The Flaming Orange Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal

Gérald Genta (1931-2011), the watch designer, is one of the most celebrated names in the industry associated with timeless icons like the Nautilus and the Royal Oak. Gérald Genta also created his own brand in 1969, a hotbed of wild creativity and high-end complications. Having languished for some time after its acquisition by Bulgari, ears pricked up with the LVMH announcement in 2023 that the brand was being relaunched under the aegis of its high-end manufacture La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Gérald Genta’s first collection as a standalone brand was the Gentissima Oursin, a surprising watch design inspired by the prickly sea urchin. This year, the Oursin returns in flaming orange with a cascade of fire opal gemstones adorning the yellow gold case. Bold, exuberant and playful, Gérald Genta is given a fitting comeback.

Gérald Genta’s inspiration for the Oursin came from the sea urchins he sketched on holiday in Corsica in 1994. The first three Gentissima Oursin models were housed in matte titanium cases decorated with white gold beads, rose gold studs set with diamonds and yellow gold spikes for a punky vibe.

Marking the fourth Oursin to join the Gentissima Oursin collection, this model turns up the colour volume with its juicy orange cornelian dial and vivid fire opal gems. The 36.5mm x 9.6mm yellow gold case and its wide rounded bezel have a frosted glass-blasted finish. The doughnut-shaped bezel hosts 137 Mexican fire opals. The orange fire opals are individually screwed to the case with a yellow gold pin that protrudes from the rounded opals. The crown is also set with a fire opal and decorated with eight rounded gold studs matching the heads of the yellow gold pins securing the gemstones.

The dial is crafted from an intense shade of orange carnelian with yellow gold dots for the 5-minute markers and gold hands with a luminescent inlay. Although the carnelian dial is flat, the faceted sapphire crystal over the dial has eight planes that form a dynamic octagon, a signature shape for Gérald Genta.

Powered by an automatic Zenith Elite movement, the octagonal yellow gold rotor was designed especially for this model by La Fabrique du Temps and features a series of applied gold studs to match the spirit of the watch. The movement runs at 28,800 beats per hour, and the power reserve is 50 hours.

The Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal is paired with a black alligator strap. The Oursin is limited in production and will be available in May 2025. The price is on request. More information at GeraldGenta.com.