Gerald Charles is delighted to announce the new exclusive Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916, Ref. GC4.0-CF-11. Created in collaboration with Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, this new timepiece celebrates the 30^th anniversary of the legendary Ducati 916 motorcycle. In keeping with the Maison key traits, the watch features the iconic Maestro case and a vulcanised rubber strap, available in Ruby Red.

With only 250 pieces produced, the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 was the collaborative vision of CEOs: Mr. Federico Ziviani from Gerald Charles and Mr. Claudio Domenicali from Ducati. Both companies carry on an important artistic heritage from their former designers: Mr. Gérald Charles Genta and Mr. Massimo Tamburini. The Maestro 4.0 is influenced by these two individuals and celebrates design as an artistic expression of both worlds, seamlessly blending the precision of watchmaking with the fervour of motorcycling. 

This partnership is a pivotal moment in watchmaking history, combining Gerald Charles’ expertise with the enduring legacy of Ducati. The GC4.0-CF-11 serves as a subtle homage to the iconic Ducati 916 motorcycle, capturing its spirit in meticulously crafted details.  

“We are very proud of the result of this collaboration with Gerald Charles. Together, we present an extraordinary watch that pays homage to an authentic icon like the Ducati 916. The joint work of the Design Centers began with a precise idea in mind and did not stop in the face of technical and design complexities. This approach adds further value to a high-quality object that, from the first glance, reflects the values shared by Ducati and Gerald Charles: passion, craftsmanship, and attention to detail”, Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO.

For the first time in over 13 years, Gerald Charles has reintroduced the jumping hours complication, one of the most iconic complications of Mr. Genta’s designs. This piece represents an evolution from the historical Gerald Charles jumping hours Maestro 39, manufactured prior 2011 when the founder was still the Maison’s designer-in-chief.

Devised for both durability and design, the watch features a mat black ceramic bezel on a marbled-black Carbon Forged case body, seamlessly integrated with Grade 5 Titanium crown, case-back and buckle - a testament to Gerald Charles’s unwavering commitment to excellence. These materials, known in the motorcycle world as superlight and resistant, were ideal for this new watch. In addition, the finishings are an ode to racetrack asphalt. Due to the special case construction, high water-resistance to 10 ATM/100 mt and 5G shock-resistance are guaranteed.

At its core, the timepiece boasts an in-house, proprietary developed new jumping hours calibre, featuring the Gerald Charles movement, Ref. GCA 3002JH. This complication, a result of R&D studies that reach new level of performance, pays homage to the brand’s heritage, inspired from Mr. Genta, and his affinity for this distinctive complication.

The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is the first Gerald Charles skeleton jumping hours watch as well as the first to display time on a motorcycle wheel. At the centre of the case, a central wheel has been added as a subtle nod to the original Ducati 916-wheel rim. The golden jumping hours disk mirrors the motorcycle’s original three-spoke bronze alloy wheel, with black contours enhancing the colour contrast.

In a refined touch, the top sapphire includes a “guichet” frame, also adorned with SuperLuminova-infused red contours, offering a subtle view of the hour when lights go down.

“To create this timepiece, we encountered many challenges between the design and the creation of the watch, especially in terms of balancing the weight. When we started, the disk was unbalanced due to the different numbers weight. We had to develop a system with a circular black outer line at the top so that all the numerals were held together by two lines, the inner and the outer. This way, although the numerals seem to be on the dial, the reality is that the numerals, the central wheel and the outer line are all together on a big disk that turns”, Octavio Garcia, Gerald Charles Head of Creative team.

The movement supports a two-level dial with the jumping hours disk on top. The 12-hour markers are in vivid red and filled with red SuperLuminova.

The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is the perfect marriage of the two brands. Starting from Gerald Charles’ iconic features, namely the Maestro case and the vulcanised rubber strap - both original drawings by Mr. Genta - Ducati’s vibrant identity features have been added.

M. Federico Ziviani – CEO of Gerald Charles: “in keeping with the promise to introduce one complication per year, we have decided to launch the Jumping Hours complication. This timepiece features an open-worked Ducati wheel to display time by rotation, perfectly in line with Mr. Genta’s preference towards unconventional complications. Obviously, the skeletonised motorcycle wheel inserted in a jumping hour disk represented several engineering challenges. It took a year and a half of R&D to succeed in paying homage to the iconic Ducati 916. This limited edition is the perfect representation of Artistic Creativity and Technical Mastery. Our aim is to break the rules of conventional watchmaking while maintaining design harmony and mechanical performance as priorities”.

To commemorate this extraordinary partnership, the sapphire crystal-back proudly displays the see-through movement bridges and golden rotor, enriched by the Ducati 916 logo. Exclusively for Ducati passionate clients who bought the Panigale V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916 motorcycle, the bike serial number may be engraved on the watch case-back. The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 transforms itself into an emblem of shared passion and timeless design.

Moreover, alongside each limited edition piece, a dedicated lithographic sketch of the watch designed by Mr. Octavio Garcia will be gifted.

Each watch will be released as a limited edition of 250 pieces — a true treasure for watch collectors and Ducati enthusiasts. 

