The Genius Of Gérald Genta: A Journey Beyond The Obvious

In interactions with women, men tend or pretend to be anything but rude. It’s an exercise in peak demonstration of a chivalrous and polite tango, where strength and grace reign supreme. When done right, it’s a masterpiece that garners utmost regard from the feminine counterpart. The apex moves pay off and the rest is better assumed than explained. However, contrary to the performance, there has been a guy whose introduction to a woman was as unexpected as it was blunt.

His initial declaration: “My god, your watch is ugly.”

The audacity, the sheer audacity of it! It’s not even had that microscopic elegance that it could be spared as a sigma move. With this blunt criticism of a watch, which to the guy was nothing less than a sartorial sin, and with no fear of the sub-zero level aura risked by the statement, he justified the censure by expressing an educated motive. The plot begins to make sense when you learn that the guy with this grim disapproval of a timepiece’s aesthetics was a religiously revered watch designer that revolutionized the Swiss watchmaking industry and helped steer it through a period of potentially fatal crisis. He is Mr. Gérald Genta, the only individual whose opinion on watch aesthetics is absolute and unquestionable, even during the fateful encounter by his future better half, Evelyne Genta.

Gérald Genta is often regarded as the Picasso of watchmaking. As the man responsible for designing some of the most iconic timepieces ever, his visionary acumen hallmarked a bold venture to redefine the codes of traditional watch design. It challenged its status quo at the core. His works often met with initial resistance but ultimately shaped the industry's glorious future.

Although the name Gérald Genta garners utmost recognition for only a handful of well-known timepieces, his actual work is far more extensive. In his own estimate, he designed nearly a hundred thousand watches, so many in fact that he himself couldn’t remember all. As someone with an artistic inclination of nominal pitch, I cannot even comprehend the creative drive that registers the originality of divergence, obligatory to perceive such volumes of genuine creativity. To be honest, just writing the preceding sentence left me with significant creative fatigue.

The legend of Gérald Genta is far encompassing than the watches which have become literally household names in terms of horological renown. While we definitely credit the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus to Gérald Genta, the far expanding reaches of his creations remain unknown. Unaware, thousands of his designs occur on the wrists of collectors worldwide who remain oblivious to the fact that it is Genta’s work. Many of these were sold for a mere 10 CHF a piece.

Of Genta’s more obscure works that still await their moment in the spotlight, we’ll try to give them the long overdue credit.

The Man Behind the Designs: A Lifetime Dedicated to Watches

Born in Geneva in 1931 to a Swiss mother and Italian father., Gérald Charles Genta was immersed in the world of watchmaking from a young age. His passion for design led him to study jewelry design at the prestigious École d’Art de Genève. After graduating at the tender age of 20, he joined Universal Genève, where a seemingly ordinary assignment would spark a revolution in watchmaking. Genta’s career spanned almost five decades where he earned the trust of numerous clients, including prominent watch brands as well as component manufacturers. Throughout his illustrious career, he contributed to numerous groundbreaking watch designs, many of which were created independently of formal brand affiliations. In 1969, together with his spouse Evelyne Genta, he founded his own eponymous company, where he continued to push the boundaries of horological innovation.

While his creative acumen is measured on the merit of his creations for AP, Patek, and IWC, there’s so much more to the man than meets the eye. Emanating from his fertile imagination is a whole swath of watch designs that included everything from wacky to elegant. Here we’ll learn about a few.

Universal Genève Polerouter

The Universal Genève Polerouter, introduced in 1954, is often regarded as a seminal work in Genta's illustrious career. This commission marked a significant departure from his previous practice when he would often tap at the doors of watchmakers and pass a stack of designs for them to select a few. This was the first time a brand had approached him to realize a completely original design concept. At the age of 23, this recognition served as a powerful affirmation of his burgeoning talent.

Commissioned by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) to commemorate the historic North Pole flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles, the SAS Polerouter was gifted to the Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) cabin crew upon their arrival at LAX. This antimagnetic timepiece featured a twisted-lug case and tuxedo-style dials. Very recently, Universal Genève teased its 2026 return, with a trio of 70th Anniversary Polerouter SAS tribute watches.

Omega Constellation

In creating the design for the Omega Constellation, it was Omega’s suppliers who were the direct clients. With no official communication on Genta’s affiliation with Omega, he was tasked to review, refresh and renew their then flagship collection, the Constellation range in 1959. His works for Omega extend to more than one style of the Constellation and it was Genta's innovative spirit that gave birth to the iconic C-shape or C-type cases which introduced a distinctive tonneau outline to the family.

