Gérald Genta pairs golden obsidian with yellow gold for its latest Geneva Minute Repeater
Tom Austin- Gérald Genta adds a golden obsidian dial to its Geneva Minute Repeater, pairing the naturally unique stone with a 40mm yellow gold case.
- The case’s construction includes walls measuring just 0.6mm at their thinnest point, with extensive internal machining intended to help the chimes resonate.
- Developed at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the manually wound GG-002 calibre delivers an 80-hour power reserve and is available from September 2026.
Gérald Genta expanded its Geneva collection this week at Geneva Watch Days 2026, with the introduction of the Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian. Following the Black Onyx model, the new release pairs the collection’s 40mm yellow gold cushion case with a stone dial that brings shades of brown and gold into the design, with natural variations giving each example its own pattern. The combination looks particularly good to my eye, and it joins a fairly substantial specification sheet, with a manually wound minute-repeater movement from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton housed in an incredibly compact case.
Measuring 40mm across and 9.6mm thick, the 3N yellow gold case has a cushion shape framed by two polished, rounded ridges, or gadroons, which continue around its sides. Brushed surfaces give those curves some definition, and the slim repeater slide follows the case’s outline. The crown gets its own golden obsidian cabochon, a defining detail similar to last year’s Black Onyx Minute Repeater. Hegi and the team have also spent considerable time working on the space inside the case, where the dimensions and amount of metal have a direct bearing on the repeater’s sound.
The walls measure just 0.6mm at their thinnest, and circular drilling removes material from inside the bezel and caseback. Those two parts screw together directly, halving the number of screws needed, while the construction retains the rigidity required for such thin walls. Even the sapphire crystal measures 0.8mm thick, with all of these decisions intended to encourage sound to travel through the case. It’s the sort of detail that makes you want to hear the finished watch, particularly when so much of the engineering involves fractions of a millimetre.
The dial itself is golden obsidian, formed as volcanic lava cools rapidly, with a dark base and golden-brown reflections that vary from one piece of stone to another. In the supplied images, the surface has a fine, almost fibrous appearance, giving the large open area around the hands plenty of texture. Rounded yellow gold indices and polished gold hands carry the case colour across the dial, with a double marker at 12 providing a straightforward point of reference. There’s some interesting geometry in the white printed minute track, too: its inner edge is circular, and its outer edge follows the cushion outline, so the spacing within the track changes as it travels around the dial.
Visible through the exhibition caseback, the manually wound GG-002 was developed in-house at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. The movement offers an 80-hour power reserve while beating at 21,600 VPH and comprises 316 components and 32 jewels. Each gong is individually cut and tuned by hand and ear, with black-polished hammers striking the gongs to sound the time. Finishing includes Côtes de Genève, circular graining, and hand-bevelled edges, while polished gold regulating weights on the balance allow the balance’s inertia to be adjusted. There’s also an octagonal inertia wheel, bringing one of Genta’s familiar shapes into the movement, and a bar-click winding system to give the owner another small mechanical detail to appreciate each time they wind it.
The Golden Obsidian offers the Geneva Minute Repeater another unique dial option, with the stone’s natural variations adding a personal touch to each watch. Its brown and gold tones work well with the yellow-gold case, and the release builds on the collection with the same attention to case construction and acoustic performance that informed the Black Onyx model.
Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian pricing and availability
The Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian is available now from Gérald Genta boutiques. Price: Upon request
| Brand | Gérald Genta |
| Model | Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian |
| Reference | EBFE02A1 |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 9.6mm (T) |
| Case Material | 3N Yellow gold |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Golden obsidian |
| Strap | Brown calfskin leather |
| Movement | GG-002, in-house, manual wind |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, minute repeater |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | Price Upon Request |