Gerald Charles

Gerald Charles is a Swiss luxury watch brand that was founded by the late watch designer Gérald Genta in 2000. While the name Gerald Charles may not ring as many bells as Gérald Genta, both names refer to the same individual. Gérald Charles Genta (1931-2011) is renowned as one of the most accomplished watch designers of the 20th century, with iconic creations like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL, and the classic Bvlgari Bvlgari to his name. In 2000, Genta sold his eponymous brand to Bvlgari, but he concurrently chose to pursue his own watch brand, Gerald Charles.

Situated in Lugano, Genta named the brand Gerald Charles, receiving support from investors of the Italian Ziviani family. After Genta's passing in 2011, Federico Zivani chose to rejuvenate the Gerald Charles brand. In the previous year, the brand made a comeback in the watch industry with the revival of a distinct 2006 Genta design, housed in a 42mm stainless steel case, and called the Maestro Anniversary. This timepiece featured a molded rubber strap.