Greubel Forsey’s Balancier Convexe S² recently took its final bow, making way for the ‘baby blue’ edition of the Balancier 3. Positioned as the brand’s entry level model now that production of the the dressier Balancier Contemporain has concluded, the Balancier 3 is a 22-piece limited edition that introduces a novel finishing technique for the Y-shaped titanium bridge that transverses the dial.

Initial thoughts

For fans of sport watches who thought the end of the Convexe S² might be a signal that Greubel Forsey is backing away from its Convexe collection, the launch of a new — albeit limited — series of the Balancier 3 is welcome. The brand’s sporty case format debuted shortly before controversial tenure of former CEO Antonio Calce, who seemed to see the Convexe case as a vehicle for rapid growth akin to that of Richard Mille.

But his efforts at scaling production ran into the immutable limits of hand craftsmanship. His ouster was followed by something of a return to form for one of the leading lights of La Chaux-de-Fonds, which subsequently backed away from some of the more simplified watches launched under Mr Calce.

The Balancier 3 manages the difficult task of being a casual watch built with utmost dignity. While this is technically the brand’s entry level watch, and a sport watch at that, it is finished more thoroughly and to a higher level than most grand complications from the great houses of Geneva.

If we’re splitting hairs — and at this price we are — there are a few places, including the cutouts in the finger bridges for the barrel and balance, where the simplified forms result in lesser finishing compared to the brand’s signature offerings (no pun intended), but overall the decorative treatments remain class-leading.

The vacation watch, par excellence

The Balancier 3 is for collectors who like to have fun in the sun but who don’t want to compromise on craftsmanship. Water resistant to a splash-friendly 50 m, the complexly contoured titanium case measures 41.5 mm at the case band but flares up to nearly 44 mm at the bezel. At 13.55 mm thick including crystals, the case is clearly intended for short sleeves — or none at all.

While those numbers sound big on paper, the Balancer 3 wears well on most wrists thanks to its lug-less design. In fact, the lug-to-lug distance is likely little more than the bezel diameter, meaning it should stay planted on most wrists better than some smaller (but longer) designs.

This laid-back impression is cemented by the baby blue colourway and the choice of a matching textured rubber strap or a three-link titanium bracelet, available for an additional cost.

Same movement, new finishing

To differentiate the baby blue edition from its blue and black counterparts that launched in 2023, Greubel Forsey developed a new finishing technique for the dial’s curved titanium central bridge. Instead of a mirror-polished upper surface, the bridge features a dimpled surface resembles hammering — not unlike the finish on Bexei’s collaboration with knife maker Todd Rexford — but with smaller undulations.

That the finish is applied to titanium, a material famously difficult to polish, is impressive, all the more so given the the perfectly crisp transition between the brushed upper surface and the polished bevels. According to GF, the brand achieved this look using a steel brush.

The technical details are handled with the care one expects, with a large 12.6 mm balance wheel of the brand’s own design mounted to an overcoil hairspring. While the 3.5 Hz frequency favoured by Greubel Forsey is a notch slower than is typically preferable for a sport watch, it’s typical for the brand’s high-end segment and more than adequate for whatever one might get up to with the Balancier 3.

The oversized oscillator is powered by two mainspring barrels mounted in series, and the 72-hour power reserve can be tracked with a discreet indicator visible through the transparent case back.

Key facts and price

Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Titanium “Baby Blue”

Diameter: 43.6 mm (at bezel)
Height: 13.35 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Balancier 3
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 (titanium bracelet available for additional cost)

Limited edition: 22 pieces
Availability: At Greubel Forsey authorised retailers
Price: Upon request

For more, visit Greubelforsey.com.