These Watches Used to Be a Secret of the Ultra Rich. Not Anymore
Greubel Forsey, whose impossible-to-get timepieces could cost a million Swiss francs, is trying to get onto more wrists.
An illustration of the Greubel Forsey Balancier 3
Illustration: Vasya Kolotusha
Greubel Forsey SA wants to put its unique watches on more wrists. That’s not the easiest thing for a Swiss brand that was used to making fewer than 110 timepieces annually. Its huge, extraordinary mechanical marvels come with meticulous hand-finishing and can cost 1 million Swiss francs each ($1.1 million).
But the watchmaker has started a campaign to make more products and at more affordable prices to lure customers. Its old clients are a dedicated group of ultrahigh-net-worth timepiece collectors, and there just weren’t enough of them to sustain any real growth. And yet, it turns out making more and cheaper watches may not be sustainable either.