What It Takes to Manufacture a Watch by Hand with Greubel Forsey - Part I

[@andreask1056]

"It was one step forward and two back with almost each component, many times before succeeding." Perfect occupational title for watchmaker. No one tells you that before you start or you just don't hear while looking on watches like this... 2 dislikes? Mad you are not involved in this project or just drunk? Very very nice footage! Very well done to everyone! Looking forward to the other parts! :)

[@watchestv-com]

I think you will like what’s coming 😉👍

[@andreask1056]

@@watchestv-com Part 2 was also great! I'd love to see more of those projects in other companies.

[@watchestv-com]

@@andreask1056 And we would love doing this, we'll keep pushing!

[@RoelfvanderMerwe]

Good God. I'm almost in tears

[@watchestv-com]

We understand... thanks so much for your words

[@gerarddufeu4138]

Impressionnant... Ça fait rêver.

[@watchestv-com]

C’est tres onirique en effet; rêver et réfléchir

[@manduheavyvazquez5268]

Greatness

[@johnburgess6572]

Well, that video was a 1 of a kind...sure did go by fast. What a project !

[@watchestv-com]

And 2 & 3 coming in the next couple of days 👍 thanks for the comment

[@lzd_1447]

was waiting for this video for ages , for a moment felt it's never gonna come , but finally here it is , you guys made my day ! Love you !

[@watchestv-com]

So nice of you 🙏🙏🙏

[@lewdolas9735]

Magnifique début de reportage, vous gagnez un abonné

[@johnmoorefilm]

Breath taking...thank you

[@watchestv-com]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@paulandsueroberts4121]

Totally agree with your sentiments Marc.

[@watchestv-com]

🙏🙏🙏

[@ThCam]

I'm in love with greubel forsey since the first day I laid eyes on one of their 24s tourbillon but goddamn I can't get enough of this brand! Can't thank the team enough for those videos, Viva Watchmaking!

[@watchestv-com]

GF is special for sure!!! Thanks so much for the comment

[@albertmyers7176]

WOW WHAT FUN... Thank you

[@watchestv-com]

Cool 👍👍

[@SWatchik]

Fascinating content! Amazing to see and acknowledge the people beyond just Robert and Stephen themselves. Very excited for part 2!

[@watchestv-com]

Yes, it’s a total team work accomplishment. Thanks for the comment

[@itsallrobbish]

Excellent video.

[@watchestv-com]

Many thanks and two more coming

[@thecatalogcollector]

Wow! I’ve been a fan of this channel for several years now, what you guys are able to document is simply not seen anywhere else. You get behind the scenes with the people who make the watches, and are basically part of the industry. Looking forward to the next part! As for this handmade watch, it shows the true passion for the watchmaking art that some watchmakers have. Very few companies I’ve seen actually do this, usually it’s an independent watchmaker, who must make compromises because he can’t get access to the required machinery. What gets me upset are “high-end” companies that do not do this, that do not seek this kind of perfection and yet advertise being “the best.” Big example of this is Rolex. Yes, they’ve innovated some, but (recently) only very small things, and nothing with the movement except for their winding rotor, which was a long time ago. Even worse is a company like Nomos. This may sound crazy, as Nomos is seen as a great value watch for the movement, but hear me out. Rolex doesn’t advertise movement finishing, only “luxury.” I may not like that, but will admit that Rolex is good at what they do. Nomos is all about the movement finishing. But, it is machined finished. For me it does not matter how good the machine finishing is, it is still machine finishing and too expensive for the price. Once upon a time, all watch parts were hand finished. The difference in quality was how much decoration there was, and how good it was executed. A good example of this is my cheap Illinois pocket watch, whose hand-applied not-Geneva striping is slightly wavy in places. What modern watchmaking like Nomos has done, is eliminate the cheap hand finished movement and replaced it with machines. I don’t know about you, but I would take a not-perfect hand finished watch over a machine finished watch any day of the week.

[@watchestv-com]

Hi and thanks for sharing your opinion about this. It's true that hand finishing finds itself at another level, but obviously at a cost and the huge majority of today's watches are machine finished, even the "luxurious" ones. Most people don't really care though, because they simply don't know the difference and I hope that with such contents as we produce we can help give some deeper understanding. All the very best to you

[@rodamohamed1917]

I don't know a lot about this brand Can't wait to learn more about it.

[@watchestv-com]

All the way up there!!!

[@StEvUgnIn]

You can see the visit of the manufacture in another video

[@brettlehman1114]

You said it would be special, you did not disappoint.

