As the world of horology embraces new alloys, silicon escapements, and CNC-driven precision, collectors increasingly yearn for something more elemental – watches made with patience, imperfection, and the unmistakable touch of human hands. The more artificial intelligence infiltrates design, the stronger the desire for authenticity becomes. It is here that Greubel Forsey, through the Naissance d’une Montre (NDM) programme under the auspices of the TimeAeon Foundation, has played an essential role since its founding in 2010. The premise is straightforward: no CNC, no CAD, no automation. Just tools, time, and craft.
The nature of Naissance d’une Montre is to learn the artisan skills to handcraft a watch using traditional methods.
With NDM1, Greubel Forsey, Philippe Dufour, and Michel Boulanger are producing a series of 11 watches entirely by hand. NDM2 was a collaboration with Urwerk, Cyrano Devanthey, and Dominique Buser, extending the philosophy. By 2019, NDM3 began, initially supported by Greubel Forsey to guide artisans at Ferdinand Berthoud, and later taken fully in-house at the Fleurier manufacture. Its purpose was to create a contemporary homage to Berthoud’s historic Astronomical Pocket Watch No. 3.
The star of the movement for the NDM3 is the chain fusée, comprised of 285 links with 191 steel pins, crafted entirely by hand.
A Dial that Frames the Movement
While Berthoud was historically known for regulator-style displays, the NDM3 keeps things classical. Hours and minutes are read on an offset sub-dial, while the long central seconds hand asserts its role in traditional chronometers. The star of the show is the movement framed by the chapter ring depicting the seconds, the calibre FB-BTC.FC. with its handmade chain-and-fusée, delivering 50 hours of steady torque. Each of the 285 links and 191 steel pins, the latter just 0.3 mm wide, is crafted entirely by hand, a testament to the meticulous efforts of Greubel Forsey.
The escapement set with a natural diamond end-stone held in place by a handmade shock absorber spring, with its handmade split bi-metallic Guillaume balance.
A Guillaume Balance with Historic Resonance
Dominating the mechanism is the handmade, split bi-metallic Guillaume balance, adjusting naturally for temperature through expansion and contraction. This is more than engineering; it is a historical echo. Ferdinand Berthoud himself was among the earliest adopters of bi-metallic compensation, and Charles-Édouard Guillaume, Nobel laureate, inventor of Invar, was born in the same Swiss valley, Val-de-Travers, where Ferdinand Berthoud timepieces are produced today. The involvement of Greubel Forsey in NDM3 is central to its success, as their innovations in horology are showcased here. The fact that the NDM3 is COSC-certified only adds to its quiet triumph as tradition and precision are proven in modern terms.
Details that Speak of Craft
A natural diamond end-stone, secured by hand-made shock absorbers. German silver bridges and plates finished in sandblasted gilding, with sharp interior angles and flawless anglage. Black-polished steel that reflects without distortion. Every component is touched, refined, corrected, and perfected by human hands, reflecting the Greubel Forsey philosophy.
On the movement, an inscription in flowing script reads: “Dedicated to time, the great teacher.” It was the maxim of Louis Berthoud, Ferdinand’s nephew and successor, and it feels entirely apt. For a watch that requires some 11,000 hours of manual labour (even if the brand admits they stopped counting), time itself is both the subject and the price.
A Limited Homage
The Naissance d’une Montre 3 is one of the most ambitious handmade watchmaking projects of the modern era. Just 10 pieces will be produced in 18kt white gold, with one in stainless steel destined for the Phillips auction in November. It remains a significant project under the guidance of Greubel Forsey.
Price in white gold: CHF850,000 excluding taxes (customisation available). Find out more about Naissance d’un Montre 3, HERE and about Ferdinand Berthoud, HERE.
Author: Andrew Hildreth
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