The New Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing To A Whole New Level
Today, we’ll take a brief look at a stunning new timepiece. With the Balancier QM, Greubel Forsey announces a new hand-finishing standard. What’s more, this new bar applies to every component within the caliber. That’s 298 pieces! Best of all, the watch is offered in a perfectly wearable case. Shall we investigate?
Greubel Forsey makes some stupendous watches. In fact, when speaking with collectors of seriously intricate, high-end pieces, the brand almost always comes up as a favorite. Based on that, I suspect today’s new Balancier QM will become a must-have for those able to secure and afford such a luxury.
The Greubel Forsey Balancier QM
On a watch like the Balancier QM, we’ll do our best to quickly dispense with the foundational formalities and move on to the highlights. First of all, the watch case is 18K white gold with a 39.6mm diameter and a 12.25mm total thickness. The latter measurement includes sapphire crystals on both sides of the case. Regarding the water resistance, the watch can withstand up to 30 meters. Therefore, getting the blue hand-sewn rubber strap and its adjoining white gold pin buckle a bit wet shouldn’t pose an issue.
Another level of hand-finishing
Greubel Forsey’s prowess related to manual finishing is already legendary, but the brand has decided to up the ante further. Qualité Musée is the new name for this level of surface work, and it is carried out by the brand’s Experimental Watch Technology (EWT) Laboratory. Within this specification, each of the 298 components of the in-house GF09CM caliber must be manually finished like a work of art. In fact, this includes even the ones that aren’t visible. Black polishing, anglage, rocking, circular graining, straight graining, and jewel finishing are just some of the techniques employed.
The materials are also impressive. Rhodium-plated gold and nickel silver are used throughout the caliber on plates and the skeletonized dials. Details abound on every piece. Wheels show hand-created sinks, and jewels have convex tops that catch light. Regarding the creation of the base components, Greubel Forsey prides itself on internal production. For the hairspring, the brand creates an alloy, draws the material, coils it, and thermally treats the parts within its manufacture.
A lovely display
When my colleague Nacho asked if I wanted to cover the Balancier QM, my first question was whether I would understand how the watch works and if I could read the time. On all accounts, the answer was an emphatic, “yes!” The time is easy to read within an offset sub-dial and uses blued hands that match the strap perfectly. A 72-hour power reserve scale sits below this dial, adding an architectural element to the design. Finally, a small sub-seconds dial is on the lower left. Yes, it’s a clean, legible design.
The GF09CM caliber
The case back displays a simple but beautiful portrait of the in-house GF09CM movement. This manual-winding masterpiece has 72 hours of power reserve and a frequency of 21,600 vph. However, there’s more to mention. First, the movement contains two coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels. One is equipped with a slipping spring to prevent excess tension. Additionally, a five-arm motor wheel is visible on the front side. Greubel Forsey also produces the two-level escapement in-house. Of course, it’s finished exquisitely, with bevels and polishing on both sides.
Availability and thoughts
Those close enough to Greubel Forsey will be able to unlock the price of the Balancier QM. Our latest intelligence revealed that it’s “on request.” With only 33 pieces planned for production, it’s a watch I’d love to try for size. From the photos, it’s lovely and makes a clear case for itself without being shouty or overly abstract. In fact, I’d say the Balancier QM is one of the nicest watches I’ve seen in 2026. For additional information about this beauty, visit the official Greubel Forsey site.
