In a remarkable gesture to celebrate its 25th anniversary and support a critical and contemporary cause, Gerald Charles is proud to announce the donation of the Maestro GC39 Remaster featuring a rare Australian Fire Opal stone to Action Innocence, a foundation devoted to protecting the dignity and integrity of children, teenagers, and individuals with special needs in their use of screens and digital technologies.
Action Innocence will auction the one-of-a-kind timepiece through Christie’s on May 12th. The full hammer price from the sale will be allocated be allocated to Action Innocence for its mission.
“This initiative marks 25 years of Gerald Charles with a message: true luxury lies in giving back,” said Federico Ziviani, CEO of Gerald Charles. “This watch is more than a timepiece, it’s a symbol of hope, legacy, and purpose. This cause is particularly important to me, as I was born in the digital era and have witnessed how much the online world has evolved — and intensified. Supporting this initiative is something I feel I’m doing not only for today, but also for the future of my children.”
The initials of the auction winner will be engraved on the case back, making this already one-of-a-kind piece even more personal.
The watch will be delivered with two straps — one in orange and one in blue — along with a polished titanium butterfly deployant buckle. Additional strap options in leather, velcro, and rubber are also available.
This will be a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire an exceptional Gerald Charles piece, featuring an extraordinarily rare Australian Fire Opal — a true collector’s gem that honours the legacy of Mr. Genta — while contributing to a meaningful charitable cause.
Where innovation meets tradition: the remastering of a Mr. Genta icon
Originally designed by the legendary Gérald Charles Genta in 2005 and developed in-house, the Maestro GC39 with its patented sliding hours movement has now been remastered and enhanced, resulting in a Jumping Hours complication.
The Maestro GC39 Remaster represents the fusion of avant-garde horology and artisanal savoir faire. Featuring the exceptional Jumping Hours complication and a breathtaking Opal stone dial, this is a unique piece – no other GC39 will be created with this stone again.
A rare gem from the heart of Australia, the Australian Fire Opal is known for its warm, vibrant hues and captivating natural beauty. This stone shines in radiant tones of yellow, orange, and deep red, often with a translucent or glassy clarity that gives the stone its signature “flame-like” glow. Each stone is a product of ancient geological processes, composed of hydrated silica and containing up to 20% water.
The 42mm polished Grade 5 titanium case is elevated by the special stone at the centre. Its fiery internal play of colour, combined with the complexity of cutting it into the Maestro shape (an 80% breakage risk), makes this dial a true rarity.
The Maestro case inspiration comes from a 17th century Baroque monument in Rome by Francesco Borromini. It was the façade that gave the watch its asymmetric case, cascading bezel and a convex “smile” at 6 o’clock. As with the original GC39, it’s designed around the basic square shape, where the standard Maestro is rectangular. Despite the complexity of the case design and the movement’s jumping hours complication, the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Edition is a mere 11mm thick.
However, since it is CNC-carved polished Grade 5 titanium, it retains the lightweight, ergonomic qualities for which the Maestro is now well known. Titanium is a challenging material to work with, but thanks to the ambition and relentless determination of the Maison’s in-house engineers, a solution was found that retains both the Maestro’s iconic case shape and its wearability.
Meta-guilloché: the evolution of the traditional guillochage technique
The dial also features Meta-guilloché, an in-house evolution of traditional guillochage that plays with light reflection. Using micro-electrochemical machining, it creates ultra-precise microstructures without the need for coatings, varnishes, or additives, just pure material refinement. This technique reimagines classic guilloché by rendering the pattern virtually invisible. Depending on the angle of light, the surface shifts from illuminated to dark, producing a dynamic visual effect and bringing the multi-ray star pattern to life. Thanks to this special finishing, which radiates light from within, the dial has a diamond-like appearance at first glance, as if it were set with baguette-cut stones.
However, this isn’t just an aesthetic choice — it’s primarily a technical one, with many advantages. The process removes only a very thin layer of material, contributing to the watch’s slim, lightweight profile. It also minimizes material waste while allowing for a variety of light effects and intricate detailing.
Engineering the legacy: technical advances in the Maestro GC39
Since Mr Genta’s original timepiece, the evolution has encompassed not only aesthetic refinements but also significant technical advancements:
- From sliding hours to jumping hours complication
- From mother of pearl dial to a more refined version, now featuring the Australian Fire Opal at its core, surrounded by the meta-guilloché finishing
- Water resistance increased to 100m
- Shock resistance elevated to 5G
- Ergonomics enhanced with the Maison’s proprietary Ergonteq® standard. This innovative engineering technique ensures the lugs, case, and strap sit ergonomically on the wrist, adapting to both large and small wrists. It also maximizes surface contact, enhancing stability and optimizing weight distribution for unparalleled comfort.
The Jumping Hours: a deep dive into the complication
The original 2005 model featured a sliding-hour display, with the hour indicated via a rotating disc visible through a dial aperture at 12 o’clock.
However, since the jumping hours remains a rarity in mechanical watchmaking, which is one of the reasons Mr. Genta was so enthralled by it, the Maison decided to push its limits further and develop this complication.
The new Gerald Charles Swiss Manufacture 4.0 Calibre Jumping Hours has been developed and patented in-house. It has a jumping hours function and a 50-hour power reserve and required an additional 80 components over a standard time-only movement.
The Maison’s engineers had to contend with some challenging physics in developing this calibre: in advancing one hour, the jumping hours disc consumes the same energy a mechanical movement typically expends in 3,600 seconds.
At the same time, the jumping hours disc is 25 times heavier than a conventional hour hand. Hence, the complication requires a force 90,000 times greater than that of a three-hand watch.
The movement’s components have been beautifully hand-finished with Côtes de Genève and perlage finishes, using techniques perfected over many generations and performed by the Maison’s artisans. The movement’s wheels are also rhodium plated.
The calibre is finished with a golden oscillating weight, visible through the watch’s sapphire case back, decorated with the honeycomb motif design and the engraving of the 25th anniversary logo.
How to participate in the auction
The Maestro GC39 Remaster will be auctioned via closed envelope bidding and live auction at Christie’s:
- Pre-Auction Bidding: interested collectors may express their interest by providing a passport copy, phone number, email and maximum bid. Bids can be submitted through Gerald Charles retailers or directly via GC HQ and will be forwarded to Christie’s.
- Live Auction – May 12th: online bidding and phone bidding will be available through Christie’s platforms (link to be shared by GC closer to the date).
For more information please visit:
https://www.geraldcharles.com/