[@watchestv-com]

That makes us happy, many thanks for this comment and the very best to you

[@99luan99]

Great work from Both of you guys !

[@watchestv-com]

Thanks a lot 🙏

[@giancarlopanaccio]

Wooowww guys compliments what an amazing manufacture.... well done to all the people involved looking forward to next chapter...... well done bravo 👏🏻 bravo 👏🏻 bravo 👏🏻

[@watchestv-com]

Thanks a lot for this very appreciated comment 🙏🙏🙏

[@giancarlopanaccio]

TheWATCHES.tv you welcome it’s true you did a fantastic job 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@omiddoust9061]

great work mate

[@watchestv-com]

🙏🙏🙏

[@thezapsback]

Now that is simply the peak point of watch making. It has so deep meaning to me that i can't even explain but i'm sure some people will understand what i mean.

[@watchestv-com]

Yes, totally agree 👍👍

[@georgeliquor2931]

Breath taking

[@aguspr3749]

Great documentary! Looking forward to watch more chapters!

[@watchestv-com]

Coming shortly

[@TheNotoriousKID]

Anything watch related I’m here, the more complicated and prestigious, the more I’m here.... so yea, I’m here.

[@watchestv-com]

In that case I think you will enjoy ;)

[@lioneldict7546]

Omg !!! Beautiful

[@watchestv-com]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@DapperProf]

Great videography - Congrats to you and your crew!

[@watchestv-com]

Very appreciated, thanks a lot

[@luizalbertorodrigues4560]

Very beautiful Congratulions

[@chrisblight6069]

It has been a long time coming but worth the wait. Really enjoyed the video. It's nice to see the craft of engineering being preserved.

[@watchestv-com]

Thanks so much, very happy you liked it 🙏🙏

[@GP-nn9to]

I was had at 6,000 hrs. Marc! Phenomenal company, GF. Thank you and looking forward to the next clip.

[@watchestv-com]

I believe you will enjoy ;)

[@yiannismerianos]

Amazing coverage can't wait part 2!

[@watchestv-com]

Coming soon!

[@mikewasowski1411]

Amazing

[@watchestv-com]

🙏🙏

[@glidule]

Je pensais que la vidéo était en ligne aujourd’hui!! La fausse joie!! Peux plus attendre 😄

[@watchestv-com]

Ca vient, ca vient 😉👍

[@glidule]

Superbe réalisation. Je crois que je n’ai pas cligné des yeux une seule fois pendant le visionnage , j’étais absorbé. J’ai hâte de voir les prochains épisodes. Cette série va devenir mon Game of throne!!!

[@watchestv-com]

Hahaha, on aime la comparaison

[@SultanAbdulRehman]

Beautiful!

[@watchestv-com]

Thank you! And the timepiece is indeed truly beautiful ;)

[@marcelpatricetalleyrand2007]

Thank you man!

[@watchestv-com]

Welcome!

[@tryingagain1960]

It’s a nice clean design

[@watchestv-com]

Hi there ;)

[@edwardsauve4836]

Great stuff , what an amazing micro world watch making is , fantastic , I also dig your Fortuny lamp , very cool .

[@watchestv-com]

Many many thanks 🙏

[@edwardsauve4836]

@@watchestv-com You are most welcome !

[@melssii]

Amazing video et Could you talk with us about watchmaking schools institutes who accept international students courses in English or French any recommendations please

[@watchestv-com]

We will do a special video on this subject since quite a few people asks for this. It will be addressed ;) Best to you

[@Pr3nt]

Cannot wait to see it! Tick tock

[@watchestv-com]

Coming soon ;)

[@scottmenin813]

This brand hasn't spent much time on my radar, so I'm looking forward to learning more about it.

[@SoZo]

what about casio watch????????33

[@DirtFather407]

So far Greubel Forsey has achieved the highest level of finishing and at one point made the most accurate mechanical watch, despite being only 16 years old

[@watchestv-com]

True, their timepieces are all the way up there!!!!

[@scottmenin813]

@@SoZo What do you mean? I owned a Casio when I first started wearing watches in the early 80s.

[@scottmenin813]

That was inspiring. I really liked the imagery of the blank sheet of paper as part of the process- anything is possible! It truly is a beautiful watch.

[@nicholasking1266]

I am interested to know is there a difference between what they have done here and the Daniel's method as done by George Daniel and Roger Smith?