The early traits of Genta’s sports watch design can be observed in his work for Omega when he created the two-tone Seamaster Polaris in early 1960s. This exact design serves the foundational insight into the evolution of Genta’s ideas for an integrated bracelet watch. This design would subsequently evolve into the iconic Royal Oak and Nautilus models over the next decade.

Seiko Credor Locomotive

Only a few know that Seiko boasts an official Genta-designed watch, a distinct creation that stood apart in the Japanese Manufacture’s catalog. The Credor Locomotive is a prime example of a true Genta design. The octagonal case and exposed bezel screws on this 1979 creation are classic Genta hallmarks. A tribute to his enduring legacy, this watch celebrates his most iconic designs and his close friendship with Reijiro Hattori, the brand’s president. It was Hattori who gave Genta the idea to branch out on his own, thus igniting the vision of an eponymous Manufacture which he would later realize with his wife.

Rolex King Midas

A distinct liberation from the confines of a round cased watch, the Rolex King Midas is one of many Genta designs to feature angled case designs. This was and will probably remain the most un-Rolex Rolex design ever. Its pentagonal case shape sculpted from gold realized the most extreme execution of an integrated bracelet design. The Rolex King Midas debuted in 1964 and its silhouette was inspired by a Greek temple. Despite the dainty size of the King Midas, measuring at just 27mm across, this strictly limited model by Rolex was hefty in terms of weight owing to its all-gold construction.

Bulgari Bulgari-Bulgari

Although the BVLGARI BVLGARI logo may divide opinions, it is Gérald Genta’s undeniable talent that’s evident in this wacky design. Inspired by ancient Roman coins, Genta's Bulgari-Bulgari design revolutionized watchmaking. Originally known as Bulgari-Roma, its pure, minimalist aesthetic propelled it to iconic status, influencing the style of countless other brands. Its impact set new standards for minimalist design.

Pasha de Cartier

In an effort to modernize a 50-year-old design, Gérald Genta reimagined the original Pasha designed by Louis Cartier for the Pasha of Marrakech. Genta’s 1985 redesign made a wonderful amalgam of the classic and the new while giving it a distinctively Genta-esque characteristic. For the Parisian house, he created a number of fresh iterations for the Pasha, the most notable being the perpetual calendar version.

In 2020, we witnessed the revival of the Pasha which witnessed a period of dormancy in the '90s and early 2000s, reestablishing its position as a coveted luxury accessory.

Gérald Genta Octogonal Perpetual Calendar

Years before the Royal Oak and Nautilus were conceived, Gérald Genta started his eponymous brand in 1969. With a speciality in uber-complicated timepieces, the brand realized the more wacky and idiosyncratic aesthetic emanating from Genta’s creative genius. In a hallmark of Genta’s signature style, the Octogonal was created in 1991. Its skeleton dial, adorned with a blue enamel moon phase indicator, and a perpetual calendar with minute repeater function, is complemented by an equally distinctive bracelet.

As an independent spirit, it was Gérald Genta’s own brand where he realized these wonderful creations, unrestricted by the reigns of tradition for client brands. The Octogonal Gérald Genta Perpetual Calendar bears his beloved octagonal shape and is a wonderful example in the collection focused on perpetual calendars with a neo-vintage entice.

Gérald Genta Grande Sonnerie

Beyond aesthetic prowess, Genta’s eponymous Maison exhibited some high complications in terms of mechanics. The 1995 Gérald Genta Grande Sonnerie, a culmination of five years of meticulous development, stood out as the world's most complex wristwatch. With over a thousand components, it featured a minute repeater, Westminster chime, perpetual calendar and dual power reserve, elevating it as a true masterpiece of horological engineering.

Apart from his notable works for the Swiss Maisons, Gérald Genta contributed to the American watchmaker brands with his designs for Hamilton, Benrus and Bulova. He also created some important pieces for Timex.

Gérald Genta also catered to an exclusive clientele, including royalty and global elites. This included a distinguished list of royalty and high-profile individuals, such as the Sultans of Oman and Brunei, the Moroccan King, the King of Spain and the Queen Mother of England. For these discerning patrons, he designed and crafted bespoke timepieces of exceptional quality and complexity.

Inexhaustible Creativity in Limitless Expressions

Despite being the most celebrated watch designer of all time, Genta's legacy is inextricably linked to a few iconic designs. It's a shame that many of his other ingenious designs remain relatively unknown. A wealth of lesser-known creations highlights the breadth and depth of Genta’s creative spirit. Although we've explored some of his lesser-known works here, the true extent of his creativity is impossible to cover in writing and some of it is likely lost to history. The surviving examples offer a glimpse into the mind of a true master, making them all the more precious.