Grimoldi Milano - GTO

How the projects are born 

Dream, in order to create.

All is around and all is inside: I see what I dream, and I dream of what I want to see. Emotion represents the beginning of the creative process of the idea, and the interpretation. The project, as the creative representation expresses emotion of the idea, born from visual and sentimental experiences. The "tools" used in projecting phase are: thinking, turning fingers, concentrating on the void, white paper and black pen. Idea, the prisoner in pen then liberates itself, and follows down the path of emotions. If I leave my thoughts to follow my idea, my project evolves towards research and experimentation. As in a good dining experience: dishes are tasted and flavors discovered.

In the developing phase that follows, fantasy does not aim at final product but roams free in between reflection, instinct, and creative projecting path. Free to grow in an organic way: a plant that grows out of a seed, who did not know itself to be able to be come a plant.

After the purely creative and projecting phase comes the prototype phase. The idea is materialized with prototype and this step tests the viability of the idea. Through prototype, the best esthetic and technical features are then found, combining emotion and technology. With final prototype the circle is closed: emotion, idea and dream become substance.

...Never stop dreaming and continue to create.…

G.T.O.

...such beautiful...

...big...type...oval...

The watch G.T.O is the cocktail of “nature” expressed by coral (interpreted by Borgonovo watch), and mechanism expressed by Ferrari 250 GTO (interpreted by watch G.T.O).

The fluid curve which characterized the Borgonovo watch project is enrichened with vibrant emotions, sparked by the idea to interpret and capture the smooth, romantic and aggressive forms of Ferrari 250 GTO.

The adjectives which can describe the G.T.O watch are: modern, revolutionary, complicated, magically romantic.

…It is time to create...to breathe the energy...

I’m watching my Burago model car of Ferrari 250 GTO, a toy car which I owned for years and now, sits in my bedroom, under the mirror and above the sink. Athena and Sole, my little gils, know that they could not touch it without me. Everytime seeing it brings out emotions, it is so perfect! It is like a female body, a song from the mermaids.

With the toy car in my hands, I walk barefeet in my creative refuge: my home. The usual white table, the usual white papers and the usual black pen await me. In front of the commanding post (my table), the Ferrari 250 GTO and palpable immaginations fill the void. The pen design lines, rotations, ideas and forms: car and watch embrace each other generating new ideas.

...a great arch connect back windowpane to the front headlights, shaping the glass dome, as if it is a weightless soap bubble. Other arches cut out the shape of the watch-car. My art visions of cubism and futurism permit me to deconstruct and reassemble, in orderly random ways, of the technical particulars: The front airshaft become the strap position; The sinuous form on the car body side become the casebody of the watch; The retro vision mirror become the caseback of the watch. The outer case has taken form, soft like a Henry Moore sculpture coming from the tunnel of wind of Ferrari Garage. The pen designs lines that intertwine, searches in mind suggestions and immaginations; with the alchemy of shapes, transforms the screw of wheel into the watch crown: same shape and same mechanical function of closure.

... If possible to put in a 12 cylinder motor...in the place of an automatic movement ETA2824...

With fantasy I enter in the world of car, taking points, shopping for ideas: The chromed frame of rev counter become the support for date lense, the red color of counting hands, colors the indicator of date. Sitting at the driver seat, I hold the steering wheel tight, I project them into the watch and three beams become the central sphere of seconds, like a carillon, its route scans the ticking of time. The gear shift and its round tip, become eight hour indexes on the dial coated with Superluminova, which light up like headlights in the dark.

Two big numbers 12 and 6 complete the dial graphic, light and aerodynamic like the posterior spoiler of GTO250: the angles of the two numbers distinctive as if cut out by the wind that sweeps the car garage. Entering the motor, I “steal” the belt and I place them as hour and minute indicators: now two unusual and big hands fill the skeletral dial surface. Always from the motor, I take inspiration for: the center ring of the dial fixed with four screws, and for the diagonal bar that trasverses, streghthens the dial surface giving it a mechanical aspect. The soft leather interior of the car is interpretated by the strap, given as “sportive option”, while the buckle marked with Italian tricolor picks up the oval shape of Monza racetrack. ... satisfied with my “Ferrari GTO” of the wrist, I return to dreaming to finish the project...

Technical characteristics:

Production: Swiss Made

Movement: Automatic ETA 2824

Dimension: 57.95mm x 36.40mm

Case: ergonomic shape in steel 316L

Case Variations: Steel shining, Steel hand polished matt, Rose gold shining, Rose gold hand polished matt, Black shining, Black hand polished matt

Crown: double sealed pressure crown

Strap Width: 20mm hidden attachment

Glass: sapphire dome glass with four anti-reflection treatments

Dial: three dimensional see through dial

Hour index: fluorescent with Swiss Superluminova

Hour and Minute hands: fluorescent with Swiss Superluminova

Date window: at hour 3 with magnifying lense

Caseback: screw in caseback

Water resistance: 5 ATM

Buckle: 316L steel customizable with enamel

About Grimoldi Milano

Grimoldi is the concrete example of Italian company, capables to model the quality of a valuable product according to the Italian flavour and style.

Anselmo, the founder, is born as goldsmith master, works for ten year as apprentice with the jewels’ draughtsman master Romolo Gessi, until he feels ready to measure himself and starts his own activity in 1964. The Grimoldi father has passed his experience to his four children, conveying love and a real passion for an important instrument in everyday life. What we would normally refer to as watch has subject private value related. Everyday it follows us in our way.

Grimoldi has collected numerous successes and has been able to transform a passion into their main activity, operating in the watch world on an International level. Switzerland is the most important country in the World in the production and distribution of luxury and fashion watches and Grimoldi has interpretated the styles adding an aesthetic value to the Swiss creations thanks to a refined, original and innovative design, thus ensuring the high quality of the product. It’s not easy to enter this fascinating and picky world but it’s not impossible if you mix the right ingredients.

These are the ingredients: the Grimoldi’s father, man of experience and wisdom who starts the way. Roberto, the oldest son, after studing at the "Chaux de Fonds" how to become a watchmaker; he knows every single technical detail to make a good watch. Pamela, the only daughter, collects every kind of watch and she is responsible for sales. She participates with new ideas to the creation of jewels. Cesare, the youngest son, manages the commercial activity and purchases. He’s always very careful to the new fashion tendencies.

Giorgio is the artist, always involved in design as his father. He was only 14 years old when he drew his first Grimoldi watch. Thanks to his knowledge in watches and his passion for design, it’s been easy to pass from the industrial design world to the creation of a real Grimoldi collection of watches and jewels.

The philosophy of the Grimoldi company is heading to the emotional satisfaction of their customers. They want people to buy their art-works to be happy because those are "joyful objects" with a classical touch. The proposed colours ensure them a wide range of customers; the "classical" satisfied by plain coloured watches and "trendy” one by the brightful coloured ones.