The Most
Influential
Gérald Genta
Watch Designs:
Iconic Timepieces
That Shaped
Horology

Who Was Gérald Genta?

Born in 1931 in Geneva, Gérald Genta was a Swiss watch designer who revolutionised the industry with his bold and unconventional ideas. From a young age, Genta displayed an innate talent for art and design, eventually studying jewelry design before transitioning into the watch industry. Here, his fusion of creativity and mechanical ingenuity allowed him to push the boundaries of traditional watchmaking.

Over his decades-long career, Genta collaborated with some of the world’s most prestigious watch brands, creating designs that would become iconic and timeless classics. His exceptional ability to blend form and function allowed him to break traditional conventions of watchmaking, which ushered in an era of avant-garde aesthetics that have since become benchmarks in the industry. 

Genta's approach was like nothing seen before; he viewed watch design as an art form, and an opportunity to challenge the conventional shapes and parameters predominant in horology. His mastery lay in harmoniously balancing aesthetics with mechanical prowess, making him one of the most respected names in watch design not only amongst enthusiasts, but also with fellow industry professionals.

While perhaps best known for his freelance work with high profile Swiss watch manufacturers including Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, Genta also designed exclusive watches for Royalty, business leaders and celebrities. Unlike many watch designers who worked in anonymity, he became a celebrated figure in the industry, and in 1969 established his own eponymous watch brand which became synonymous with innovation and creativity. The Gérald Genta brand specialised in creating elaborate yet whimsical watches featuring complex movements such as minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and retrograde displays. 

Passing away in 2011 at the age of 80, Gérald Genta left behind a legacy that remains unmatched to this day. His vision continues to inspire modern watch designers, and there’s no doubt his impact will continue to be felt in the world of horology for generations to come.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (1972)

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is arguably the most important timepiece in modern luxury sports watch history. In the early 1970s, the Swiss watch industry was at a crossroads. The rise of quartz technology, fueled by Japanese watchmakers like Seiko, threatened the dominance of traditional Swiss mechanical watchmaking. 

Audemars Piguet, a prestigious but relatively niche watchmaker, needed something revolutionary to stand out and survive in this new era. To achieve this, the company had made the decision that it was going to produce a luxury steel sports watch. 

On the eve of the 1971 Swiss Watch Show, executives at AP made a call to Gérald Genta. They gave him a nearly impossible task; to design a completely new luxury sports watch overnight. Genta set to work, and drawing inspiration from the helmets worn by deep sea divers, by the following morning he had finished the design for the Royal Oak. The result was a truly radical departure from anything seen before.

A Groundbreaking Design

Audemars Piguet made the decision to put Genta’s groundbreaking design into production, and spent the next 12 months building prototypes in order to perfect the intricate details of the watch, many of which were extremely difficult to machine.

The watch measured 39mm in diameter, which was considered oversized at the time, but had a thickness of just 7mm which gave it a sporty yet elegant look. Highlights of its design included:

• An octagonal bezel with eight exposed hexagonal screws.

• A tapisserie-patterned dial, achieved through a meticulous guilloché engraving process.

• An integrated bracelet, seamlessly flowing into the case.

• A thin but robust automatic movement, the Calibre 2121, developed in collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Launch & Initial Reception

When the Royal Oak (reference 5402ST) debuted at the 1972 Basel Fair, it came as a shock to the industry. At a time when luxury watches were almost exclusively crafted in gold, presenting a high-end concept in stainless steel was an audacious move.

At its launch, the Royal Oak was the most expensive steel watch ever made, retailing for 3,650 Swiss Francs. This was an astronomical price for the time, and many traditionalists balked at the idea of a stainless steel luxury watch that was priced higher than a lot of solid gold watches. 

Industry insiders believed the watch was destined for failure. Indeed, it took AP a year to sell the initial batch of 1,000 Royal Oaks it produced. However, over the next few years the avant-garde design began to gain traction among trendsetters and forward-thinking collectors. One of its earliest adopters was the Shah of Iran, who reportedly purchased multiple pieces, lending the Royal Oak an air of exclusivity and desirability.

How the Royal Oak Changed the Watch Industry

Despite its slow start, the Royal Oak became the flagship model for Audemars Piguet and, more importantly, reshaped the entire luxury watch industry. Its impact was profound in several ways:

The Birth of the Luxury Sports Watch Genre

The Royal Oak pioneered the concept of a true luxury sports watch; a high-end timepiece made from durable stainless steel, with sporty aesthetics but finished to an exceptional level of craftsmanship.

