GT World partner DESDER continued the international journey of its extraordinary D001 at Geneva Watch Days earlier this month, bringing a little of the GT paddock to the heart of the global watchmaking industry.
Held from 2-6 September, Geneva Watch Days has become one of the most important dates on the international horological calendar, uniting leading brands, independent watchmakers, collectors, retailers and media from around the world.
For Modena-based DESDER, it provided a natural setting to present the D001 and tell the story behind a watch whose development has become increasingly intertwined with the brand’s presence in GT World.
DESDER was in Geneva alongside master watchmaker Luca Soprana, the man responsible for bringing the remarkable mechanical concept behind the D001 to life.
At its heart is a triple-axis tourbillon, housed within a distinctive titanium structure influenced by the great coach-built automobiles of the 20th century. Just six unique examples of the D001 will be created, combining Italian design with Swiss watchmaking expertise.
Yet Geneva also represented something more than another opportunity to show the watch.
Since joining GT World as a partner earlier this season, DESDER has used the championship as a living environment in which to explore many of the ideas that unite watchmaking and motorsport: precision engineering, constant development, craftsmanship and, above all, a fascination with the people who create extraordinary machines.
“Geneva Watch Days is obviously a very different environment to a GT World paddock, but what struck me is how similar the conversations are,” said DESDER founder Fabrizio Nardini.
“You are surrounded by people who are fascinated by mechanics, materials, tiny details and finding solutions to problems that most people would never even notice. That is exactly what we see every time we come to a GT World race.”