Introducing Abu Dhabi Hosts the Launch of Greubel Forsey's 20th Anniversary Nano Foudroyante

Greubel Forsey, participating in the “Mavericks of Time” exhibition currently being held in Abu Dhabi, unveils a special edition to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Nano Foudroyante EWT. EWT, or Experimental Watch Technology, is Greubel Forsey’s research program aimed at reinventing traditional watchmaking mechanisms.

The Nano Foudroyante EWT, Greubel Forsey's tenth "Fundamental Innovation" since its founding in 2004, is a flyback chronograph featuring a flying tourbillon and an independent micro-scale lightning seconds (foudroyante). Notably, it’s also Greubel Forsey’s first flying tourbillon. 

As the smallest watch ever made by the brand, it features a 37.9 mm diameter, 10.49 mm thick white gold case with a bezel and back crafted from tantalum, and a domed sapphire crystal. The button at two o’clock starts and stops the chronograph, while the pusher coaxial with the crown controls the reset and flyback functions.

A multi-level, rhodium-plated gold dial showcases engraved and lacquered hour and minute markers, with a small seconds indicator between six and seven o’clock and a chronograph minutes counter at nine. The tourbillon, positioned between five and six o’clock, is framed by a large cutout. Dominating the center is the foudroyante sub-dial, mounted directly on the tourbillon cage above the balance wheel. This sub-dial rotates once per minute with the tourbillon cage, while the lightning seconds hand completes one revolution per second.

The vertical orientation of the foudroyante sub-dial is maintained by a differential gearing system, which holds it steady even as the tourbillon rotates. This intricate tourbillon assembly comprises 142 parts.

Powering the Nano Foudroyante EWT is a hand-wound mechanical movement, beating at 21,600 VPH (3 Hz) with a 24-hour power reserve when the chronograph is running.

Through nanomechanics, Greubel Forsey has advanced miniaturization to the nanojoule scale, reducing both energy consumption and component volume. The Nano Foudroyante EWT contains 428 components in a compact 31 mm movement within the 37.9 mm case—the smallest watch the brand has ever made.

This Nano Foudroyante’s foudroyante is innovative because it uses miniaturized, highly energy-efficient components. Traditionally, a foudroyante is linked to the escapement wheel, which can consume significant energy, resulting in a shorter power reserve. Greubel Forsey, however, has developed a “nano” foudroyante mechanism that drastically reduces energy consumption—down by a factor of 1,800 compared to a typical lightning seconds display. This remarkable efficiency is achieved through micro-components produced by LIGA lithography, a process that enables extreme miniaturization while maintaining functionality.

In the Nano Foudroyante EWT, the foudroyante hand runs continuously and independently of the chronograph function, which means it doesn’t impact the watch’s chronometry.

Accompanied by a black textile strap crafted from non-animal materials and a white gold pin buckle, this highly sophisticated timepiece is limited to 11 pieces and priced at CHF 465,000 (approx. AED 1,964,000).

For more information visit Greuble Forsey official website.