The jumping hours complication is immediately recognisable by the absence of the hour hand. Hours are displayed through a window or guichet revealing a portion of a larger disc placed underneath the dial. A rotating disc positioned above the movement clicks once every 60 minutes indicating the correct time. In our watch, the red square that displays the hour is printed on the inside of the glass.

Maison Gerald Charles is an independent, family-owned, watch company based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2000 by Mr. Gérald Charles Genta, he gave his two first names to his latest brand to create a unique bond between himself and his creations.

In 2003, Mr. Genta decided to sell the company to the Ziviani family, trusted partners and longtime friends, staying on as designer-in-chief until 2011. Giampaolo Ziviani led the business as General Manager, alongside Mr. Genta. Since the foundation of the company, Gerald Charles watches have been produced in limited quantities for a niche of collectors. Mr. Genta left in the company’s care an important archive of his last 11 years of original drawings. Today, many designs are still unpublished, being a long-last source of inspiration and a treasure trove for the Maison’s development. In 2019, a new board of directors took part in the company, with Federico Ziviani as CEO and so, a new chapter began. After a successful career, in late 2023, Mr. Franco Ziviani joined the family business as Chairman at Gerald Charles. In Spring 2024, Gerald Charles inaugurates its Atelier, a new home and cultural hub in Geneva, located in rue du Mont-Blanc 3, where both the Museum and the Core collection will be available.

Today, the Maison is opening up for a new generation of connoisseurs, carrying Mr. Genta’s legacy of ‘Artistic Creativity, Technical Mastery’ forward into the future. The Maison produces 1500 timepieces per year, working closely with highly skilled professionals and artisans to continue the traditions started by the great designer. All Gerald Charles watches present unique technical and aesthetic features: high-end Swiss-made watches conceived and manufactured without compromise, complying with Qualité Fleurier standards, to deliver superior precision and performance, as well as exceptional water and shock resistance. Each timepiece ensures high levels of ergonomics and versatility across all lifestyles and generations, the signature of the company’s founder and eternal inspiration, Mr. Genta.

A Sole Shareholder Company - A Company subject to the Management and Coordination activities of AUDI AG

Powerful engines, distinctive design, innovative technologies and a lot of passion: this is the credo according to which Ducati, founded in 1926, still works today in the development and manufacturing of its world-famous motorcycles. In its factory in Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), Ducati crafts the dream of every Ducatista giving life to motorcycles that are the purest expression of refined engineering with a constant attention to the highest standards of quality.

The Italian motorcycle manufacturer has racing in its DNA and competes with official teams in the MotoGP and WorldSBK Championships, where it tackles every race determined to continuously improve its performance and share the emotions of the sport with its community. 2023 marked an unprecedented year for Ducati which, for the second year in a row, became World Champion in both championships, also winning the WorldSSP title.

Until 2026, the Italian motorbike manufacturer is also the sole official supplier of motorbikes for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, the electric class of the MotoGP World Championship, which sees as many as 18 high-performance electric motorbikes developed and produced by the Borgo Panigale-based company on the track. In addition, the 2024 season will see the opening of a new, historic chapter for Ducati, which officially enters the world of off-road by debuting in the Italian Motocross Championship.

Moved by passion and fueled by racing spirit, Ducati proudly brings ‘Made in Italy’ to more than 90 countries worldwide.

Reference	:	GC4.0-CF-11
Limited edition	:	250 pieces
Case	:	Carbon Forged case with black mat ceramic bezel
Crown	:	Screw-down crown with Clous de Paris finish in Grade 5 Titanium with embossed logo
Diameter	:	39 mm x 41.90 mm
Total thickness	:	11.15 mm
Total weight	:	73.6 g
Water resistance	:	10 ATM/100 m
Mouvement	:	Ref. GCA 3002JH Automatique Anti-clockwise Jumping Hours instant with concentric central minutes
Finishings	:	Bridges finely decorated with colimaçon Côtes de Genève and perlage finishes With a central golden oscillating mass, decorated with the Gerald Charles “honeycomb” motif and sandblasted finishings Rhodium plated module wheels
Thickness	:	6.15 mm
Components	:	265
Jewels	:	38
Frequency	:	4 Hz
Anti-shock system	:	Incabloc® top-second system Uni-directional rotor
Power reserve	:	50 hours
Glass	:	Sapphire crystal with internal and external multi-layer anti-reflection treatment
Dial	:	Three level dial with rehaut and inner part outlining the skeleton hour central disk JH disk in golden satin effect, echoing the disc of the Ducati 916 wheel, with red SPL hour markers Base dial and raised rehaut in black mat finishing, with minute track and GC logo in white decalque Red guichet at 12 o’clock Baton shaped hands filled with white Super-LumiNova® with blue light at night
Case back	:	Grade 5 Titanium Anti-reflective scratch-resistant sapphire, treated on both surfaces Visible balance wheel from the backside
Bracelet	:	Ruby red vulcanised rubber Clous de Paris finish to top side Gerald Charles logo tapisserie to rear
Clasp	:	Polished Grade 5 Titanium buckle with GC logo engraved
Warranty	:	5 years (following ‘Smart Warranty’ system registration) )
Vat Free Prices	:	37,200 EUR • 37,000 CHF • 33,600 GBP • 42,400 USD