Grönefeld - The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI Geneva Saturday, November 5, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Grönefeld
    Year: 2016
    Movement No: 0/188
    Case No: 92'028
    Model Name: Remontoire 1941 "Prototype"
    Material: 18K pink gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. G.05 , 36 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Alligator
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K Grönefeld pink gold pin buckle
    Dimensions: 39.5mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Warranty card, fitted box, travelling pouch and outer packaging.

  • Catalogue Essay

    The Remontoir 1941 is certainly one of the most exciting pieces to come out of the Horological Brothers’ (Tim and Bart Grönefeld) Oldenzaal ateliers.

    Over the last decade the Grönefelds have established a strong reputation of innovative watches manufactured with a mission to “build elegant timepieces with surprising mechanisms”. The Dutch brothers come from a watchmaking family first established in 1912 by Johan Grönefeld, and are passionate for exceptional watchmaking, creating complications that will be cherished for years to come.

    Launched in 2016 and winning the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (the equivalent of the Oscars for watches) the same year, the Remontoire 1941 merges technical prowess with aesthetic equilibrium.

    The Remontoire devised by the brothers is inspired by a clock found in the church tower of their native city of Oldenzaal in the Netherlands, who was maintained and serviced by their grandfather and father who were both watchmakers. The 1941 in the watch’s name comes from the birth year of their father.

    A remontoire, which was first seen in a wristwatch in the Journe Tourbillon à Remontoire d’Egalité is a complex constant force mechanism rarely seen that allows the force driven by the mainspring to remain constant throughout the complete power reserve of the watch without loss of amplitude at the end of the power reserve and ensuring constant accuracy throughout. The Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire features an eight seconds constant force mechanism, ensuring the force serving the balance wheel does not wane.

    From the mainspring being fully wound to the last minute of the 35 hours of power reserve, when the stop works intervenes, the force never fluctuates. The result is that the amplitude and rate remain consistent, leading to superior precision.

    The movement of the present watch is nothing short of astounding, made in stainless steel (as opposed to the more habitual brass found in watches) it glows with a certain sheen that has become the Grönefeld’s signature with a succession of sand blasted components with polished angles on different levels with a decidedly very architectural appearance resulting in one of the most stunning horological calibers of the past years.

    The Grönefeld brothers made only 188 Remontoire movements cased in different metals and dial configurations. The present example takes the word “rare” to whole new dimensions as this very example is number 0/188 and was the original prototype the brothers devised and presented to collectors and the press in 2016.

    The anecdote on how this very watch came to the market is an amusing one. The Grönefeld’s agent in Italy had asked for a watch to show a client, not having any stock, the brother’s sent the prototype number 0. Something was lost in translation and the agent sold the watch to the client, not being able to reclaim their piece the brothers let go of the watch and later supplied box and guarantee.

    An incredible piece onto itself and a model very seldom offered at market, the present prototype number 0 is a superb piece of horological history.

Σ51

An incredibly attractive pink gold wristwatch remontoire prototype with Guarantee and presentation box, numbered 0/188

2016
39.5mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
CHF35,000 - 70,000 
€36,000-72,100
$35,000-70,100

Sold for CHF151,200

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East
+41 22 317 81 81
AGhotbi@phillips.com
 

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva
+41 22 317 96 63
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI

Geneva Auction 5 - 6 November 2022