Paul Gerber Model 42 — Ref. 420-3B-CAR | Dossier I

The Teaching Piece

From the closed workshop of Paul Gerber — AHCI master, Zurich — comes the Model 42, Reference 420-3B-CAR: a singular object finished by a single hand, irreproducible once the master sets the tool down.

At the center of the matte black dial sits Gerber's own 1950s Fiat 500, rendered in miniature and mounted to the sweep seconds hand — a private signature that transforms timekeeping into autobiography. Red Gothic numerals mark the minutes against white cathedral hour indices, creating a dial language that is unmistakably Gerber's own.

Why This Piece

Paul Gerber produces only 20 to 30 watches per year from his Zurich atelier. Each is supervised and finished by a single hand. The Model 42 is the reference example of what independent manufacture means — the teaching piece that establishes the language of the maker. Against the tens of thousands emitted annually by the manufactures, this output is vanishingly small. Each Gerber is, in effect, a singular object whose scarcity is fixed at the moment of completion.

Provenance

Offered as a complete full set: original Paul Gerber aluminum presentation case, full documentation, warranty card, extra strap, and polishing cloth. A closed 46-piece edition — this is among the last Model 42s to leave Zurich.

Specifications

• Reference: 420-3B-CAR
• Movement: Cal. 42 — Triple-rotor automatic, hand-finished
• Case: Surgical titanium
• Dial: Matte black with red Gothic minute numerals
• Signature: Fiat 500 charm on sweep seconds hand
• Edition: 46 pieces total (closed)
• Maker: Paul Gerber, AHCI — Zurich, Switzerland

Beckham Intemporel · Curator of Fine Rare Timepieces