Gérald Genta: Luxurious steel

Few watch designers boast such a celebrated list of creations as Gérald Genta. The Geneva native is most commonly associated with what is probably his most famous design: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Apart from creating what I personally consider one of the most perfect watch designs ever, Mr. Genta has played an almost indescribably important role in the world of luxurious sport watches.

Back in the day, Rolex Submariners were really the only option when it came to high-end sports watches. The introduction of the Royal Oak became the beginning of a new era. Soon, everyone and their corresponding mothers pleaded for Mr. Genta’s magic touch. The IWC Ingenieur was redesigned along with the introduction of what is considered by many to be the most alluring sports watch available (or not so available, come to think of it), the Patek Philippe Nautilus. All of a sudden, Rolex had lost almost their tyrannous stance on the market.

With the 1993 introduction of its testosteron-ridden brother Offshore, the Royal Oak remains Audemars Piguet’s most iconic model. Gérald Genta continues to manufacture watches under his own brand, combining odd-ball designs with fascinating complications – something you would expect from the once-record holder of the world’s most complicated watch (the Grande Sonnerie).

Watches designed by Gérald Genta for sale on JamesList:
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
IWC Ingenieur
Patek Philippe Nautilus
Gérald Genta

Tags: audemars piguet, gerald genta, iwc ingenieur, nautilus, offshore, patek philippe, royal oak

This entry was posted on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Watches. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.