Keeping The Candle Burning With Gérald Genta

In an era when digital technology threatened to overturn centuries of Swiss watchmaking tradition, Gérald Genta was a consummate innovator. While the watch industry scrambled to adapt to quartz technology in the 1970s and 1980s, Genta created some of history’s most iconic mechanical watches by defying modern convention and doubling down on mechanical complexity. With his eponymous brand—just recently relaunched with La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton—his legacy lives on. 

Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, the last two watchmakers to work directly under Genta’s guidance, proudly carry on his legacy today. Mr. Navas began his career at Audemars Piguet in 1980 before joining Gérald Genta in 1987, where he met Mr. Barbasini. During this time, Mr. Genta tried to maintain the flame of high-end mechanical watchmaking when the industry’s future seemed uncertain and risky. 

His steadfast dedication to complicated movements served as a beacon of hope that traditional watchmaking would endure. Before his revolutionary designs, many timepieces followed conventional aesthetics. Genta broke these boundaries by experimenting with unexpected shapes and materials. His distinctive octagonal designs and unique styling codes—exemplified in pieces like the Golden Gold model—established a visual language that changed the course of watch design forever. 

Jean Arnault, director of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, has partnered with Navas and Barbasini to revitalize the Genta brand, which I think we can all agree is a good thing. The prolific designer left behind more than 5,000 sketches, a testament to his ceaseless creativity and enduring influence on watchmaking, and it’s nice to know that this legacy is in good, familiar hands. 

Hear from Messrs. Navas and Barbini in the video above and see firsthand how they are carrying on the tradition left behind by their beloved mentor with the revitalization of the Gérald Genta marque.

For more on Gérald Genta, click here.

​Hodinkee 

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