Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green
The Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green proves the perfect travel companion. Housed in a Grade 5 titanium case and presented on a matching bracelet, this fine timepiece is packed with numerous refinements. However, having taken the red-eye from JFK, the model also serves a welcome dose of simplicity with its user-friendly GMT function. Angus Davies takes readers on a journey of discovery, exploring this fascinating timepiece in minute detail.
A watch made for the business traveller
Just for a moment imagine you are a company executive, visiting a client in New York. There are no excuses, you are at the pinnacle of your professional career, rewarded accordingly and now you must be at the top of your game. This is a high-stakes situation where a below par performance could potentially curtail occupational dreams.
After you leave this pressure cooker environment, it’s a quick dash to Bloomingdale’s where you grab a couple of presents for the kids and pick up something romantic for your better half. You hail a yellow cab and climb in the back, laden with shopping and with your overnight bag by your side. En route to JFK, your driver bemoans his lot: the weather, the traffic, politics, the cost of living, etc. There’s no respite, just more noise, more stress, a relentless cacophony of street noise, police sirens and the shrill of impatient car horns.
Eventually, you’ve navigated through JFK security and passport control and you reach the British Airways Club Lounge. Your heart begins to slow and you indulge in a light snack and a cold beer and reflect on your day. You could have said this, perhaps you shouldn’t have mentioned that and what about the new guy quietly sitting in the corner; what was he thinking?
Later, you step aboard the BA114, the 2135 hours to London Heathrow. A comfortable seat beckons. You raise the footrest, press the switch by your side to raise the screen that separates you from your temporary neighbour, just for a bit of added privacy. The friendly air steward offers you a glass of Champagne and proffers a menu for dinner. After consuming beef wellington, the agreeable glass of pinot noir and the chocolate fondant, you place the BA branded blanket over your knees, recline your seat and snuff out the ambient light with a sleep mask.
The Cyrus GMT watch
Just two hours away from Heathrow, you wake up to breakfast being served and an announcement from the captain: “Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning, we are on schedule to arrive on time at 0920, local time. Please advance your watches by five hours.” Numerous passengers remove their watches and begin twisting crowns, some more easily than others. However, you merely look at your Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green, placing your right thumb against the crown, positioned at 9 o’clock, and with five presses of the pushpiece advances the hour hand to the prevailing time in Blighty. When you are sleep deprived you come to appreciate life’s subtle conveniences.
Yes, my introduction may be a tad convoluted but it does help to demonstrate why this dual-time watch from Cyrus proffers convenience. However, the Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green delivers many additional attributes that make it an ideal watch for today’s business professional. Allow me to elaborate.
Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green dial
In March 2023, to coincide with Watches and Wonders, Cyrus unveiled an updated version of the Klepcys GMT Retrograde, a model that was released in 2020. The latest version is offered in four references; the Klepcys GMT Ocean Blue or Klepcys GMT Palm Green, presented on a choice of a titanium bracelet or Cordura strap. The brand kindly sent me the Klepcys GMT Palm Green on a bracelet for an extended period of hands-on evaluation.
The Klepcys GMT Palm Green features an openworked upper plate (the underside of the mainplate). This is executed in green ALD coating and, as the name suggests, resembles the fronds of a palm tree. The gaps between each frond afford sight of the movement below. If the pushpiece at 9 o’clock is pressed, the wearer is able to partially see a lever arc right as the hour hand steps forward. I love watches that reveal a little bit of what they are thinking.
The hour and minute hands (local time) are rhodium-plated, partially openworked and lined with white Super-LumiNova that emits a blue hue in dim light. They converse with matching Arabic numerals, enunciating the prevailing time wonderfully. Some openworked dials can appear cluttered, impairing readability; rest assured, this issue does not afflict the Klepcys GMT Palm Green.
A minuterie featuring white markings against a black backdrop frames the display. Close to the fulcrum of the dial, a 24-hour grey track, in combination with a short hand, indicates the home hour. This particular form of GMT indication is especially useful as it also serves as a day/night indicator, mitigating the risk of phoning home at some ungodly hour.
A small seconds display resides at the base of the dial. The ‘helix-shaped’ hand, a facsimile of the Cyrus logo, incorporates luminescent treatment on one arm, aiding read-off. The central area of the display is adorned with an intricate patterned surface and is encircled by a neat track.
Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green case
Cyrus could never be accused of plagiarism. The brand has conceived unusual expressions of historical complications such as the Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon as well as wholly new complications such as the Klepcys DICE. This spirit of innovation also extends to the company’s highly original design language. For example, Cyrus models have very distinctive cases that immediately differentiate them from rival watches.
In this instance, the case, measuring 42 mm in diameter is tonneau-shaped, while the bezel, positioned above, resembles a square with curving sides and multiple facets. This intricate melange of arcs and angles bestows a prepossessing aesthetic.
The prestigious Maison has also placed a polished bezel adjacent to the brushed upper case surfaces, providing a seemly amount of contrast. The caseband is particularly interesting. It features sandblasted recesses on each side and brushed outer edges. The complexity of this case transcends the mere cursory efforts of some brands.
