Independents
Andrew (219) offers a fascinating look into Greubel Forsey's participation and triumph in the 2011 Chronometry Competition. He explains why this victory held particular significance for Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, tracing its roots back to the historical observatory timing contests that pushed horological boundaries. Andrew details how Greubel Forsey's Experimental Watch Technology (EWT) played a crucial role in developing and validating their innovative designs, ultimately leading to their success.
This message has been edited by 219 on 2013-03-28 12:50:27 This message has been edited by 219 on 2013-03-28 12:50:48 This message has been edited by MTF on 2013-04-03 00:50:46 Observatory competitions, before the quartz crisis had been the endurance car-racing equivalent for the watch industry. An often drawn analogy with the automotive world would be to think of the Observatory tests as being akin to the Le Mans 24 Hours. Only the difference here is that you cannot work on the watch during the racing. You can only pre-test as much as possible, but as the Observatory tests are being conducted, you can only hope that the watch both survives, and does not drop too many
Despite being a late entrant into the 2009 Chronometry Competition, the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon still acquitted itself with honours. Where as some entrants had spent time and resources preparing watches for the competition, the Greubel Forsey watch had simply been pulled out of the finished watches and sent to the competition to be entered. No special work, no consideration of the difference in tests between the EWT and the Chronometry Competition test description, and no testing bef
For the 2011 Chronometry Competition, and with some time to prepare, Greubel Forsey went about being rigorous in their preparation, understand the tests, and adjust a watch accordingly. As a precursor, and as a way to answer critics who had previously questioned their methods, the EWT tests and weighting were published () and Greubel Forsey went about understanding how the various elements for the MIH testing would affect the watch. This time, the watch selected from the Greubel Forsey line up w
Greubel Forsey were putting their watches where their claims were! That they could show that the Double Tourbillon 30 degree (as described: one cage rotating at a four minute cycle; one cage rotating at a one-minute cycle; and the escapement inclined at 30 degrees to the vertical) improved the chronometric performance of the watch throughout the five measuring positions. Added into the mix would be the anti-magnetic and shock tests that previously had not been part of the Observatory tests, but
Given all the research that Greubel Forsey undertook on Observatory timing competitions from the past, in understanding the factors that were important to escapement timing adjusters, would the Double Tourbillon Technique beat all comers if it was possible to assemble all the great watches and calibres over time? It is difficult to compare timing competition tests over time, however, from the formulas that Greubel Forsey found in the archives, if the timing data is entered and a score computed,
Not impressive, more like under 5s/y. BTW do high scores at these competitions translate to better chronometric behavior on the wrist?
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