Gerald Charles, an up-and-coming independent brand, will hold an exhibition celebrating its 25th anniversary at the Osaka Expo.

On September 16, 2025, Gerald Charles held a special exhibition at the Swiss Pavilion at the Osaka Kansai Expo to commemorate its 25th anniversary. While Cartier exhibited at the same expo with the "Cartier Women's Pavilion," Gerald Charles appears to be the only watch brand to hold its own exhibition. Rather than resting on the laurels of Gerald Genta, the brand's thorough pursuit of "practical luxury" hints at new possibilities for luxury watches. Gerald Charles CEO Federico Giviani and Japan subsidiary representative Takeshi Mugino also attended the event and gave interviews. We will introduce this special exhibition by this cutting-edge brand, focusing on their latest models.

Special exhibition was a great success thanks to archives and top commentary

　On September 16th, 2025, Gerald Charles held a special exhibition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its founding at the Swiss Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which is attracting global attention. The venue featured the first public display in Japan of treasured museum pieces from founder Gerald Genta. Additionally, a special space was created where Gerald Charles' current collection, including the latest pieces to be released in 2025, was gathered together.

　On the day of the event, CEO Federico Giviani came to Japan from the Swiss headquarters and, together with Go Mugino, representative of the Japanese subsidiary, had the luxury of giving a direct explanation to visitors. Mugino said, "If we are to celebrate Gerald Charles's milestone in Japan, the only place to do so is at the Swiss Pavilion at the Expo," while Giviani emphasized the significance of the event, saying, "Our savoir-faire (craftsmanship) is as significant as exhibiting Da Vinci or Michelangelo at the Italian Pavilion."

　This was my first opportunity to get my hands on a Gerald Charles watch. It's a brand that carries on the legacy of Gerald Genta, a master of watch design. I had a preconceived notion that the brand relies on the weight of its name, but the moment I held the watch in my hands, that impression was overturned. There was no sign of the brand resting on its laurels. Rather, I was struck by its tireless spirit of inquiry and its commitment to thoroughly pursuing the pinnacle of technology.

　The most eye-catching models were the "Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Model" and the "Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon," which utilize decorative techniques. Their level of perfection is on the level of works of art, and their beauty is so captivating that you lose track of time. What's even more surprising is that despite their complex and organic case design, both models are also practical, with 100m water resistance and 5G shock resistance.

　Gerald Charles is not just a work of art, but embodies the "practical luxury watch." It is at a stage where it will make a big leap in terms of name recognition, and it is not difficult to imagine that the number of passionate enthusiasts will rapidly increase when one sees its innovativeness and perfection.

The highlight was the "Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Model"

　The highlight of the exhibition was the Maestro GC39 25th Anniversary Model, which will be unveiled in 2025. Following on from the Maestro GC39, which was released in 2005 and became Gerald Charles' signature design, the watch features a jumping hour mechanism developed by Antoine Preziuso, an independent watchmaker renowned for designing complicated watches.

　The decorativeness of the dial has been greatly enhanced in this model. Particularly eye-catching is the lace-like sparkle that radiates from the central lapis lazuli. The pattern, with its fine overlapping lines that catch the light and shimmer, demonstrates the high level of processing precision. All of this decoration is achieved using the in-house developed ultra-fine engraving technique, "Meta-Guilloché."

　Giviani explains, "When creating the 25th anniversary model, we asked our engineers to evolve the Maestro GC39, which featured traditional jumping hours, and to incorporate futuristic ideas. Meta-guilloche is a technology developed in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne based on the idea that emerged from that. 'Meta' means 'to exceed,' and it uses an ultra-fine processing technique used in molecular and cell biology that can reduce the size to 0.5 microns, or half the diameter of a hair."

The pinnacle of artistry: the Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon

　Another model at the exhibition that took my breath away with its beauty was the Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon. The 18K rose gold dial is hand-hammered by artisans, giving it a presence like a work of art. The hammered pattern, which is hammered one by one by hand, combines dynamism and delicacy like a lion's mane, and reflects light beautifully.

