Throughout his career, legendary watch designer Gérald Genta (1931-2011) created some of the most iconic models in the watch world, working with brands from Omega to Audemars Piguet and IWC and eventually establishing an independent brand (now absorbed into Bulgari, one of his other clients) making watches under his own name. It is a testament to the influence of his designs that his watches became hallmarks of their respective brands and remain popular watch styles. Below, we take a look at some of his most notable creations.
1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra Thin
Genta presented his design for the Royal Oak to Audemars Piguet in 1970. As the story goes, Genta drew his design for the watch in one night, after being inspired by a diver wearing an old fashioned helmet attached to his suit by eight screws. This translated into the design of the watch, which features an octagonal shape with eight screws on the bezel. The octagonal design has remained even in the most recent incarnations of the watch, including the Royal Oak Offshore, introduced in 1993, and Royal Oak Offshore Diver, introduced in 2013. 2. Bulgari Bulgari
Bulgari Bulgari Chronograph
The inspiration for the first Bulgari Bulgari was an ancient Roman coin on which the effigy of the emperor was encircled by engraved inscriptions. Genta applied this design element to the watch?s bezel, which bears the two ?Bulgari? engravings from which the model derives its repetitive name. The cylindr...