he Synchronaut^® 1863 GMT is rooted in the purest tradition of horological complications. The term Synchronaut, a poetic fusion of “synchronisation” and “astronaut”, embodies the art of navigating through various spaces and epochs. It evokes the journey of a luxury watch enthusiast, traversing the adventures of life, symbolising an assumed status, accomplishment, and the ability to transcend the ordinary.

Designed for international travellers, this watch simultaneously displays two different time zones, as well as a day/night indicator for home time, subtly nestled in an aperture. It also features a date sub-dial, inspired by an antique pocket watch signed “Girardier L’aîné”, evoking a rich and refined horological heritage.

The dial of the CG SYNC-1863 model is enhanced by a specific ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) treatment. This advanced treatment, expertly managed by the company Surcotec in Plan-les-Ouates, uses ultra-thin, high-quality films at the nanometric level by layering atoms. This technique achieves a coating that is not only uniform and consistent but also exceptionally durable, making it perfectly suited for both medical instruments and the art of luxury watchmaking. The ALD treatment ensures a regular and lasting colour, enhancing the dial’s brilliance and its subtle finishing details while offering unmatched robustness and shine.

Parallel to this modern technology are watchmaking traditions that are preserved with artisanal guilloché. Executed on semi-automatic machines from the 1960s, the guilloché adds complex and repetitive patterns that evoke ancient fabrics and tapestries. This traditional method requires great precision and artisanal expertise, giving the dial unique depth and texture.

The CG Synchronaut^® 1863 GMT model is inspired by the legacy of Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls Royce, and celebrates the brand’s 120th anniversary in partnership with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC). This prestigious partnership reinforces the shared values between Charles Girardier and Rolls Royce: meticulous attention to detail, respect for craftsmanship, and a bold vision for the future.

The history of Charles Girardier is closely linked to Henry Royce’s quest for excellence, co-founder of Rolls Royce. Born in 1863, Royce was a pioneer in the automotive industry, known for his dedication to mechanical perfection. His mantra, “take the best that exists and make it better”, defined the standards of Rolls Royce in terms of luxury and performance.

Charles Girardier, master watchmaker, was known for his enamelled dials and complex movements, merging functionality and aesthetics. His creations were true works of mechanical art.

The CG SYNCHRONAUT® 1863 GMT model, named in tribute to Henry Royce’s birth year, embodies the values of perfection and innovation. This exceptional timepiece reflects meticulous attention to detail and a passion for watchmaking craftsmanship.

The association with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Rolls Royce reinforces this bond. This prestigious collaboration highlights shared values of detail, craftsmanship, and bold vision..

The Midnight Blue dial of the CG Synchronaut^® 1863 GMT, with its traditional guilloché on a deep blue shade enhanced by light blue reflections, recalls the elegance and comfort of Rolls Royce vehicles. The polished steel indexes and hands, coated with luminescence, symbolise precision, while the cyan GMT hand evokes Girardier’s innovations.

Henry Royce and Charles Girardier continue to inspire future generations. The CG Synchronaut^® 1863 GMT is not just a watch, but a celebration of timeless excellence, tradition, and innovation. Each watch that leaves the ateliers reflects an unceasing quest for excellence, blending horological heritage with contemporary innovation, offering pieces of rare elegance and unparalleled quality.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The CG SYNC-1863 movement features automatic winding, consists of 194 distinctive parts. This calibre offers a triple complication:

• Simultaneous display of two time zones
• Day/night indication for the local time
• Date sub-dial inspired by an antique pocket watch

Movement Characteristics

• Double barrel automatic winding
• Unidirectional oscillating weight in white gold
• Date in a sub-dial
• Local day/night indicator in an aperture
• GMT with 2 pushers (+1h and -1h) for comfortable navigation between time zones
• Corrector-pusher for months with fewer than 31 days
• Jewels: 28
• Diameter: 28 mm
• Thickness: 6.07 mm
• Power reserve: 50 hours
• Frequency: 28,800 Vph - 4 Hz
• Number of components: 194
• Water resistance up to 50 metres (164 feet)
• Decorations: Circular-grained plate on the dial and bridge side.
• Bridges with Côtes de Genève, ruthenium plated.
• Bicolour engraving. Hand-finished
• Engraved crown

Case Characteristics

• Titanium (polished grade 5 titanium)
• Water resistance: 50 metres / 164 feet
• Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
• Case back: Sapphire crystal
• Diameter: 39.5 mm
• Thickness: 11.0 mm

Dial Characteristics

• Colour: Midnight Blue, ALD treatment
• Semi-automatic guilloché in “Ancienne Tapisserie Guillochée” style Leaf-shaped hands with luminescent coating
• Indexes, round and rectangular appliques with luminescent coating

The dial of the CG SYNC-1863 Midnight Blue is a horological masterpiece that combines traditional techniques and modern innovations to create a piece of incomparable elegance.

• Midnight Blue Shade: The dial features a sumptuous “Midnight Blue” shade, a deep blue hue enhanced by light blue reflections. This colour is achieved through an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process of nanometric thickness, applied to a brass plate. This cutting-edge technique ensures a regular and durable colouration, enhancing the dial’s brilliance and its subtle finishing details, while offering unmatched robustness and shine.
• Circular Satin Finish: A circular satin effect, hand-crafted, adorns the circle that houses the 24-hour scale for the GMT hand and the indexes. This satin finish adds an extra visual dimension, providing unparalleled harmony and elegance.
• Traditional Guilloché: At the centre of the dial, a traditional guilloché is carried out semi-automatically using a guilloché machine from the 1960s. This machine, meticulously acquired by the brand’s passionate watchmakers, attests to its commitment to preserving and using horological traditions, even when the use of certain machines remains mysterious. The “Ancienne Tapisserie Guillochée” style guilloché creates complex and repetitive patterns, inspired by ancient fabrics and tapestries, adding depth and texture to the dial.
• Day/Night and Date Indication: At 6 o’clock, a hand indicates the date within a concentric guilloché circle, with numbers from 1 to 31 carefully inscribed.
• At 10 o’clock, an aperture displays the day/night indication, coupled with the local time, allowing for intuitive and precise reading. The day/night indicator gradually turns white around 6 a.m. and gradually black around 6 p.m., offering a clear representation of the diurnal and nocturnal cycles.
• Hands and Indexes: The indexes, as well as the hour and minute hands, are in polished steel and coated with a luminescent treatment, ensuring optimal readability in all conditions. The cyan GMT hand, evoking some of the dial’s reflections, indicates the home time on a 24-hour scale, adding a touch of colour and functionality to this exceptional piece.