| Gerald Charles | |
| Industry: | Luxury good |
| Founded: | 2000 |
| Founder: | Gérald Genta |
| Hq Location: | Switzerland |
| Products: | Watches |
Gerald Charles SA is an independent family-owned watch company based in Switzerland, founded by Swiss watchmaker and artist Gérald Charles Genta.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Gérald Charles Genta (1931–2011), a Swiss watchmaker and artist, founded his eponymous company in 1969, which was sold by Genta in 1996 to The Hour Glass. In 2000, Gérald Charles Genta founded a new watch brand, Gerald Charles SA. Gérald Charles Genta is best known for creating the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. He collaborated with watch manufacturers, such as Omega, IWC, and Cartier, contributing to models like Omega's Constellation and Cartier's Pasha de Cartier.[5] [6] [7]
In 2000, Mr. Gérald Charles Genta founded Gerald Charles, a brand that bore both his first names, establishing a connection between himself and his creations.[8] [9]
In 2003, Mr. Genta sold the company to a group of investors led by the Ziviani family, who were already distributors of Genta's watches and had a collaborative history with him. Gerald Genta continued to serve as the Chief Designer until his passing in 2011, and Giampaolo Ziviani assumed the role of the company's CEO.
Between 2011 and 2018, the company focused on creating bespoke timepieces for a select group of collectors, using original designs originated by Genta.
In 2018–2019, Federico Ziviani joined as General Manager and was appointed in 2023 as CEO. At that time, the company started to expand internationally.The brand chose to maintain the Maestro case, an octagonal design originated by Genta in 2005, while implementing some design modifications to make the watches available to a wider audience. The Maestro case variations were redesigned by the creative director Octavio Garcia and featured diverse dials, a skeletonized style, and rubber straps in colors like blue and green. Garcia, with a significant background in watch design, brought his expertise to Gerald Charles. Having spent 11 years at Audemars Piguet (AP), including five years as its Chief Artistic Officer, Garcia is widely regarded as a prominent figure in the industry, often seen as the successor to Gerald Genta's legacy in terms of design innovation.
In 2020, Gerald Charles released the Maestro Anniversary, inspired by Gérald Genta's 2005 Maestro design. This limited edition saw a successful sell-out of its 252 stainless steel pieces.
In 2021, the "Premier 2021" chronograph and three hands watches have been launched in a limited edition of 25 pieces each.
In May 2021, Gerald Charles introduced the Maestro 2.0 Automatic in Stainless Steel.
In 2022, Gerald Charles launched the new Maestro 8.0 Squelette watch, distinctively designed under Octavio Garcia, featuring an ultra-thin, iconic Maestro case with an open-worked movement and 100 meters water resistance.[10] [11]
In 2023, Gerald Charles introduced the GC 9.0 Tourbillon Ref. GC9.0-A-01, a tribute to founder Gerald Charles Genta, featuring a 60-seconds Titanium flying tourbillon cage developed in collaboration with creative director Octavio Garcia.[12]
In the same year, Gerald Charles expanded its presence to North Europe and the USA through the establishment of new retail locations.[13]
In February 2024, Gerald Charles opened its first boutique and showroom in Geneva on Rue du Mont-Blanc.[14]
In April 2024, Gerald Charles took part at Watches and Wonders at the Palexpo in Geneva, The company was one of the 6 new entrants to this year’s event and showcased its new Masterlink collection.[15] [16]
Gerald Charles’ watches are manufactured in Switzerland, and every watch is based on Gérald Genta's original drawings. It has more than 50 points of sales worldwide. The company partners with Swiss watch components manufacturers such as Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and Salanitro.[17] [18]
The signature collection of Gerald Charles is the Maestro Collection (first revealed to the market in 2005), with an asymmetrical case with a rippled bezel, and a vulcanised rubber strap, both designed by Genta. Mr. Genta drew inspiration for Maestro cases from a Roman monument from the 17th century, designed by Francesco Borromini, a Swiss-Italian architect. The design is influenced by the interplay of a square and an octagon, featuring a distinctive "smile" at the 6 o'clock position, mirroring the concave nature of the monument's facades. Maestro Collection pieces are designed using medical-grade stainless steel, 18K Rose Gold, and Grade 5 titanium, each finished with a combination of polished and sandblasted techniques.[19] [20]
At Watches & Wonders 2024, Gerald Charles presented the Masterlink, the brand's first collection with an integrated asymmetric bracelet, available with a blue or silver dial. The timepiece was made of steel as a tribute to the legacy of Gerald Genta, who championed steel as a precious material.[21] [22] [23]
Gerald Charles has a close relationship with the sport of tennis, some of the professional ATP players play tennis wearing Gerald Charles’ GC Sport on the wrist, including Hubert Hurkacz, and Tim van Rijthoven.[24] [25] [26] [27]
The company is also in partnership with UK cricket star Sam Curran. In 2022, Gerald Charles congratulated Sam Curran for winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.[28] [29]
As of 2023, the company is a member of Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and Watches and Culture.[30] The company is the official timekeeper at the Austrian Open Kitzbühel[31] and the Kooyong Classic 2024 in Melbourne, Australia.[32]
On January 30, 2024, Office Mugino and Gerald Charles announced a partnership at the Swiss Ambassador's residence in Japan and launched Gerald Charles' distribution in Japan.[33]