Integrated Bracelet Trend

The watch set a new precedent for seamless bracelet design, influencing countless other models, including Genta’s own Nautilus for Patek Philippe.

Material Innovation

Before the Royal Oak, stainless steel was largely seen as a utilitarian material for tool watches. Genta transformed it into a luxury material, a trend that continues to this day.

The Resurgence of Audemars Piguet

Prior to the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet was primarily known for high-complication dress watches. The Royal Oak repositioned the brand as a leader in contemporary horology, eventually becoming their best selling model.

The Royal Oak’s Modern Legacy

Today, the Royal Oak is one of the most sought-after watches in the world. The collection has expanded to include various complications, case materials, and sizes, but the original Ref. 5402 remains an icon. Vintage examples can fetch significant prices at auction, while sourcing a new Royal Oak directly from Audemars Piguet can often be a challenge due to the high demand that remains for the model.  

Guide To Buying a Pre-Owned Royal Oak

With countless brands now producing their own versions of the luxury sports watch, the Royal Oak’s influence cannot be understated. Genta’s visionary design (that he personally considered to be the masterpiece of his career) not only saved Audemars Piguet, but also redefined the watch industry, ensuring that mechanical watchmaking would remain relevant even in the face of quartz technology.

IWC Ingenieur SL (1976)

Following the success of the Royal Oak, by the mid 1970s the luxury sports watch segment was starting to gain significant traction. At the time, IWC Schaffhausen was a brand with a strong technical reputation that was known for producing highly precise and robust tool watches. However, like Patek Philippe, the brand was seeking to reposition itself by entering the emerging luxury sports segment.

Rather than create a new model range, IWC decided that it wanted to modernise its Ingenieur line. The Ingenieur was originally introduced in 1955 as a highly anti-magnetic and durable timepiece for engineers and professionals, and IWC’s goal was to breathe new life into the model by infusing it with a distinctive, avant-garde aesthetic while preserving its technical prowess; a task for which it turned to Gérald Genta. 

Genta’s Industrial Vision

Briefed with redesigning the Ingenieur, Genta applied the same design principles that had made the Royal Oak and Nautilus stand out. Rather than merely refining the existing Ingenieur, he completely reimagined it, elevating the watch from a functional tool to an industrial-chic luxury sports watch.

The result was the Ingenieur SL (Ref. 1832), a bold and uncompromising watch that launched in 1976 following two years of development. Key design elements of the 1832 included:

• A round bezel atop a tonneau shaped case, measuring 40mm.

• Five screws in the bezel surface, evoking a strong industrial feel.

• An integrated bracelet, continuing the seamless flow from case to wrist.

• A textured dial, giving it a distinct visual identity.

• Magnetic resistance up to 80,000 A/m, thanks to a soft iron inner cage, preserving the original Ingenieur’s antimagnetic properties.

The watch had a strong presence on the wrist, making a striking statement with its technical, almost brutalist aesthetic. Unlike the Royal Oak and Nautilus, which took inspiration from maritime themes, the Ingenieur SL embraced a raw, mechanical design which emphasised its function-driven beauty.

Launching Into a Challenging Market

Despite its innovative design, the Ingenieur SL faced a challenging market at launch. The late 1970s were dominated by the quartz crisis, during which the affordability and accuracy of quartz watches severely impacted the demand for high-end mechanical watches. As a result, the Ingenieur SL struggled to gain traction, and its production remained relatively limited.

However, this initial struggle would later add to its appeal among collectors. The watch's rarity, coupled with Genta’s unmistakable design language, made it an overlooked gem in the luxury sports watch market for years to come.

The Ingenieur’s Lasting Influence and Revival

Though the Ingenieur SL was not an immediate commercial success, its influence was profound. The watch set a precedent for integrating high-end materials and mechanical excellence with bold, industrial aesthetics, a theme that would become increasingly popular in the decades that followed.

Recognising its historical significance, IWC has continuously revisited the Ingenieur design, modernising it while staying true to Genta’s original vision. Some highlights from the evolution of the Ingenieur range include:

‍Ingenieur 500,000 A/m (1989): One of the most anti-magnetic watches ever created, reinforcing IWC’s reputation for innovation.

‍Ingenieur Chronograph Titanium (2005): A testament to the Ingenieur's adaptability, bringing a sportier feel to the collection.

‍Ingenieur 40 (2023): A contemporary reissue that closely follows Genta’s 1976 design, celebrating its enduring relevance.