　Hand hammering is a technique in which a metal surface is hammered with a small hammer and chisel to create patterns and textures. The patterns on this dial have been applied entirely by hand, and their precision and symmetrical beauty are simply astonishing.

　At the venue, I was able to try out hand hammering for myself. However, just hitting the hammer into the chisel at the correct angle was quite a challenge, and the task of keeping the length and depth of the pattern consistent and continuing to hammer in a consistent direction was far more difficult than I had imagined. Surprisingly, this finishing is carried out by the company's own watchmakers. This experience once again made me realize just how highly skilled and skilled Gerald Charles' skilled craftsmen are.

Architectural Approach "Maestro 8.0 Skeleton"

　We would also like to introduce the Maestro 8.0 Skeleton, a model that combines Gerard Charles' signature avant-garde style with craftsmanship. This watch houses an ultra-thin movement while maintaining a robust, minimalist design, making it both visually striking and highly practical. The movement was designed by Octavio Garcia, Gerard Charles' creative director (and former creative director of Audemars Piguet).

　Mugino explains, "A skeleton movement is usually considered excellent when it has 8% transparency, but this one is 9% transparent. Because this weakens the structure, we applied architectural principles and removed material while maintaining balance, like an earthquake-resistant structure. By not tightening the screws too much and incorporating some play, we achieved both robustness and shock resistance. It has 5G shock resistance, so you can even play tennis through it."

Integrated bracelet "Masterlink" and "Smile" case

　The Masterlink, released in 2024, is the brand's first asymmetrical bracelet model, designed to follow the curved "smile" at 6 o'clock on the Maestro case. The design inspiration comes from the last bracelet-integrated watch created by Gérald Genta. The bracelet's links are precisely positioned along the curve, leaving barely noticeable gaps on the exterior. The push button that opens and closes the bracelet is cleverly hidden inside, creating a smooth design that integrates the case and bracelet.

　All Gerald Charles models share a high-performance design, featuring 100m water resistance and 5G shock resistance. This performance is supported by the brand's signature "Smile" case. Based on an octagonal shape, the case features a gentle curve toward the 6 o'clock position, creating a unique look through the contrast between straight and curved lines. It adds warmth to the cold metal and a modern, relaxed feel to business styles. It truly reflects the unconventional aesthetic and architectural prowess of Gerald Genta, known as the "Picasso of the watch world."

Brand succession

　Gerald Charles is a brand founded in 2000 by the master of watch design, Gerald Genta, and bears his name. The Giviani family, who were entrusted with the management of the brand, continue to uphold its philosophy and aesthetic to this day. In Japan, a partnership agreement was signed with Office Mugino in 2024, and full-scale development began.

　Office Mugino's representative, Takeshi Mugino, is a leading marketing expert who has worked with numerous luxury brands. He was involved in the launch of Audemars Piguet's Japanese subsidiary and is known for his significant contribution to the domestic popularity of the Royal Oak. In recent years, he has also been focusing on the development of Eberhard, expanding the brand's potential.

　Mugino explains how he became involved with Gerald Charles: "Federico Giviani had a deep connection with Gerald Genta from his childhood, and they shared a friendship that spanned over 40 years. His father, Franco, founded Audemars Piguet Italia and was my colleague when I launched Audemars Piguet Japan. Genta sold the brand to Bulgari (now under the umbrella of LVMH) in the late 1990s and retired, but with the advice of his wife, he founded a new brand bearing his own name, Gerald Charles, in 2000. Genta was well-versed in design but kept a distance from management, so he built the brand together with the Giviani family. Now that Genta has passed away, the Giviani family continues to uphold his spirit."

　Finally, Mugino concluded by saying, "A watch is not an investment, but something to wear and enjoy. The reason for choosing a watch is your empathy for the craftsmanship, and I hope you will choose a watch that aligns with your lifestyle." His words exude a deep love and responsibility for watch culture.

　The 25 years of Gerald Charles have not only been about preserving the legacy of Gerald Genta, but also about taking on the challenge of evolving it into the future. The special exhibition at the Osaka Kansai Expo was a valuable opportunity to experience the company's history and philosophy.