Greubel Forsey’s entry-level sports watch has been in production for five years and is now at an end. The brand is saying goodbye with a pair of final editions, the Balancier Convexe S² in ceramic. The first version is entirely in white ceramic, and the second is black ceramic with the bezel and case back in 18k red gold.

Each limited to 11 pieces, the two editions share the same movement, but decorated differently to match the case. It’s manual wind, time-only calibre that is anything but simple; the movement is equipped with the brand’s trademark inclined balance wheel as well as titanium bridges and plates.

Initial thoughts

A bestseller for Greubel Forsey when sports watches were all the rage, the Convexe line (and related sports models) is gradually being reduced. The Balancier Convexe S² is one of the few sports models that Greubel Forsey has launched since the change in management resulted in the pivot towards more classical watches, exemplified by last year’s Nano Foudroyante. It might be also one of the last: Greubel Forsey notes besides the end of the model’s production, “[this year] also marks the beginning of a gradual transition toward an almost entirely new collection”.

While this change in direction has been welcomed by many enthusiasts who appreciate Greubel Forsey returning to its root, the Convexe watches do have their charm. The Balancier Convexe S² illustrates this – the case is large but ergonomic and wearable, and the sporty construction gives the watch more versatility than a more traditional Greubel Forsey.

Both of the new editions are cosmetic variations of an existing model. While not entirely novel, they still have the appeal of the earlier versions, namely a very, very finely executed movement inside a sporty case. This dichotomy is rare, most comparable watches, from Richard Mille or Hublot for instance, lack the quality of a Greubel Forsey.

At CHF295,000, the Balancier Convexe S² is priced fully for its quality. It is far from a value proposition, but an equivalent model from Richard Mille costs similarly but isn’t executed to the same standard.

Inclined and convex

The Balancier Convexe S² utilises the curved, slightly ovoid case of Greubel Forsey’s sports-watch line. The same case, but scaled up, can be found on last year’s GMT Balancier Convexe.

As is the case (no pun intended) with the Greubel Forsey sports case, the curvature of the case gives it good wearability, especially with the integrated rubber strap. This is despite the dimensions, which seem large at face value. The case is 44 mm at the bezel, slightly narrower on the case band, and stands about 13 mm high (the white ceramic is a bit thinner and the black, a little taller).

The slightly different thicknesses of each version is explained by the slightly different construction of each; the black ceramic model has a red gold case back and bezel, while the white ceramic version has a matching ceramic back and bezel.

While the case is “convex”, the balance is inclined, raised 30 degrees from the horizontal – a position that is most obvious from viewing the case in profile. The inclined regulator approach is a longstanding Greubel Forsey tradition that was devised to better combat the effects of gravity on timekeeping.

The rest of the movement is equally chronometry focused. It has twin barrels arranged in series for constant torque over the three day power reserve, while the balance wheel is an oversized design with timing screws and an overcoil – much of which is visible on the front, presenting an architectural landscape that is typical for the brand.

Like the brand’s other sports models, the bridges and base plate are in titanium. This includes the balance cock and large bridge for the hands. Although the alloy is more unconventional than old school brass, the titanium parts are still finished to the usual Greubel Forsey standards with mirrored surfaces, straight graining, and prominent bevelling.

As both watches share the same movement, they are essentially identical from the back, but finished differently to match the case.

The black ceramic model has its recessed, frosted bridges coated in black to match, with the borders of the bridges in polished titanium for contrast.

The white ceramic version, on the other hand, adopts a more conventional finish with the frosted surfaces and borders in the natural colour of titanium. This arguably brings out the decoration better since the granular surface of the bridges is more obvious.

Key facts and price

Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S²
Ref. GF09xv

Diameter: 44 mm (at bezel)
Height: 12.85 mm in white ceramic; or 13.25 in black ceramic
Material: White ceramic; or black ceramic with 18k red gold bezel and back
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Balancier S2
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve indicator
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Hand-wind
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with folding buckle

Limited edition: 11 pieces each
Availability: At Greubel Forsey authorised retailers
Price: CHF295,000 before taxes

For more, visit Greubelforsey.com.

