Gerald Charles doubles down on Italian influence with the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916
Buffy AcaciaIf you’re familiar with the output of Gerald Charles, you already know that it’s not afraid to get funky. The Maestro case, upon which the brand has built its entire current identity, was inspired by the baroque architecture of Francesco Borromini. It has been toyed with in various materials and different adornments, but now the Italian-derived case has been infused with the Italian lust for motorsport in the Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916.
Ducati is a brand of evolution, having originally made electronics and radio equipment during the 1920s and throughout the Second World War. Once WWII was over, Ducati started selling its first engine-powered bicycles. By the ‘60s, Ducati motorbikes were some of the fastest in the world. The ‘70s brought extreme V-twin engines and the ‘80s welcomed the designs of enclosed bodywork, leading towards the bike this watch is celebrating. The Ducati 916 was introduced in 1994 featuring a 916cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine with fuel injection and plenty more bells and whistles. Its aggressive lines are often considered to be among the most beautiful superbike designs of all time, not to mention the 4 Superbike World Championships and 34 race wins at the hands of Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser throughout the ‘90s.
The case
Gerald Charles has paid fitting tribute to the 30th anniversary of the Ducati 916 with its new Maestro 4.0 limited edition, reaching to all extremes. The baroque case has been forged in marbled black carbon to be imbued with contemporary racing spirit, even if the original bike didn’t use carbon components, evoking the black of the tyres and asphalt. There are also a heap of body kits and modifications available for the Ducati 916, so it’s not out of the question to imagine one drenched in carbon.
The case itself is easily wearable with a 39mm width, 41.7mm length, and a 46.9mm lug-to-lug length. Considering the automatic winding and the 100 metres of water resistance which makes this a swimmable sports watch, the total thickness of 11.15mm is also quite impressive. The finishing is intriguing, because the bezel has been polished to a much higher sheen than the near-matte of the case, deepening the black and using contrast to accentuate its stepped appearance. The crown, as a lighter shade of grey, also helps to pull out the brighter tones from the carbon swirls.
The dial
Red is by far the most dominant colour on the bike itself, and that’s represented with the bright crimson hour numerals, angled in the typeface of a modern Ducati instrument cluster. Rather than an hour hand, the whole hour wheel jumps so that the correct hour is framed at 12 o’clock. Also, the brassy gold of the 916’s three-spoke wheels supports those numerals from the centre of the dial. Beneath it, you get a glimpse into the opened-up movement.
The minute hand is the only hand on the dial, and it sweeps around to point at the minute track printed on the case-shaped rehaut. Numerals of five-minute intervals are printed on the upper layer, making the sense of depth cascade all the way down. Although the watch is supposed to be quite sporty and gritty, paying close attention to the dial’s refinement also reveals engraved concentric circles beneath the hour wheel.
The movement
The automatic GCA 3002JH is based on the Vaucher 3002, and actually a jumping hours movement, meaning that the correct hour is displayed at 12 o’clock and is instantly switched once the minute hand has completed its rotation. It makes glancing at the time pretty easy, as the minute hand reaches out to the minute track before the matte ceramic bezel. You can view the decoration through a sapphire display caseback made of grade 5 titanium, as it beats at a smooth 4Hz over a 50-hour power reserve.
The strap
For that bright flash of red which pedestrians will associate with a 916 streaking by in a blur, the clous de Paris rubber strap completes the picture. The flexibility of the rubber will ensure its comfort if stuffed beneath the cuff of a leather jacket, and the indentation of the Gerald Charles logo pattern should prevent the build-up of sweat. If you do want to tone down the extremity, the 22mm lug width should make it easy to find alternative options.
The verdict
Even though the Gerald Charles Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 doesn’t share that many details with the actual bike, its overall style captures the high-adrenaline seamlessly. That’s a difficult thing to do when the case is actually modelled after antiquated architecture, but you’re paying tribute to a ‘90s sports bike. Considering that the watch costs almost twice as much as a used Ducati 916, you’d have to be an extremely dedicated fan, but given the limited nature of the watch I’m sure it will find its crowd.
Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 pricing and availability
The Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is limited to 250 pieces. Price: US$42,400
| Brand | Gerald Charles |
| Model | Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 |
| Reference | GC4.0-CF-11 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (W) x 11.5mm (T) x 46.9mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Forged carbon, ceramic bezel, grade 5 titanium |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Dial | Skeletonised, black, red, and gold |
| Strap | Ruby red rubber strap, titanium pin buckle |
| Movement | GCA 3002JH, Vaucher VMF 3002 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 50 hours |
| Functions | Jumping hours, minutes |
| Availability | Limited to 250 pieces |
| Price | US$42,400 |