The resurgence of interest in Genta’s designs, combined with the growing appreciation for 1970s luxury sports watches, has led to increased demand for the original Ingenieur SL over the last few years. Vintage models are now highly prized by collectors, confirming the watch’s place as a Genta classic.

Genta’s Ingenieur: A Masterpiece Ahead of Its Time

In retrospect, Gérald Genta’s work on the IWC Ingenieur SL was a masterclass in forward-thinking design. While it did not achieve quite the same level of success, or achieve success as quickly as the Royal Oak or Nautilus, its lasting impact is undeniable. The Ingenieur SL pushed boundaries, demonstrating that a watch could be both technically advanced and artistically daring.

As modern watch collectors continue to seek out Genta’s masterpieces, the Ingenieur SL is finally receiving the recognition it deserves, and the popularity of the 2023 reissue demonstrates just how ahead of its time the watch was when it launched. Today, the Ingenieur stands as a symbol of innovation, resilience, and timeless design - just as Genta intended.

Bulgari Bulgari (1975)

In the 1970s, the Rome based luxury goods brand Bulgari was well established as a respected name in luxury jewellery, renowned for exquisite craftsmanship and Roman-inspired designs. However, the company was seeking to expand its influence in the world of high-end watchmaking to complement the jewellery side of its business. 

Rather than following the conventional Swiss watchmaking traditions, Bulgari wanted to create a timepiece that reflected its unique identity; bold, unmistakably Roman, and distinct from anything else on the market. To achieve this, Bulgari enlisted Gérald Genta, who by this point had made a name for himself as a revolutionary designer. His ability to merge classical inspiration, modern watchmaking, and outside the box designs made him the perfect match for the Bulgari brand, and the ideal candidate to bring their vision to life.

Genta’s Vision: A Watch Like No Other

Genta’s approach to the Bulgari project was unconventional yet brilliant. Rather than focusing on technical complications or intricate mechanics, he designed a watch that made a statement through its aesthetics and branding. His vision was inspired by ancient Roman coin engravings, particularly the way emperors’ names were inscribed around the edges. This led to the most defining feature of the Bulgari Bulgari watch:

• A bold, circular case, embracing classical simplicity.

• The engraved double “BVLGARI BVLGARI” bezel, a direct homage to Roman coinage.

• A minimalist dial, keeping the focus on the watch’s bold branding.

This was a daring move at a time when excessive branding on luxury watches was considered unusual. However, the strong Roman aesthetic, combined with Bulgari’s reputation, made it an instant icon.

A Radical Design Statement

When the Bulgari Bulgari was launched in 1975, it was a radical departure from any of the traditional Swiss watches on the market. It blurred the line between jewellery and horology, positioning itself as both a statement piece and a precision timekeeper.

Initially, purist watch collectors were skeptical of the model’s overt branding, as the industry was still very much dominated by restrained and discreet designs. However, Bulgari’s existing clientele, many of whom were already drawn to bold jewellery pieces, immediately embraced the concept. The watch quickly gained traction among high-profile figures, celebrities, and trendsetters, solidifying its reputation as a status symbol.

The Bulgari Bulgari demonstrated that branding, when executed with sophistication, could enhance a watch’s desirability rather than diminish it. This concept later influenced luxury fashion houses such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton as they expanded into high-end watchmaking. Genta and Bulgari’s idea of merging brand heritage with watch design set a precedent for how luxury brands could create distinctive and successful timepieces.

The Evolution of Bulgari Watchmaking

While the brand had released watches before, the release of the Bulgari Bulgari is considered by many as the point at which it made a serious entry into Swiss watchmaking. 

The original 1975 Bulgari Bulgari set the foundation for a collection that has continuously evolved while maintaining its core identity. Later variations included different case materials such as gold, platinum, and ceramic to cater to a broader range of tastes, as well as more complex movements to appeal to serious watch collectors and position the brand as a true luxury watchmaker.

In the years since the introduction of the Bulgari Bulgari, the company has invested heavily in horology, eventually acquiring its own Swiss manufacturing facilities and becoming a powerhouse in both jewellery and haute horology. 

Bulgari continued to refine its watchmaking prowess with in-house calibers and high complications, proving that the Bulgari Bulgari was not just a stylish accessory, but ground zero for impressive watchmaking achievements, which include the Octo Finissimo - the thinnest watch in the world when it launched.

