In the rarefied world of haute horlogerie, few brands command the respect and astronomical prices of Greubel Forsey. Now, the Swiss manufacturer is bidding farewell to one of its most accessible—and paradoxically, most groundbreaking—creations with the Balancier Contemporain Final Edition.
Limited to just 33 pieces and priced at CHF 220,000 (approximately $278,000 USD), this steel-cased swan song represents the end of an era for a watch that redefined what “wearable” means in the Greubel Forsey universe.
Breaking the Mold
When Greubel Forsey introduced the Balancier Contemporain in 2019, it marked a significant departure from the brand’s typically imposing timepieces. At 39.6mm in diameter and just 12.25mm thick, this watch emerged as a response to a persistent challenge: how to make Greubel Forsey’s extraordinary complications accessible to wrists that couldn’t accommodate their traditionally bulky cases.
The Final Edition maintains these crucial dimensions while introducing a striking blue theme that permeates both the dial and visible movement bridges. This color choice reflects contemporary preferences in luxury watchmaking, where various shades of blue have dominated collector desires in recent years. The hand-finished, manually-wound movement comprises 256 meticulously crafted components, operating at 3Hz with an impressive 72-hour power reserve.
What makes this movement particularly intriguing is its power architecture. Despite indicating only time, power reserve, and featuring an off-centered subsidiary seconds dial, the mechanism requires dual mainspring barrels to achieve its three-day autonomy.
This design choice becomes clearer when considering the star of the show: a massive 12.6mm balance wheel visible on the dial’s lower portion. Greubel Forsey’s engineers have aerodynamically tuned this oversized component to reduce air resistance, yet its substantial mass still demands considerable energy to maintain consistent amplitude.
The movement’s rear plate, crafted in gold and visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, features personal engraving from the brand—a touching detail that transforms each timepiece into a personalized horological artifact. This attention to detail exemplifies Greubel Forsey’s philosophy: no expense spared in materials, decoration, or emotional connection.
The steel case offers 30 meters of water resistance and pairs with a blue textured rubber strap, creating a surprisingly contemporary aesthetic for such a traditional manufacture. This combination of materials reflects the Balancier Contemporain’s unique position within Greubel Forsey’s catalog as one of their more classically-oriented offerings, despite bearing the “Contemporain” designation.
Readable Complexity
Greubel Forsey has mastered a particularly challenging aspect of haute horlogerie: creating visually complex, open-worked dials that remain supremely legible. While many manufacturers sacrifice readability for visual drama when skeletonizing movements, Greubel Forsey’s approach ensures crystal-clear timekeeping despite the mechanical theater occurring beneath the dial surface.
The Balancier Contemporain Final Edition exemplifies this philosophy through its careful balance of visual elements. Multiple levels, textures, shapes, and indicators coexist harmoniously, guided by easily readable hands and markers that never get lost in the mechanical complexity. This design achievement justifies the astronomical pricing by delivering something genuinely unavailable at lower price points—not just mechanical excellence, but visual clarity within complexity.
The “Final Edition” designation carries significant weight beyond marketing appeal. Greubel Forsey promises delivery of all 33 pieces by the end of 2025, after which production of this movement and the entire Balancier Contemporain family will cease permanently. This creates genuine scarcity in a market often saturated with artificially limited editions.
While Greubel Forsey continues producing other wearable timepieces, the Balancier Contemporain occupied a unique niche as simultaneously their most practical and most classical offering. Its discontinuation marks the end of an important chapter in the brand’s evolution, representing their successful attempt to democratize—relatively speaking—access to their exceptional craftsmanship.
For collectors seeking entry into Greubel Forsey’s universe without the typical complications and case sizes, the Balancier Contemporain Final Edition represents both an ending and an opportunity. Yes, CHF 220,000 remains stratospheric pricing, but within the context of Greubel Forsey’s catalog, this steel-cased, time-only piece offers remarkable value proposition.
The blue-themed Final Edition stands as a testament to Greubel Forsey’s ability to create horological art that functions as daily-wear luxury. As the curtain falls on the Balancier Contemporain, these 33 pieces become the final opportunity to own what many consider the most approachable masterpiece from one of watchmaking’s most uncompromising brands.
