Gérald Genta Dies at 80


 Gérald Genta, designer of two of the Omega Constellation collection’s most iconic watch designs, the 168.005 and the 168.009/17 C-Shape, died on August 16th aged 80.

Born of Italian parentage in Geneva in 1931, Genta became the first true watch designer at the age of 21. From 1952, Gérald designed jewellery as well as watches and watch parts such as cases, dials and bracelets for many workshops and suppliers. He gradually built up his reputation and ended up working with all of the most important Swiss watch companies.

Genta has more iconic watch designs to his name than any other Swiss designer. They include the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus and Golden Elipse, IWC Ingenieur, Cartier Pasha, Bulgari Bulgari, the magnificent Universal Polerouter collection and the Omega Louis Brandt collection.

I was indeed fortunate several years ago to be introduced to Gérald’s wife Evelyn who was Monaco’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and, with Evelyn as intermediary, was able to definitively identify the designs Genta did for Omega.

Another great horological luminary has passed over to the clockwork universe and we are poorer for his passing. Click here for an essay on Genta’s Omega designs.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:53 pm

    Hi Desmond,

    Could I ask for your opinion on this watch?

    It looks good to my untrained eye.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-OMEGA-CONSTELLATION-CHRONOMETER-DAY-DATE-WATCH-/140772159612?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item20c6acb07c#ht_3330wt_1357

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    Replies
    1. It looks fine to me but the hands are obscuring the upper case lettering and so its not possible to scrutinise that.

      Case finish is very good though and it has the thing polished chamfer intact. Tritium is aged as it should be.

      Cheers

      Desmond

      Delete
  2. Anonymous11:08 pm

    Thanks for your reply Desmond. The seller mentioned that the case back number is 2849-2 SC. I have scoured the internet and am unable to find anything with that ref number. Does it match the watch ?

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    Replies
    1. Hmm The case number should be 168.029. A 2849 model is a Seamaster with a calibre 5093 movement. So it's impossible for that case back to match the 029.

      It certainly has a Constellation case back on the watch and so he is mistaken.

      Cheers

      D

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