Introducing: The Gérald Genta Genissima Oursin Goes Big With New 41mm Models (Live Pics)

What We Know

Last year, we saw the very first revivals of the spiky, sea-urchin-inspired Oursin silhouette under the LVMH La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton relaunch of the Gérald Genta name. 36.5mm in diameter, with separate colorways and different versions of the “spikes” around the case, the Oursin was finally back from the 90s. But today, as part of Dubai Watch Week, the brand takes the Oursin to a completely different direction with two new references that expand the Gentissima Oursin family with larger, more contemporary takes in blue or green meteorite dials.

The most apparent change right off the bat is the larger 41mm size. With an increased water resistance of 50 meters (from the smaller models’ 30 meters), these new Oursins are paired with rubber straps that echo the same beaded motif as the case. Though the Oursin might be one of the most fashion-oriented silhouettes in the LVMH portfolio today, these new changes suggest the brand sees this watch as a more sporty, everyday piece, which I must admit would take a lot of guts to pull off. 

234 polished white gold beads are applied onto a matte sandblasted grade 5 titanium case for contrast, while the new larger crystal also gets the faceted octagonal design from its predecessors. In an interesting Easter Egg of sorts, the Super-LumiNova for the hands and five-minute markers all emit a subtle pink hue, a tribute to Genta’s favorite color.

Beating inside these urchins is the same caliber as the other iterations: the Zenith Elite GG-005 caliber, borrowed from one of LVMH’s other portfolio brands. The same dimpled rotor design in yellow gold is seen here, though given the larger case, the movement feels smaller in these models. It beats away at 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of 50 hours.

The Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin 41 models in green or blue meteorite are available now and priced at 25,000 CHF.

What We Think

The Oursin remains, in my eyes, a very niche product. And to be honest, that is inevitably the case with any of Genta’s lesser-known models, outside of the typical Royal Oak and Nautilus sphere, and these Oursins are certainly priced that way too. But just like the 36.5mm versions, there certainly is enough to understand how the material and craft of the individually threaded and screwed beads for the case might position the Oursin the way that it is.

While I’m perhaps a bit too trypophobic to rock an Oursin, I do find this portion of Genta’s portfolio quite refreshing, as like them or not, they certainly feel unique in the modern landscape of historical brand revivals. At the same time, I think the 41mm models will be an interesting experiment to see if the Oursin can appeal to a larger, perhaps more male audience. On one hand, it loses a bit of the curious elegance that the more properly sized models radiated, but on the other, for anyone solely interested in watches off the beaten path with larger, modern proportions, the Oursin will be a contender.

The Basics

Brand: Gérald Genta
Model: Oursin 41
Reference Number: EEEH01A1 (Blue); EEEH02A1 (Green)

Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 9.84mm
Case Material: Titanium & 234 white gold beads
Dial Color: Blue or green meteorite
Indexes: Printed + Applied
Lume: Yes, pink-emitting Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Rubber strap

The Movement

Caliber: Zenith Elite GG-005
Functions: Hours, minutes
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 3.88mm
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4 Hz
Additional Details: Custom rotor in yellow gold

Pricing & Availability

Price: 25,000 CHF
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No

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