The Gerald Charles Maestro for the Emirates Watch Club

The Emirates Watch Club might be young, but it is a fast-growing community-based initiative that we can only applaud. As its founder, Dr Malek bin Easa, explained to us, the whole idea with the EWC is “to turn this community into a platform, where we can share knowledge and raise awareness, not only about the big brands but also about the independents“. Following a watch made with Moritz Grossmann, the Emirates Watch Club is now launching another limited edition watch reserved for its members, this time a special Gerald Charles Maestro with a dial that reflects the beauty of the country where the club is active. 

The Emirates Watch Club was born about a year ago, right during the pandemic and confinement policies. Certainly a great challenge for an initiative based on a community feeling. Nevertheless, the idea grew faster than its founder expected, and now that we can start to live almost normally again, the club can gather its members and share its love for watches. Besides this, the EWC is also working together with brands to create watches dedicated to its members, such as a cool modified Seiko watch or, recently, a high-end Moritz Grossmann watch with a superb handmade dial.

For its third collaboration watch, the Emirates Watch Club teams up with another independent watchmaker, one that has an incredible name behind it, Gerald Charles, which actually refers to the brand founded by Gerald Genta after he sold his operations to Bvlgari. As we discovered when reviewing the recent green coloured Maestro Premier, there’s great personality behind this design and also something oddly attractive. And the mission of the EWC was to give Genta’s design a typical Emirati look.

For starters, the watch is based on the classic Maestro case. Designed by Genta in 2006, it is unique within the industry with a typical rounded octagonal shape with an enigmatic “smile” at the bottom of the case. Made of polished stainless steel and measuring a compact size of 40mm x 46.50mm, it is identical to previous editions created by the Swiss brand.

What’s unique to this version for the EWC is the dial, which has been treated with a sunray-brushed pattern and a colour that couldn’t be more Emirati. The dial is a golden/salmon-like colour representing “the sun and the hot climate in our region,” says Malek bin Easa. Note that this colour is exclusive to the club and will never be made again. The rest of the dial retains the look of the other classic editions, with polished applied indexes and hands, as well as a large date on two discs at 6 o’clock. The watch is powered by a COSC-certified automatic movement made by Soprod visible through the caseback with a gold-coloured rotor.

Another unique feature is the strap, which is executed in white rubber with the brand’s classic clous de Paris pattern. Once again, the colour white is typical for the Emirates. And if you prefer, there’s a black rubber strap also included in the box.

The Gerald Charles Maestro Emirates Watch Club is limited to 15 pieces and reserved exclusively for club members. And apparently, it’s sold out… More details about the EWC on Instagram and the Gerald Charles brand at geraldcharles.com.