I S S U E 2 9 S E P, 2 0 2 5
November Issue # 30
The Hyper-Luxury World of Stratospheric Watches
L A N C I A S O A N S
Presented by Style Editor
“IT DOESN'T JUST TELL TIME, IT TELLS HISTORY.”
This quote is etched into our recesses each year we watch the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, and without stating the brand, recognize its iconic emblem and its relationship with Time.
In studying the history and measurement of time keeping, Sundials were one of the mechanical instruments used in earlier Horology. In this progression, however, timekeeping surpassed a principle form of measurement into an ingenious and sophisticated art, morphing into timeless and elegant pieces of jewelry. A personal reflection of these fine pieces of jewelry gifted to me by my Dad was a beautiful Favre-Leuba Watch.
Swiss heritage brands such as Favre-Leuba, Piaget, and Patek Philippe, for centuries, have held a place of distinction, preeminence, graciousness, and sophistication, and with the passage of time emerged as coveted pieces of Jewelry. A beautiful example of this is the recent design and craftsmanship of the Piaget bracelet studded with 16,900 diamonds and a secret jewelry watch with an Opal hidden beneath the hand-engraved Sapphire gem.
In each of these heritage brands of timekeeping, we witness a family heritage or a chance encounter that later developed into an eternal bond and an insatiable passion for craftsmanship in Horology. We are also made aware that within the glamor of each time piece lies a veil of meticulous engineering and precision.
Gerald Charles is one such brand in Horology that unveils the genius of its founder and designer, Gerald Charles Genta known as “Maestro.” As a true maestro, he shares that his “desire was to bring together technology and aesthetics to move his technical mastery and artistry forward.” Gerald Charles Genta has also been known for having designed timepieces for Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe.
M S. L A N C I A S O A N S
HIGH PRICE TAG WATCHES. Who makes them, who buys them
and what makes them worth the money.
In this piece, we look at two of the world's premier watchmakers. As we might expect, both are Swiss, living up to the long-standing global reputation. With pricetags from $20,000 to $50,000, they're far from the most expensive watches on the planet, but on the other hand, far from what most are willing to plunk down for a personal timepiece. What makes these two makers special is their uniques sense of design aesthetic as well as their own unyielding appreciation for the marvel of fine watchmaking.
So why do people spend that kind of money on a watch? Well, modern vernacular says it's "because they can", but it goes well beyond that. For men at least, a watch is perhaps the highest, yet discreet, form of personal expression. It lets the world know a little something about you before you've ever uttered a sentence. It not only projects your uniques sense of style, it directly reflects your own unique appreciation for detail and aesthetics.
The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance
Luxury, whether in the cabin of a private jet or on the wrist, speaks the same language: functionality, aesthetics, precision, and individuality. Just as a bespoke interior is crafted to reflect its owner’s world, so too do independent watchmakers shape their creations to carry identity and emotion in mechanical form. Watchmaking is one of the rare crafts where design, heritage, engineering, and functionality are inseparable.
This philosophy comes to life in the work of two Swiss maisons: Gerald Charles and Armin Strom.
A R M I N S T R O M
Time in Harmony
Armin Strom is a name synonymous with horological curiosity. Founded in 1967 in Biel, the brand was originally known for its mastery of skeletonization. Since 2009, under the leadership of Serge Michel and Claude Greisler, it has evolved into a fully integrated manufacture dedicated to open mechanics, architectural dials, and horological innovation. For collectors seeking something beyond the ordinary, Armin Strom represents
a rare fusion of artistry, ingenuity, and independent spirit.
The Tribute 1 Rose Gold Edition (CHF 26,000) distills that philosophy into a refined, minimalist piece. Its off-center dial and grenage-textured grey plate are framed in warm 18-carat gold, while a hand-wound calibre offers an impressive 100-hour power reserve. Elegant in proportion yet technically accomplished,
it demonstrates how understatement can carry real weight.
By contrast, the Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition (CHF 115,000) showcases the maison’s most distinctive achievement: resonance. Two oscillating balances synchronize through Armin Strom’s patented clutch spring, improving stability and precision. The twin displays show local and home time simultaneously, with day/night indicators for clarity across zones. For someone crossing continents, it is both poetic and practical: a watch that turns a complex phenomenon of physics into an everyday companion for travel. All while displaying
the brand’s mechanical artistry openly on the dial.