[@watchestv-com]

I would say that the main difference resides in the fact that the GF team was looking into results/performance that are achieved with today’s very high end technology but to get there using the hand.

[@6stringocd424]

TheWATCHES.tv since Roger Smith’s workshop make 10 watches per year, it would appear that they are a lot more efficient in this, and to my knowledge everything is done by hand there as well. Plus, they have coaxial escarements and the level of finishing and decoration of the movement appears to be on higher level than what is in this video. When GF claim that this hasn’t been done before, they need to explain what they mean, as Roger’s watches definitely have the performance. They are not some arcane devices, quite the contrary - they use a much more advanced escapement technology than GF. Great effort, but respect for Daniels and Smith should be given, GF are far from being the only ones out there to offer handmade pieces.

[@josephknecht4272]

When will you do a video on Beat Haldimann?!

[@watchestv-com]

Well deserved episode, totally right 👍👍

[@zetoch]

Ce qui est fascinant, c’est de voir ce soucis d’honorer et préserver un savoir-faire ancien pour au final faire une montre très moderne.

[@watchestv-com]

Exactement, la combinaison est très réussie!

[@lankysudanese]

What is the MSRP or RRP of such a masterpiece. It better be 2-3 times that of a Richard Mille

[@watchestv-com]

A lot, but it's very relative at the same time.

[@lankysudanese]

TheWATCHES.tv GF and DeBethune are my favorite brands. Always pushing the envelope

[@SpaghettiKillah]

One word has to be spent on the collectors who buy these very very expensive pieces: they basically keep this company up and running. GF make very pieces every year....there's no mass production here. Their money helps passing the tradition of hand-made watches down to the next generation...and I think that's the biggest value here.

[@watchestv-com]

True, collectors can sometimes be referred to patrons in fact. Best to you

[@musliselmani3994]

👍💯❤️❤️

[@Bhatakti_Hawas]

Not a GF fan, but an awesome video nonetheless. Wud be very grateful if you make similar content for Lange, Vacheron & Voutilainen

[@watchestv-com]

They are long in the doing but what an immense pleasure to do, thanks 🙏

[@olaaf_eu9]

I still consider George Daniels hand-made watches the best.

[@watchestv-com]

Different but obviously wonderfully beautiful too !!

[@CluelessWatchCollector]

Other G+F watches are not hand made?

[@DirtFather407]

No, very few watches are handmade. This watch for example takes 6 months each to make and only 1 person in their company knows how to make it

[@watchestv-com]

Their watches are all hand finished and assembled with an uncompromising commitment to quality, but most raw components are machined. In other companies, generally these 3 stages are all mainly done by machines

[@iceparadox369]

Maybe move to black lettering when they talk, can’t see what they are saying half the time due to background

[@watchestv-com]

Subtitles are always complicated to handle unfortunately, kind of a difficult compromise...

[@sutats]

What happened to the brand, seems like the fell completely of the radar in recent times.

[@watchestv-com]

Still there for sure, but most major developments have been introduced late last year and we should see some more in the near future too

[@lewdolas9735]

On peut dire que marc s’est retrouvé dans les choux

[@abdarrazak5280]

Why use hands when a machine can do it much more easily and just as well. Would mean the same watches costing a lot less but being just as desirable .

[@thlee3]

too much visual stimulation to read w subs. ha

[@watchestv-com]

So you will have to look at it twice 😉😂

[@007-i6z8v]

Extremely beautiful timepiece, but to be honest i feel that it's a fraud. As long as they use CNC machines and other modern tools, one can not call this "Hand Made"!!! When they'll cut the plates by hand, or make the case by hand, soldering the lugs and all other components as Roger Smith and Phillipe Dufourdoes,Then They can call it Hand made! Never the less a great achievement...

[@watchestv-com]

They of course used machines, but no CNC, it’s the hand which is applying the necessary pressure on the machines used.

[@007-i6z8v]

@@watchestv-com I know... but that's still not "Hand Made". Sorry...

[@watchestv-com]

@@007-i6z8v I understand, but their intention was also to manufacture a timepiece with the greatest chronometrical performance, thus the compromise if one can say so.

[@007-i6z8v]

@@watchestv-com Is it more accurate than John Harison's Chronometer? Because he made it entirely by hand in the 1700's and it is said that it was accurate to 1s/month on the open sea!!! Just saying...LOL It's a nice publicity stunt, I'll give them that.Thank you for the nice debate, keep up the great work!!!

[@lopi513]

I’m curious, in terms of “hand-made” how is this piece comparing to Haldimann.