With this in mind, it is somewhat surprising that Cyrus has chosen to house the Klepcys GMT Palm Green in a Grade 5 titanium case. This lightweight alloy is composed of almost 90% titanium, 6% aluminium, 4% vanadium together with minuscule traces of iron and oxygen. Unlike cheaper Grade 2 titanium, Grade 5 titanium is much harder making it far more challenging to machine. However, Grade 5 titanium is stronger and, unlike its cheaper sibling, it can be polished to a lustrous conclusion.
Both grades of titanium offer a raft of wearer benefits. They are both lightweight, not liable to corrosion and are hypoallergenic. Cyrus has chosen to make the bracelet in Grade 5 titanium as well. It features a central row of gleaming hexagonal links, while the brand’s logo, gracing the clasp, is also highly burnished.
Cyrus endows its watches with twin crowns. This approach bestows each horological composition with a symmetrical mien. On some models, the crown at 9 o’clock is not functional and purely included for stylistic reasons. In terms of the Klepcys GMT Palm Green, the crown, as stated previously, advances the ‘local’ hour hand. Positioned opposite, the crown at 3 o’clock winds the mainspring and adjusts the time indications. Both crowns feature a grey rubber grip, aiding manipulation.
To the rear of the case, the caseback resembles the shape of the bezel with sloping edges and curved sides. The sloping edges are highly polished, while the upper sections are flat and brushed. A circular glazed aperture provides views of the self-winding movement, the calibre CYR708.
Cyrus calibre CYR708
The brand’s atelier, based in Le Locle, is home to an inordinate amount of watchmaking know-how. Within the confines of this building, contemporary mechanical movements are crafted to an exalted level, embracing modernity while simultaneously upholding watchmaking traditions. This approach is manifest with the anthracite-coloured NAC-treated bridges. These metal plates shun the ubiquitous Côtes de Genève motif found on many Swiss watches instead favouring a neoteric sunray pattern. The bridges are enriched with a combination of satin and microbeaded finishes, presented in a contemporary style, while also including traditional anglage on the edges.
Cyrus operates in the esoteric world of Haute Horlogerie where standards of finishing must be beyond reproach. Take something as seemingly inconsequential as a screw, Cyrus polishes the head of each screw, bevelling the rim and precisely cutting each slot. Clearly, in this no-compromise arena, some screws are superior to others.
The ratchet wheel atop the barrel is adorned with colimaçonage finish and the brand’s logo. The Manufacture introduces a flourish of verdant hues to the mechanical vista with a green openworked oscillating mass. A sunray pattern enlivens the appearance of the rotor, while the brand’s motto, ‘The Conquest of Innovation’ states the firm’s mission free of ambiguity.
When Cyrus released the Klepcys GMT Retrograde in 2020, the Maison equipped the movement with an index-regulated balance. However, this latest generation model, the Klepcys GMT Palm Green, is endowed with a variable inertia balance. This alternative form of regulation is far superior. The balance wheel is fitted with adjustable inertia weights which, once rotated, make the watch run faster or slower. Comparing the index-regulated balance with a variable-inertia balance, the latter system proffers superior precision and, should the watch be subject to a shock, it is less likely to require remedial regulation. The pursuit of continuous improvement is evidently part of the brand’s DNA and demonstrates the firm’s reticence to simply rest on its laurels.
Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green – closing thoughts
Cyrus does not seek to emulate others but follows its own path to greatness. Its watches brim with innovative ideas and its design language does not subscribe to the notion of safe. Indeed, the styling of each Cyrus model is likely to polarise opinion. However, if you appreciate the brand’s bold designs then you will inevitably form an emotional bond with your chosen Cyrus that no man can put asunder.
Beyond the outward appearance of the Klepcys GMT Palm Green, there is much beauty to be found within. The finishing of the movement is contemporary but virtuous and juxtaposes modernity with traditional craftsmanship.
Another notable attribute of this model is that it delivers sublime levels of wearer comfort. The lightness of the Grade 5 titanium case and bracelet combination is certainly one contributory factor but also the shape of the housing and intricately formed bracelet confer an ergonomic wrist fit par excellence.
Ultimately, all roads lead back to the GMT function. Returning to my weary business traveller, sat aboard the red-eye from JFK, they do not wish to fumble with their watch when tired, they crave simplicity, something that, despite its complexity, this latest Cyrus model does very well.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green
- Reference: 539.507.TTM.C
- Case: Grade 5 titanium, diameter 42 mm, height 13.9 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to the front and an exhibition case back
- Functions: hours and minutes (local time), small seconds at 9 o’clock, second time zone on 24 hours track with retrograde hand
- Movement: Calibre CYR708, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 41 jewels, power reserve 55 hours, 278 components
- Strap: integrated bracelet in Grade 5 titanium with polished central hexagonal links and folding clasp with two safety pushers
- Price: CHF: 24,000 with titanium bracelet (RRP as of 12.12.2023)
- Price: CHF: 22,650 with Cordura strap (RRP as of 12.12.2023)
- Limited Edition: 38 pieces in each version