either a dress watch nor a sports watch, the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli blends opulence and practicality in a manner typical of the company’s founder, the legendary watch designer Gérald Charles Genta. Indeed, the stone chosen for the dial was Genta’s personal favourite.

The creation of the lapis lazuli dial is a painstaking and highly skilled process, taking an average of 24 hours per individual dial. From the very first step - the cutting of the raw stone - to the final assembly, it is a tentative journey with a risk of failure at every stage. Even selecting the stone at the outset presents its own challenge, as the colour within cannot be known until it is cut. As each dial is cut and polished from an initial 5mm thick disc down to a final thickness of just 0.55mm, a majority will be discarded as previously invisible imperfections are revealed. Ultimately, to make 50 dials at least 150 discs will be needed.

As the dials are polished, by hand and by machine, the natural beauty of the lapis lazuli is revealed in all its splendour, but there are even greater tests ahead; the fragile stone must be drilled to accommodate the hands, hour markers and date window, and it must be shaped to fit the Maestro’s unique dial. This is the most attritional stage, as the stone cannot be cut but must be patiently and skilfully ground into the correct shape, moving from a perfect circle into the angled, asymmetric outline which distinguishes the Maestro’s silhouette.

This shape, inspired by baroque motifs from the worlds of art and architecture, was one of the last great works of Gérald Charles Genta, who founded Gerald Charles in 2000, giving it his first and middle names. The Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli continues his rich creative legacy, channeling the vibrant and expressive character which epitomised his designs at the height of his career.

To that end, the watch’s semi-precious stone dial is framed by another standout feature. The Maestro’s polished stainless-steel case has been enhanced by the addition of a blue Colormix coating to the bezel, a combined physical and chemical surface treatment that results in a rich blue colour as well as improved scratch resistance. The contrast between the polished bezel and the main case echoes the bold juxtaposition of the applied hour markers, inlaid with white Swiss Super-LumiNova, and the organic pattern of the lapis lazuli dial.

The dial design is completed by a new logo for the brand, with ‘Geneve’ now signed beneath the Gerald Charles word mark; this reinforces the watchmaker’s connection with the city where its atelier is located.

The colour scheme is continued by the rubber strap, a signature of the Maestro family. Originally designed by Gérald Charles Genta, the strap’s Clou de Paris decoration elevates a practical choice while prioritising supreme wearability.

Finally, the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli is powered by the Swiss Manufacture 2.0 caliber, an automatic movement hand-finished to Qualité Fleurier levels. The calibre boasts a 50-hour power reserve, runs at 28,800vph and measures just 3.7mm thick. Decorated with a combination of traditional finishing techniques, including Cotes de Geneve stripes, perlage, colimaçon and yellow gold engraving, it is topped with a customised oscillating rotor that commemorates the brand’s 25th anniversary.

The Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli enters the brand’s core collection. While not a numbered limited edition, its availability will be restricted by the material scarcity and handcraft required to create its mesmerising dial.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Reference GC2.0-SSPS-LS-RSPN

Case:

• Stainless Steel, polished finish
• Colormix blue treatment bezel in stainless steel 35 components
• Diameter 39 mm x 41 mm
• Screw-down crown with Clous de Paris finish Embossed logo

Movement:

• Automatic 3 hands, ultra-thin, Swiss manufacture 2.0 caliber
• With a central oscillating mass decorated with the new 25th Anniversary logo
• Functions: Central hour, minute and seconds hands, date window at 6H
• Hour setting with a second stopping function
• Finishings: Bridges finely decorated with colimaçon, Côtes de Genève and perlage finishes
• Thickness: 3.7mm
• 189 components 28 rubies
• Frequency: 4 Hz
• Power reserve: 50 hours

Crystal: Sapphire crystal with internal and external multi-layer anti-reflection treatment

Dial:

• Lapis Lazuli stone dial
• White minute track
• Baton shaped hands and indexes filled with white Super-LumiNova with green light at night
• New logo Gerald Charles Genève

Case back: Flat sapphire crystal

Strap:

• Royal Blue vulcanised rubber strap
• Clous de Paris finish to top side, Gerald Charles logo tapisserie to rear
• Polished stainless steel new easy remove pin buckle

Water resistance: 10 ATM/100 m
Total weight 87.7 gr
Total thickness: 9 mm
Warranty: 2 years (extendable to 5 years following the ‘Smart Warranty ’system registration)