Armin Strom’s pieces sit outside the mainstream of luxury watchmaking. They are discreet, low-volume, and intellectually engaging — created not to chase trends, but to reward those who value substance over recognition. In the world of independents, they represent a rare blend of scientific ingenuity and aesthetic clarity. For the VVIP traveler, these are watches that speak volumes not through logo recognition,
but through horological substance.
The Armin Strom Tribute 1 Rose Gold
They embody the quiet assurance of a brand that continues to innovate at the highest level of independent watchmaking.
The Spirit of the Court
Few independent watch brands embody the art of design as boldly as Gerald Charles. Founded by the legendary Gérald Genta — the creative genius behind icons like the Royal Oak and Nautilus — the maison was his final venture. From the beginning, every Gerald Charles watch has drawn on Genta’s original sketches, carrying forward his philosophy of
artistic creativity and technical mastery.
At the heart of this legacy is the Maestro case, one of Genta’s most recognizable silhouettes: architectural, playful, and endlessly contemporary. Inspired by baroque architecture and among the few truly asymmetric forms in watchmaking, it embodies his pursuit of geometry infused with emotion. Today, Gerald Charles stands as the living continuation of Genta’s vision, merging sculptural form with sport-ready performance.
The Maestro GC Sport Tennis (CHF 19,600) is limited to just 200 pieces. With its ultralight 64-gram titanium case and striking optic-yellow textured dial, it channels the energy of the game itself. The crown is placed on the left for maximum comfort, and each watch is tested for shock resistance up to 5G — a rare detail in fine watchmaking that makes it as resilient as it is refined. The maison calls it “inspired by the spirit of tennis itself,”
a theme reflected in the model’s agility and comfort.
The Maestro GC Sport GC2.0-TX-TN-02-GR (CHF 19,600) and GC2.0-TX-TN-08-GR (CHF 19,600) extend this dialogue with the Grand Slam courts. The first, with its graduated green dial and matching strap, pays tribute to the grass of Wimbledon. The second translates the clay of Roland Garros into horological form, its russet dial fading gently toward the center and paired with a black strap to echo Paris’s most iconic surface. Together, they reimagine two of tennis’s defining arenas through the sculptural language of the Maestro case, while retaining the elegance and proportions that
characterize the Gerald Charles silhouette.
These watches sit in a rare space: technically refined, slim on the wrist, and design-driven in a way that makes them more than instruments of timekeeping. They are design statements rooted in the DNA
of a true icon of 20th-century luxury design.
G E R A L D C H A R L E S
TODAY, GERALD CHARLES STANDS AS A LIVING CONTINUATION OF GERALD GENTA'S VISION, MERGING SCULPTURAL FORM WITH SPORT-READY PERFORMANCE.
Gerald Charles Masetro GC Sport
Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis
G É R A L D C H A R L E S G E N T A
P H I L I P P H A N A
Philipp Hana Studios - Seamlessly Blending Real & Virtual Realms
In fine watchmaking, presentation is inseparable from perception. A collector’s first encounter with a new timepiece is often visual: an image that captures not only detail but also atmosphere, emotion and the brand essence. This is where Philipp Hana Studios specializes: creating high-end, photorealistic visual narratives that allow luxury brands to communicate their identity with the same precision and imagination found in their products.
For this article, the studio’s work highlights the pieces featured here: the sculptural Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport editions and the technically daring Armin Strom Resonance and Tribute 1. Each visualization was created to reflect not only the design, but also the context: the energy of a court surface, or the intellectual clarity of synchronized mechanics.
The core of the studio’s approach lies in precision and photorealism. Every decoration, reflection, and texture is rendered with the same care a watchmaker gives to movement finishing. Yet these images go beyond accuracy: they allow brands to place their watches in context without the heavy logistics of physical shoots, offering speed, flexibility, and significant cost savings. At the same time, they open the door to unlimited creativity, enabling artistic perspectives and visual storytelling that would be impossible to capture through traditional photo- or videography.
In this way, Philipp Hana Studios offers both collectors and brands the opportunity to experience a watch long before it arrives in the hand or on the wrist. Not as an abstract rendering, but as a fusion of photorealistic detail and creative storytelling.