celebrate the one that has guided its work from the very beginning.
Technical Specifications:
Balancier QM
In white gold
Limited edition
Hand-wound movement
Hours and minutes • small seconds • power-reserve • Greubel Forsey balance wheel system • stop balance
MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT DIMENSIONS
• Overall diameter: 33mm
• Thickness: 9.40mm
NUMBER OF PARTS
• Movement: 298 parts
NUMBER OF JEWELS
• 34
• Olived-domed jewels in gold chatons
CHRONOMETRIC POWER RESERVE
• 72 hours
BARRELS
• Two coaxial series-coupled fast rotating barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), one of which is equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension
• Relief engraving «Greubel Forsey»
• 5-arm motor wheel, hand-polished bevelling, circular-grained with polished sink
ESCAPEMENT
• Bi-level escapement wheel, bevelled and polished on both sides
• Flat black polished and bevelled pallet-lever
• Convex pallet-jewels
BALANCE WHEEL
• In-house variable-inertia with 6 gold mean-time screws (12.60mm diameter)
• Stop balance activated by crown
FREQUENCY
• 21’600 vibrations/hour
BALANCE SPRING
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
BRIDGES AND MAIN PLATES
• Nickel silver, frosted, extra-large hand-polished bevelling and flanks, nickel-palladium treatment
• Barrel polished steel balance wheel bridge, hand-polished bevelling, countersinks and flanks
• Gold plate under the balance wheel, polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, rhodium treatment
• Gold plate with engraved limitation number, circular-grained, polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks
MOVEMENT SIDE
• Nickel silver three-quarter-plate bridge, frosted, extra-large hand-polished bevelling and flanks, nickel-palladium treatment
• Flat black polished gold plates, polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks
GEARING
• Involute circle profile
• Ratchet-wheel with polished tooth profile, hand matt lapped
• Full bevelling and flat black polished clicks and springs
• Winding wheels with concave hand-polished sink, bevelled and polished teeth, hand matt lapped
DISPLAYS
• Hours and minutes
• Small seconds
• Power reserve on a sector
EXTERIOR
CASE
• In white gold with high domed synthetic sapphire crystal
• Transparent back with high domed synthetic sapphire crystal
• Three-dimensional, variable geometry-shaped lugs
• Raised polished engraving “Balancier QM” and “Greubel Forsey” on a hand-punched background
• Gold security screws
• Hand-polished bezel, caseband with hand-finished straight graining
CASE DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 39.60mm
• Case height: 9.45mm
• Height on synthetic sapphire crystals: 12.25mm
WATER RESISTANCE OF THE CASE
• Water-resistant 3atm – 30m – 100ft (standard NIHS 92-20/SN ISO 22810:2010)
CROWN
• In white gold, hand-engraved GF logo
DIAL
• Multi-level in gold, rhodium-coloured, engraved GF logo and minute-circle, lacquered
• Small seconds and power-reserve in gold, engraved, lacquered
HANDS
• Hours, minutes, small seconds and power-reserve in flame-blued polished steel, hand-polished countersinks, flat black polished head
STRAP AND CLASP
• Hand-sewn textured rubber
• White gold pin buckle, hand-engraved GF logo
PRICE
Upon request
For more information please visit Greubel Forsey