Grail - Paul Gerber | Independents

Grail - Paul Gerber

I've visited and met many members of the AHCI over the years. But there was one I've always wanted to meet - but never had.

Paul Gerber is a watchmaker's watchmaker - his work on the 'Worlds most complicated watch" which was commissioned by Lord Arran - and discussed here some years ago - is still one of the most extra-ordinary pieces of watchmaking I've ever seen. On the face of inserting an 'in place tourbillon' while keeping the balance sounds impossible. And that was just the start.

As well as that, I think Paul captures what George Daniels describes as the 'interesting and amusing' aspect of watchmaking - with his spherical moon - which is deeper than the movement that contains it - or the insane but wonderful geared winding weights - orthe retrograde seconds on the retro twin and retrograd watches.

And that's even before mentioning his work with Luwig Oechslin on the MIH watch with the amazing annual calander and the Ochs and Junior brand.

Paul is a man who can make the impossible happen. He perhaps suffers from being an 'engineer' rather than someone with a unique design aesthetic - or an obsession with perfect finishing - but he does some very interesting work.

Over the year there has been a lot of discussion about his work here - so look up Curtis's article on making the retro-twin and the amazing storm of the 'Lord Arran' watch.

I bought my first Paul Gerber watch, a retrograd, from AHCI member Kiu in HK - which I described here years ago. It was a wonderful afternoon - and Kiu described Paul as 'my great friend'.

Sadly this watch was stolen at the start of the year - but I was able to buy a 'retro-twin' from another purist to replace it. Amazingly the police then found my retrograd (only 2 of the 13 have been recovered). My MIH watch was one of the few not stolen. So at this point I had 3 Paul Gerber watches - more than any other brand!.

I had always wanted to meet Paul - but since he was in Zurich - a little away from most other watch makers - our paths had not crossed.

Aware that Mo and I would be in Switzerland (and I was travelling by train - to be eco-sensitive) - I thought about extending my trip by a few days and I got in touch with Paul - who was happy to meet me.

So on Monday morning I set out from the centre of Zurich by tram...

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Paul's workshop

By: Greg D : November 25th, 2010-05:17

I took the tram to the last stop - and then walked for several minutes up a suburban street. Here was the address - was this really where my extra-ordinary watches had come from? But perhaps - is that a workshop where the garage would be? Yes - this is th...

Greg, thanks for ...

By: small-luxury-world : November 25th, 2010-05:58

sharing one more part of your gorgeous trip, which I appreciated a lot. Oliver

thanks for the pics

By: playtime : November 25th, 2010-07:04

Your pics of his workshop is a wonderful window to Gerber's world. Jason

Thank you Greg.

By: jporos : November 25th, 2010-08:38

Paul Gerber is one of my heroes as well, I hope one day to own the MIH. I am even more attracted to his work learning that it is made in such modest circumstances.

intersting Reoprt Greg

By: aldossari_faisal : November 25th, 2010-14:18

though im greedy and looking forward for more pics . the small size of pauls watches is a bit of an issue to me. yet i admire his work still . Faisal

Thanks for the workshop pictures Greg...

By: DonCorson : November 26th, 2010-11:31

I too just don't seem to make it to Zürich much. But Paul is on the list. Don

Thanks very much for your report!

By: amerix : November 25th, 2010-10:28

Paul Gerber is not only a great Constructeur of watchmaking, but he has made one of the most beautiful watches that I have ever seen - and have the immense privalege to own and wear - the Caliber 33 - with or without the spherical moon; mine is with but n...

Cal 33

By: Greg D : November 25th, 2010-11:05

This was my first chance to see the cal 33. And as you describe, it is wonderful. Very few watchmakers have attempted their own escapement! As you say it's an amazing watch, you must be proud to own one. Can you post some pictures?

Hi Greg, pictures hope to - but unfortunately not now

By: amerix : November 25th, 2010-11:50

My version retains the large seconds hand going under the case, while introducing the moon. Rejected, by me, was a proposal of counter-balancing a large seconds hand sub-dial with a circular month on the other side. The movement of the seconds I found nec...

Some of my (older) pictures to water your mouth...

By: Ornatus-Mundi : November 26th, 2010-00:29

are here. Let me start with the large seconds version: Then, there is the spherical moon-phase watch, here still with the small seconds: The movement is his very own cal. 33 movement. Note that the wheels are 18kt red gold (a special alloy!): It contains ...

Interesting tick...

By: Greg D : November 26th, 2010-02:24

Magnus, Great stuff - thanks. Do I remember correctly that the escapement has an 'asymmetric' tick? I think Paul showed me this - and in fact it was one of the things that led him to the large second display - so that this could be seen clearly? Of course...

Absolutely...

By: Ornatus-Mundi : November 26th, 2010-02:49

the two movements are clearly visible, even with the small seconds model: the small move of the seconds hand results from the release of the entrance resting-ruby to release from the resting wheel. The mainspring drives the pallet wheel springs forward by...

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