Independents

GRIEB & BENZINGER's unique workshop for high-end collectors has above all made its name with unique minute repeaters for connoisseurs. As the worldwide demand for rare, high-quality chronographs has increased, Hermann Grieb—watchmaking genius and one of the three partners comprising GRIEB & BENZINGER— has opened his treasure chest to conjure up a masterpiece of watchmaking: a rare Minerva column wheel chronograph movement estimated to be from about 1925.

New Unique Piece from Luxury Workshop GRIEB & BENZINGER: The Blue Wave, a Skeletonized Chronograph

In its heyday, Minerva was one of the finest and best chronograph makers in the world. Chronographs had already been in existence since around 1800, however Minerva was one of the first chronograph makers to incorporate a minute counter. Minerva named its company after the Roman goddess Minerva. Traces of this Roman deity can be found again and again in fine watchmaking—even A. Lange & Söhne has immortalized various depictions of the goddess as a motif or symbol on its most exclusive pocket watch cases.

After countless hours of total restoration, hand skeletonization, hand-engraving and guilloché, the vintage base Minerva movement awakens to new life to become a characteristic new horological piece of art in typical GRIEB & BENZINGER style: the 18-karat gold monopusher skeletonized chronograph christened The Blue Wave.

The company's typical blue platinum coating of the base plate has also found its way into the new unique piece. The base plate was first hand-skeletonized to its barest minimum in characteristic wave style and the case back hand-guilloché. All 34 steel screws were polished by hand and classically tempered a cornflower blue over an open flame. Today, steel screws are generally blued by use of galvanic coating. These hand-finished screws are not only a feast for the eyes; it comes as no surprise that they are a standard of quality at GRIEB & BENZINGER.

The Blue Wave is yet another outstanding one-of-a-kind-watch by luxury watch manufacturer GRIEB & BENZINGER. There will only be one lucky timepiece enthusiast worldwide to have the pleasure of wearing this exclusive watch on his or her wrist. (€ 87,500)

GRIEB & BENZINGER Unique Timepiece:

The Blue Wave: a Monopusher Skeleton Chronograph in Rose Gold.

Case:
Solid 18-karat rose gold

Sapphire crystal

Buttons and crown made of solid 18-karat rose gold

Guilloché on top of button

Screw-in sapphire crystal case back

Diameter:

46 mm

Strap:
Black alligator strap with 18-karat rose gold buckle

Movement:
Based on a Minerva caliber from approx. 1920

Completely disassembled and restored

The base plate was hand-skeletonized to its bare minimum before being guilloché and coated with blue platinum

Winding:
Mechanical with manual winding

Movement functions:

Sweep hour and minute hands

Subsidiary seconds at 9 o'clock

Sweep chronograph second hand; chronograph minute counter in subdial at 3 o'clock

Bridges and cocks:

Rhodium-plated and guilloché; the hand-engraved balance cock is rhodium-plated and rose gold-plated

Rose gold-plated wheels

Flame blued steel screws

Barrel:
Hand-skeletonized spring barrel

Chronograph:
Sweep chronograph second hand

30-minute counter in subdial at 3 o'clock

Monopusher chronograph with button in crown

(Start-Stop-Reset using only ONE pusher)

Balance:
Screw balance; 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour

Jewels:
17 jewels

Power reserve:

Approx. 37 hours of power reserve

Hands:
Steel hour, minute and second hands, rose gold-plated

Flame-blued subsidiary seconds hand

Flame-blued 30-minute hand with red tip

Functions:
Sweep hours and minutes

Sweep chronograph second hand

30-minute counter in subdial at 3 o'clock

Subsidiary seconds (permanently running) at 9 o'clock

Dial:
Hand-skeletonized Sterling silver with original (!) Breguet frosted finish

Ex-factory price:

87.500 €

Press Release