Gérald Genta

Gérald Charles Genta (1 May 1931 – 17 August 2011) was a Swiss watchmaker and artist. He is known for his eponymous line of timepieces Gerald Genta, and his company Gerald Charles, as well as his design work with other high-end watch manufacturers, including IWC, Omega, Universal Genève, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Genta created the Patek Phillipe Nautilus and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, to date the best-selling models of both houses. In addition, at age 23, he designed the Universal Geneve Polerouter, with the first commercially available Microrotor movement for SAS airlines. He is regarded as one of the most influential people in the history of horology.

Christie's auction house of New York has called Genta's work "the Fabergé of watches", while The Wall Street Journal has called them the "world's most complicated and pricey watches".