Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin Goes Bold, With a 41mm Case and Meteorite Dials
A design-first, sporty-chic watch with genuine mechanical substance, a contemporary Gérald Genta built to be worn.
Gérald Genta, the famed creator of some of the most influential and daring watch designs, founded his eponymous brand in 1969, and in 2023, it was relaunched. Guided by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton and Artistic Director Matthieu Hegi, Genta’s creations were revisited with both reverence and ambition. The Gentissima Oursin series, introduced last year, brought Genta’s sea-urchin motif into compact, elaborate 36.5mm pieces that showcased daring materials and artisanal finishing, including mother-of-pearl, onyx, fire opal, and hand-set beading, all executed to La Fabrique du Temps’ high standards.
The positive reaction to the Gentissima Oursin 36 enabled envisioning the Oursin language at a larger, more assertive scale. The new Gentissima Oursin 41 reframes the design for a sportier, more contemporary audience, retaining the signature beaded perimeter, the subtle octagonal inner profile and the faceted sapphire, but switching materials and proportions to create a bolder, wearable statement.
At 41mm in diameter and 9.84mm in thickness, the main case of the new Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin 41 is made of sandblasted Grade-5 titanium. But it’s the execution that matters: the rounded profile hides a subtle octagonal inner geometry and is hand-set with 234 individually fitted white-gold beads. The result is a miniature sculptural object on the wrist rather than a conventional watch case. The white-gold crown with polished cabochon completes the look. Despite the decorative treatment, the case remains modern and practical: a sapphire caseback reveals the movement, and the watch is rated to 50m.
Where the 36.5mm Gentissima explored mother-of-pearl, onyx and opal, the 41mm models take a different, more masculine route: every dial is a thin slice of meteorite in blue or green. The Widmanstätten-type texture and natural mineral variances make each dial unique; legibility is enhanced by Super-LumiNova indices and polished, rounded, gold hands, filled with a specially toned lume with a faint pink cast, in a discreet nod to Genta’s palette. The minutes track is nearly invisible, marked with colour-matched dots to the dial. The crystal is a specially shaped sapphire: externally curved and internally faceted in the collection’s octagonal motif, which increases optical depth and keeps the dial readable despite the complex surface.
The Gentissima Oursin 41 uses Calibre GG-005, based on Zenith’s Elite architecture, nicely finished and fitted with a redesigned 18k yellow-gold rotor. The automatic runs at 28,800 vibrations/hour, offers 50 hours of autonomy, and features sandblasted and Côtes de Genève treatments on visible surfaces.
The new Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin 41 is worn on a colour-matched rubber strap (blue or green, 19-16 mm taper) with a comfortable fit and everyday durability in a deliberate move away from the gentility of the 36.5 mm references. Available this month; the price is CHF 25,000 (excl. taxes). More information at geraldgenta.com.
