Independent Swiss haute horlogerie combining Gerald Genta's distinctive design language, asymmetric cases, Swiss manufacture calibers, and modern high complications.
Gerald Charles is an independent Swiss watch Maison founded in 2000 by legendary designer Gerald Charles Genta, who named the company after his first two names. Now owned by the Ziviani family, the brand develops contemporary watches based on Genta's original designs and extensive archive. Current collections include Maestro, Masterlink, Mini Maestro, chronographs, skeleton watches, jumping-hour models, tourbillons, and a perpetual calendar.
Gerald Charles is an independent Swiss watch Maison founded in 2000 by legendary watch designer Gerald Charles Genta. After decades spent creating some of the most recognizable watches in modern horology, Genta established Gerald Charles as his final independent Maison and gave it his first two names.
In 2003, Gerald Genta entrusted the company to the Ziviani family, while remaining its Chief Designer until 2011. The family continues to control the Maison today, preserving an extensive archive of original sketches and designs created during the final chapter of Genta’s career.
The most recognizable Gerald Charles design is the Maestro case, introduced by Genta in 2005. Its asymmetric shape sits between a square and an octagon and incorporates a curved lower section often referred to as the “smile.” The design was influenced by the dramatic concave forms of Roman Baroque architecture associated with Francesco Borromini.
The Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin represents the simplest mechanical expression of the collection. Current models use the Swiss Manufacture GCA2000 automatic calibre with approximately 50 hours of power reserve, a date display, and 100 meters of water resistance.
The Maestro 3.0 Chronograph adds a three-register automatic chronograph while retaining the asymmetric Maestro case. Its GCA3000 Swiss Manufacture calibre provides a 50-hour power reserve and is engineered to combine traditional movement finishing with strong resistance to shocks and everyday wear.
The Maestro 8.0 Squelette moves further into contemporary haute horlogerie. Its open-worked GCA8000 automatic movement uses a micro-rotor architecture, including a 22K rose-gold micro-rotor, while remaining only 2.6mm thick. The complete watch measures just 8.35mm thick and provides 100 meters of water resistance.
At the more complicated end of the Maestro collection is the Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon. These limited watches use a flying tourbillon with a cage shaped around the Gerald Charles logo and are available in steel, precious metals, and gem-set executions.
The Masterlink collection develops another Gerald Genta design around an integrated bracelet. Its asymmetric bracelet and case continue the Maison’s emphasis on ergonomics while giving the watch a more architectural and contemporary appearance.
In 2026, Gerald Charles introduced the Masterlink Perpetual Calendar, the Maison’s most complicated watch to date. It uses the fully in-house GCA11000 automatic calibre, a shaped movement developed specifically around the asymmetric Masterlink case. The movement incorporates a micro-rotor, grand date, day, month, leap-year indication, and moon phase.
The current range also includes the Mini Maestro, a smaller 30mm jewelry-oriented interpretation of the Maestro design. Unlike the predominantly mechanical core collection, Mini Maestro models use a quartz movement and feature titanium construction and diamond-set hour markers.
Gerald Charles combines traditional Swiss finishing with a strong emphasis on practical wearability. Depending on the model, watches use stainless steel, Grade 5 titanium, gold, sapphire crystal, vulcanized rubber, integrated bracelets, natural stone dials, and precious gemstones.
Ergonomics and durability are recurring elements throughout the range. Many mechanical Gerald Charles watches provide 100 meters of water resistance and are engineered for shock resistance despite their relatively thin cases and high-end finishing.
Production remains limited compared with large Swiss luxury brands, with the Maison currently producing around 2,000 watches annually. This allows Gerald Charles to retain the character of an independent watch company while expanding its international retailer and boutique network.
Current prices span from approximately $12,500 for Mini Maestro models to more than $120,000 for tourbillon watches, with selected Maestro 9.0 references listed above $130,000. This places Gerald Charles firmly in the high-luxury independent Swiss watch segment.
Price Range: $12,500 - $138,000+
Positioning: High Luxury
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Gerald Charles was founded in 2000 by legendary watch designer Gerald Charles Genta, who named the Maison after his first two names.
Gerald Charles is the final watch Maison founded by Gerald Genta himself, but it is a separate company and brand. Genta founded Gerald Charles in 2000 and remained its Chief Designer until 2011.
Gerald Charles is an independent, family-owned Swiss watch company controlled by the Ziviani family, to whom Gerald Genta entrusted the Maison in 2003.
Gerald Charles is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and its watches are Swiss made using a network of specialized Swiss watchmakers, movement specialists, craftsmen, and suppliers.
The Maestro is Gerald Charles' signature asymmetric watch design, created by Gerald Genta in 2005. Its distinctive case was inspired partly by the curved forms of Roman Baroque architecture.
Gerald Charles uses Swiss manufacture movements including the GCA2000 automatic calibre, GCA3000 chronograph, GCA8000 micro-rotor skeleton movement, tourbillon calibres, and the in-house GCA11000 perpetual-calendar movement.
Gerald Charles uses a combination of proprietary Swiss manufacture calibres and movements developed with specialist partners. In 2026, the Maison introduced its fully in-house GCA11000 perpetual-calendar calibre.
Gerald Charles watches are water resistant rather than permanently waterproof. Many current mechanical Maestro and Masterlink models provide 100 meters of water resistance, while specifications can vary by model.
Current Gerald Charles watches start at approximately $12,500 for Mini Maestro models. Core mechanical watches generally start around $19,000, while skeleton, perpetual-calendar, and tourbillon models can cost from roughly $60,000 to more than $130,000.
Yes. Gerald Charles is an independent Swiss haute horlogerie Maison producing limited quantities of watches with Swiss manufacture movements, complex mechanical complications, premium materials, and designs based on Gerald Genta's archive.
