The Conception: A Mission Woven Through Time
The Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 and Hand Made 2 are not mere watches; they are a continuation of a centuries-old mission to safeguard traditional horology. Born from the Time Æon Foundation—founded in 2005 by Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey, and Philippe Dufour—the project aims to preserve skills imperiled by mass production. This lineage culminates in two timepieces that, while distinct in character, share a radical philosophy: a watch built almost entirely by hand can define the pinnacle of contemporary haute horlogerie.
Within this framework, the Hand Made 1 (introduced in 2019) and Hand Made 2 (unveiled in 2025) embody a spectrum of artisanal craft. They are not isolated feats but chapters in a broader workshop ethos where CNC machines are sidelined in favor of traditional tools, patient correction, and a craftsman’s instinct for proportion and finish.
The Hand Made 1: A Tourbillon as Sculpture
From a distance, the Hand Made 1 presents a restrained, classical silhouette: a 43.5mm white gold case, 13.5mm thick, with enamelled chapter rings and flame-blued hands. Yet the surface hides a monumental achievement: roughly 95% of the watch is crafted by hand, with 6,000 hours of labor for a single piece and only two to three produced annually.
The movement comprises 308 components, each selected after meticulous testing. The six o’clock tourbillon, with a carriage of just 0.52 grams and 69 components, is assembled and adjusted without modern aids. The balance wheel is shaped on a jig borer to offset the imperfections inherent in manual work, and the balance spring is hand-rolled, flattened, coiled, and tuned—an almost extinct skill set in today’s industry.
Even the most modest element is an exercise in devotion: a single screw can require up to eight hours of finish work across twelve separate operations, and the watch contains 83 such screws in 24 variations. The result is a visible testament to human craft—wheels cut tooth by tooth, interior angles polished by hand, and a baseplate finished with a gratté pattern that took roughly 70–80 hours to complete. It’s a watch that visually and technically foregrounds the touch of the maker.
The Hand Made 2: A Quiet Masterclass in Refinement
The Hand Made 2 scales down the footprint to 40.9mm yet refines the approach to reveal a different facet of hand craftsmanship. It omits the tourbillon, presenting hours, minutes, small seconds, and a power reserve, but with a level of hand finishing that rivals any grand complication. About 96% of its 270 components are handmade, and the overall effort clocks in around 5,000 hours per watch with production capped at two or three per year.
Visually, the Hand Made 2 emphasizes enamel as a core aesthetic, with Grand Feu enamel sub-dials that glow with depth against frosted German silver bridges. Bluet hands sweep across time and reserve displays, while gold chatons cradle ruby red jewels, and the entire mechanism is brought to life with deep black polish on even the smallest steel parts. The finish is architectural and restrained—the sort of beauty that rewards careful inspection rather than immediate spectacle.
Material Realities and Public Perception
Practically speaking, both watches demand extraordinary patience and talent: 5,000 to 6,000 hours of manual labor, minute tolerances, and an almost ritual approach to assembly and adjustment. The Hand Made 1 runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a 60-hour power reserve; the Hand Made 2 also hums at 21,600 vph but extends to a 72-hour reserve. In each, the human hand remains the final quality gate, a deliberate choice in a world where automation reigns supreme.
Why They Matter in the 21st Century
Together, these watches crystallize a philosophy: that the pinnacle of watchmaking is not the most features or the loudest display, but the perfection achieved by patient craft. The Hand Made 1 is a bold statement—a kinetic sculpture that dramatizes the power of manual technique—while the Hand Made 2 offers a more subdued, introspective elegance, with enamel and frosted metal forming a quiet, timeless resonance.
Impressions: A Shared, Distinct Vision
Viewed side by side, the Hand Made 1 and Hand Made 2 reveal two sides of the same philosophical coin. One asserts the drama of the tourbillon and a lavish, almost museum-worthy finish; the other embodies a refined austerity, where every component speaks of skill, restraint, and balance. Both, however, insist on one clear truth: in an era of industrial mayhem, human hands can still carve perfection from metal and gear, an achievement that transcends trends and market dynamics.
