Gérald Genta

Gérald Genta: Vibration of Colour

HENI is delighted to release Vibration of Colour, a collection of paintings by the legendary Swiss artist and watch designer Gérald Genta. The works span his decades-long practice, ranging from intimate landscapes and still lifes begun in the 1950s to esoteric, dreamlike abstractions from the late 1990s and 2000s.

The paintings are released by HENI in collaboration with the Estate of Gérald Genta. The artworks are oil on canvas and measure between 27.5 x 22.5 cm and 170 x 170 cm (unframed).

The original artworks are available by application until 17:00 BST on 1 July 2026.

About Vibration of Colour

Vibration of Colour is a collection of paintings by the legendary Swiss artist and watch designer Gérald Genta. The works span his decades-long artistic practice, ranging from the intimate landscape and still life paintings that he began in the 1950s to the esoteric, dreamlike abstractions of refractive colour that he made from the late 1990s through the 2000s.

Widely celebrated as the ‘Picasso of Timepieces’, Genta created more than 100,000 watch designs in his lifetime, most famously the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. Though most famous for his watches, painting was always at the heart of Genta’s career. As Genta himself remarked, “It is painting that led me to design watches.”

In the last two decades of his career, the consistent thread through Genta’s paintings is a distinct fascination with colour as a vehicle for expression. In his Faces works, clusters of mask-like faces emerge from kaleidoscopic, coloured backgrounds and display a range of emotion. His later abstract works take these compositions a step further, orchestrating colour and contour to create vibrant, oscillating fields.

About Gérald Genta

Though most famous for his work as a watch designer, Gérald Genta was always first and foremost an artist. Born in Switzerland in 1931, Genta developed an early passion for drawing. He never received formal training and throughout his life created his art instinctually. Genta’s interest in drawing led him to become a designer, with his designs taking the form of paintings. He consistently worked from the perspective of an artist, approaching watches not as objects but as motifs for creative exploration.

In the 1950s, Genta started painting the world around him through landscapes, still lifes and portraits. He found inspiration in a range of sources such as the Mediterranean Sea, classical architecture and car design. In the 1990s, Genta began refracting these sources, with his works becoming increasingly more abstract and his focus narrowing in on colour and contour.

Visit HENI Gallery

A selection of the artworks are on display at HENI Gallery from 23 June until 1 July 2026. Admission to the gallery is free.

HENI Gallery
Exhibition dates: 23 June–1 July 2026
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10am–6pm
Address: 6–10 Lexington St, London W1F 0LB, United Kingdom

HENI Editions

HENI Editions is releasing a selection of Genta's late abstract works as editions. The six editions are available in two sizes, small and large.

The prints are available by application until 17:00 BST on 1 July 2026.

Gérald Genta book

Gérald Genta by HENI Publishing is a substantial monograph that explores, for the first time, a lesser-known artistic side to the internationally acclaimed Swiss watchmaker. Aptly named the ‘Picasso of Timepieces’, Genta was also a passionate painter, a facet of his life often overshadowed by his watchmaking fame. This beautifully crafted book, created in collaboration with his estate, showcases the breadth of Genta’s artistic talents, revealing his true passion and creativity.

Timeline

The Vibration of Colour original artworks are available for a limited time only. If you wish to purchase a work, please click on the 'Apply To Buy' button below. If you have any questions, please see the FAQs below or contact customer support.