Maison

Gerald Charles is an independent, family-owned watch company based in Switzerland. It was founded in 2000 by the great Mr. Gérald Charles Genta, the 20th century’s foremost watch designer.

Monsieur Genta, often referred to simply as ‘Maestro’, was a hugely productive artist and watch designer. After selling the company in 2003, he stayed on as its designer-in-chief until his death in 2011. Every watch created by Gerald Charles is based on one of his original designs and carries his legacy of ‘Artistic Creativity, Technical Mastery’ forward into the future.

Gerald Charles watches are at the cutting edge of ergonomics and designed and manufactured to sit comfortably and elegantly on the wrist. Gerald Charles watches are produced without compromise and marry the finest traditions and most up-to-date technologies of Swiss mechanical watchmaking to deliver superior precision and performance, as well as exceptional water and shock resistance. Today, the Maison produces an average of 2000 pieces per year. In reference to the company’s founder, Monsieur Genta, every Gerald Charles timepiece is a reflection of the brand’s elegant sports style.

[Source: Gerald Charles’ catalogue, 2022. In the image, Mr. Gérald Charles Genta.]

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta (1931-2011), born in Geneva, is deemed the most acclaimed watch designer in the world. In the early 2000s Mr. Gérald Charles Genta – at the height of his success and willing to continue his creative production – founded the most modern of his brands: Gerald Charles.

He designed some of the most modern of his watches for the Maison Gerald Charles: amongst them the Maestro is one of his highest achievements. Its asymmetric watch case, one of its kind, has never been seen before and represents an exclusive innovation.

[Source: Gerald Charles catalogue]

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta gave his first two names to the Maison to create a unique bond between himself and the production of his own designs. Between 2000 and 2011, Monsieur Genta designed timepieces featuring incredible complications. Many of his watch designs, each drawn by hand, were put into production, many more remain untouched, hidden in the Maison’s archive, like undiscovered treasure. Some of them are now part of the Museum Collection.

Every watch created by Maison Gerald Charles today is based on one of his original designs. In the years to come, Gerald Charles will explore the untold parts of Monsieur Genta’s legacy, taking watch lovers on a journey of discovery.

  • 2000
  • 2001
  • 2003
  • 2005
  • 2011-2018
  • 2018-2019
  • 2020-2021
  • 2022-2023

Foundation of the Maison

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta founded Gerald Charles, giving the Maison his first two names to create a unique bond between himself and the production of his own watch designs. Mr. Genta was so fond of the brand that he used to engrave his signature on the case back of some of his creations.

The Renaissance

At the end of March, the well-known designer launched the first model of the Gerald Charles brand. The evocative name, RENAISSANCE, perfectly described this collection, characterised by the revival of art and technological novelty.

Sketch of the Gerald Charles Renaissance watch

Mr. Genta as Designer in Chief

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta sold the company to the Ziviani family and remained Designer in Chief until 2011, when he passed away, with Mr. Giampaolo Ziviani as General Manager. Nowadays, Mr. Genta’s legacy lives on through his many watch designs and the Maison Gerald Charles. Every watch created by Maison Gerald Charles today is based on one of his original designs.

The Maestro case

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta, known as ‘Maestro’, designed the Maestro case taking inspiration from the 17th century baroque architecture realised by the Swiss-born Italian architect Francesco Borromini. The ‘smile’ at 6 o’clock is a subtle reflection of the concavity on the monuments’ façades.

Sketch of the Gerald Charles Maestro watch

Production of bespoke timepieces

During these years, the Maison produced bespoke timepieces for a niche of collectors.

Federico Ziviani as CEO

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta’s vision was that Gerald Charles watches would be exceptional both in their aesthetic and how they were manufactured. Challenging designs require inventive solutions: this philosophy still continues to inspire the Maison today as Federico Ziviani and other families worked at the expansion of the Maison.

The Anniversary collection, the Maestro Premier 2021 and GC digital community of collectors

Gerald Charles started leveraging on its digital community to reach collectors online. In 2020, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the company, Gerald Charles created the Maestro Anniversary. It was limited to 252 pieces to mark the number of months since the company was founded. A year later, in keeping with Monsieur Genta’s vision of sporty-elegant timepieces, Gerald Charles launched the Premier 2021, a unique opportunity to get hold of the first Gerald Charles Maestro 2.0 and Maestro 3.0 in 18-carat rose gold ever produced in the history of the brand.

EMEA consolidation from digital to phygital and North Europe and USA expansion

In 2022, the company maintained its strong awareness among watch collectors in Europe and the Middle East while evolving its strategy from digital to phygital. In 2023, Gerald Charles new retailers’ opening, and a network of brand managers granted the company’s expansion to North Europe and the USA.

Gerald Charles’ Creative Director: Octavio Garcia

In 2021, the world-renowned watch designer Octavio Garcia, who worked with Mr. Gérald Charles Genta previously on different projects, designed the first automatic skeleton watch of the Maestro Collection. Our Creative Director Octavio Garcia perfectly embraces the spirit of the Maison with his creative approach to watch design, respecting the Maison’s legacy and design.