Genta’s Bulgari Bulgari: A Lasting Icon

Gérald Genta’s work on the Bulgari Bulgari is often overlooked in favor of his more radical sports watch designs, but its influence is undeniable. The watch not only laid the foundations to transform Bulgari into a credible watchmaking brand, but also redefined how branding could be integrated into high-end timepieces. In fact, such were the close ties between Genta and Bulgari, that in the year 2000 Bulgari acquired Genta’s own self named watch brand.

Today, the Bulgari Bulgari remains an icon, a perfect blend of boldness and elegance, much like the city that inspired it. It stands as a testament to Genta’s genius and his ability to create timeless designs that transcend trends and remain relevant for decades.

Universal Geneve Polerouter (1954)

The Universal Genève Polerouter holds a special place in horology as the first watch officially designed by Gérald Genta. Created when he was just 23 years old, it set the stage for his legendary career and introduced the world to his distinctive design philosophy.

A Watch for the Jet Age

The origins of the Polerouter are deeply intertwined with the dawn of commercial transpolar flights. In the early 1950s, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) began operating flights over the North Pole to shorten travel time between Europe and the United States. However, these flights faced a significant challenge; magnetic fields near the poles could interfere with mechanical watches, affecting their accuracy.

To solve this issue, Universal Genève, a brand already well regarded for its precision timepieces, was tasked with creating a watch resistant to magnetic disruption. Gérald Genta, a young but talented designer, was hired to design the case and dial. The result was the Polerouter, a watch that combined both elegance and engineering ingenuity.

The Polerouter’s Distinctive Design

Unlike the angular and industrial aesthetic of Genta’s later designs, the Polerouter embraced a more refined, classic look, setting it apart from traditional pilot watches of the time. Some of its key design elements included:

• A slim, curvaceous case, giving it a more sophisticated and ergonomic feel.

• Twisted “lyre” lugs, a signature element that added elegance and improved wearability.

• A crosshair dial, which enhanced legibility and created a balanced aesthetic.

The Polerouter’s case measured an elegant 35mm, making it both discreet and stylish. Genta’s careful attention to proportions ensured that it wore beautifully on the wrist, a principle he would apply to his later designs. 

The Micro-Rotor Movement

While Genta focused on aesthetics, Universal Genève’s technical team introduced an innovation that would become a defining feature of the Polerouter in the caliber 215 micro-rotor movement. This groundbreaking design allowed the automatic rotor to be integrated into the movement rather than sitting on top of it, significantly reducing the thickness of the watch while improving efficiency.

This technological advancement was revolutionary at the time and paved the way for ultra-thin automatic watches in the decades to come. Universal Genève was one of the first brands to master this concept, influencing future developments in automatic movements across the industry.

The Polerouter’s Impact

Upon its release in 1954, the Polerouter was an instant success. It became the official watch of SAS pilots, which gave additional credibility to its status as a professional travel watch. The association also helped the Polerouter tap into the public’s enthusiasm for the glamour of the jet age which was building momentum in the 1950s . Beyond its functional prowess, it was also embraced by watch enthusiasts for its elegant design and innovative mechanics.

Looking back, it’s easy to see how the Polerouter foreshadowed Genta’s later masterpieces. The attention to detail, the interplay of curves and geometric elements, and the emphasis on both aesthetics and functionality became recurring themes in his most famous designs.

A Vintage Icon

The Polerouter remains one of the most beloved vintage watches of all time amongst collectors, with several factors contributing to its lasting appeal:

‍Genta’s First Iconic Design: The Polerouter marked the beginning of Genta’s journey, making it a highly collectible timepiece for those who appreciate his work.

‍Timeless Aesthetic: The lyre lugs, balanced dial, and sleek proportions ensure that it remains a visually striking watch even today.

‍Mechanical Innovation: The micro-rotor movement influenced countless future automatic watch designs and remains a hallmark of technical sophistication.

After laying dormant for almost 40 years, in 2023 the Universal Geneva brand was acquired by the majority owners of Breitling, and in 2024 it was ready to reveal three new one-off Polerouter watches, heavily inspired by the iconic designs of the past. 

While for now Universal Genève is no longer a major player in the watch industry, the Polerouter’s legacy endures and vintage examples are highly sought after by collectors. With a full relaunch set for 2026, anticipation amongst enthusiasts is high for the comeback of one of the watch industry’s most beloved brands, and with it the Polerouter; a watch that holds a special place in history thanks in no small part to its association with the legendary Gérald Genta.