Orient Star doubles down on dress watches with the dignified M45 F7 Small Seconds in three new colours inspired by the night sky. With its small seconds layout, power reserve indicator, no-date format, and sub-40 mm case size, the M45 is clearly targeting the enthusiast market.

Initial thoughts

While more casual and “sporty” watches have been the foundation of the watch market for decades, Orient, and its upscale sibling Orient Star, are arguably known best for its more formally coded watches, such as the entry-level Orient Bambino. From there, Orient Star’s M45 collection represents a tempting upgrade, featuring a slew of refinements inside and out that make it a good value proposition despite the higher price.

Beyond the technical specifications, the M45 F7 Small Seconds also reflects Orient Star’s ongoing effort to carve out a distinct identity within the broader Japanese watch landscape.

While brand has long been appreciated for delivering strong value, the M45 line shows a growing confidence in formal watches, which is needed given the fierce competition from micro-brands in the sports watch segment at the same price point.

Visually, the watch could benefit from being even smaller, as the small seconds sub-dial is too close to the centre of the dial, but that is true of many, if not most, of its (few) competitors in this price segment that offer a small seconds format. Collectors have come accept this as a normal trade-off of contemporary watches that use historical calibres, and many will welcome it as the sub-dial doesn’t cut into the Roman numerals.

Notably, the watch lacks a date, which shows the influence of the enthusiast market and gives collectors another reason to upgrade from the date-ed Orient Bambino small seconds. If I could change one thing about the M45, it’s the display back. While the cal. F7H44 boasts solid specs and a tried-and-true architecture that has provided faithful service for more than 50 years, the finishing falls short of contemporary expectations, despite the best efforts of a well-decorated rotor.

It is also unfortunate that arguably the best looking of the bunch, the grey dial, is limited to just 500 individually-numbered pieces, while the other colourways enter regular production.

The stars of Subaru

Orient Star reorganised its catalogue a few years ago into the “M” Collections, with three lines each named after astronomical objects documented by French comet-hunter Charles Messier. These are the M34 dive watches, the contemporary M42 (named after the Orion Nebula), while the most formal of these, M45, refers to the Pleiades star cluster – known as Subaru in Japan.

It is offered in three colourways — green, ivory, and grey — which share a sparkling grained texture meant to evoke stars gently twinkling in the night sky. Each is appointed with simple but well-finished leaf hands, which are blackened for contrast on the ivory-dialled model. To not obstruct this starscape, the double-domed sapphire crystal is coated with Orient Star’s Super Anti-Reflective (SAR) coating on both sides, resulting in a 99% light transmittance rate.

Crystal clear

While external AR coatings introduce the possibility of damage to said coatings, the rewards outweigh the risks. That’s especially true in the case of Orient Star’s AR treatments, which don’t produce a jarring blue glare. Additionally, there are specialists, mostly in Asia, who can remove and reapply damaged AR coating to watch crystals if needed.

Inside is the in-house cal. F7H44, with a 50-hour power reserve, indirect small (hacking) seconds, and a power reserve indicator. Furthermore, the movement is rated to between -5 and +15 seconds per day. That accuracy tolerance is rather exacting by the standards of the Japanese watch industry, putting it ahead of similarly priced offerings from Seiko or Citizen.

The movement winds in both directions thanks to the Magic Lever system, which Seiko Epson (then known as Suwa Seikosha) invented in 1959. The Magic Lever is one of, if not the most economical bidirectional winding system, as well as reliable and efficient – and apparently good enough for Vacheron Constantin’s tourbillons.

Key facts and price

Orient Star M45 Small Second
Ref. RE-BS0001E (green)
Ref. RE-BS0002S (ivory)
Ref. RE-BS0003N (grey)

Diameter: 39.0 mm
Height: 11.7 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. F7H44
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator
Winding: Self-winding
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: 500 pieces (grey)
Availability: Orient Star boutiques and retailers
Price: US$950 (green and ivory) or $1,050 (grey) excluding taxes

For more information, visit Global.OrientStar-Watch.com.