Manufacturer: Grönefeld Year: 2019 Movement No: “One of Ten” Case No: 79’097 Model Name: Decennium Tourbillon Material: Platinum Calibre: Automatic, cal. G-07, 30 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Platinum Grönefeld pin buckle Dimensions: 39.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed. Accessories: Accompanied by Grönefeld warranty card, signed letter from Bart and Tim Grönefeld, additional alligator strap, screwdriver, Bernard Favre double axis watch winder with display and carrying case, and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
The young, independent brand, Grönefeld (“The Horological Brothers”), may be a name unfamiliar to many enthusiasts, however over the last decade they have established a strong reputation of innovative watches manufactured with a mission to “build elegant timepieces with surprising mechanisms”. The Dutch brothers, Bart and Tim, 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.
The creation of the Decennium Tourbillon in 2019 celebrated the tenth anniversary of the brand’s formation, and the official partnership of the brothers Grönefeld. It combines the well-known, sleek yet dynamic case of the 1941 with an automatic flying tourbillon, seen through the aperture in the dial. The dial itself is a chameleon, officially billed as lacquered matte grey but certainly bordering on a soapstone blue in some lighting conditions. The center section of the dial is slightly recessed, allowing the outer portion with the polished hour indexes and the open tourbillon cage to operate on different depths. No running seconds hand means the watch is optimized for simplicity and readability, with the tourbillon as the star.
The simplicity of the dial is contrasted by the elaborate finishing on the movement side. The hand-decorated 22K gold rotor is frosted in the center with polished edges, and operates on ceramic ball bearings to ensure enduring wear without need for lubricant. The main plate is ruthenium-coated brass, with hand-polished bevels and fully hand-finished to exception. The Decennium Tourbillon as a labor of love made for the best clients of the Horological Brothers meant that only ten were ever produced.
The present Decennium Tourbillon is offered in virtually flawless condition, with all of its original accessories, including a superb double axis combination display and watch winder by Bernand Favre. It is the ultimate combination of simplicity and complexity, a rare piece of horology meant to be cherished enduringly.
