In a world where haute horlogerie often feels caught between tradition and the tug of innovation, Greubel Forsey seems to do both, and the new QP Balancier is a pure example of this!
Perpetual calendars are among watchmaking’s most artful complications. A little machine-driven calendar that can determine the day, date, month, year and leap year accurately and keep doing so for centuries in some cases without needing a correction. But they’re usually guarded by caveats — pushers hidden in the case flanks, cautionary position-rules when adjusting the date, sometimes even a user manual thicker than some watches. Ok, that last point may be a little exaggerated, but you get my point. Greubel Forsey’s new QP Balancier challenges all of this, however. No hidden pushers, just a single crown. Every calendar function — day, date, month, leap year, 24-hour indicator, and day/night is all controlled safely by the crown, and it is all reversible as well in case you make the dreaded overcorrection, and it can all be done in an instant…
You read that right. Greubel Forsey’s “Mechanical Computer” allows you to adjust and correct all the functions instantly. It combines 12 functions within the crown mechanism, and you can move the crown in either direction; the mechanism does what you need it to. Even after months of rest, the calendar resumes without a fuss. It stays programmed until the year 2100. This is a QP built for humans, who quite often make mistakes, and the Gruebel Forsey QP Balancier eliminates these.
A Masterclass In Watchmaking
I love a good Perpetual Calendar. To me, these epitomise what watchmaking is. The ability to tell time, over the course of days, months and years, centuries even, without the need to adjust the day and date like your standard watch. However, many have overly busy dials and are not great for reading the time and date at a quick glance, thanks to the amount of information on the dial. Dozens of indicators, subdials, hands, tiny text jostling for attention. The Greubel Forsey QP Balancier takes a different path, however, and I wouldn’t expect anything else. It arranges its calendar indications in a multi-level gold dial, which lays out all the information easily and intuitively, so you can see what you need to at a glance.
Each of the functions is arranged on the dial separately, so as not to confuse the wearer with which subdial they need to look at. The day, date and month are in clear focus thanks to a digital display, which is as clear as it can get. The lep year subdial is tucked away just to the bottom left of the date, which is how it should be, and again, with a single clear dial, easy to see which year in the 4-year cycle it is. At the top half of the dial, the 24-hour day/night disc displays at what point of the day you are at, with a red safety zone indication. The power reserve arc shows the wearer how much power is left, and the small seconds rotate away on a disc just under the day/night. A small aperture tells the wearer what function you are setting as well, indicating time setting (HM) and perpetual calendar setting (QP).
The crown controls all the functions as mentioned, and the pusher that is built in helps to change the watch’s setting mode from time to calendar, as indicated with the small window to the right of the power reserve. Simply press the button to change the function, and pull the crown out to change the time or the date. If you overcorrect, then you can just turn the crown the other way to undo the mistake. It’s beautifully intuitive!
A Case Designed For Wearing
The Greubel Forsey QP Balancier is very wearable at 44.70mm and a bezel diameter of 45.10mm. It sounds large, but the way Greubel Forsey designs its watches means that even a large watch is nice on the wrist. Having played around with this piece at Geneva Watch Days, I can say it wears well, and it’s a watch I could wear every day. What helps with this is the case height of 10.55mm, but to accommodate the functions, the crystal height is actually 14.75mm, so it appears thinner than it actually is. The white gold case gives it a little heft, but this is offset by the rubber strap.
The 30° inclined balance wheel — one of Greubel Forsey’s signatures is also present on this piece. While it may look like a cool display, the balance wheel tilt is functional, as it improves the stability, reducing the effects of gravity over its operating positions.
A Movement That Is Anything But Simple
On the opposing side of the watch is the movement on display, well, parts of it, thanks to Greubel Forsey’s beautiful bridge finishing in nickel silver, frosted and spotted, with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, nickel-palladium and anthracite treatments, to name a few. While the bridges do somewhat hide much of the movement, there are cutaways that give you glimpses of the gear train and twin fast-rotating barrels and the year is also displayed for accurate date setting.
The QP Balancier has a power reserve of 72 hours, which is powered by the twin barrels. The calibre is built with 612 hand-finished components; each one a testament to human patience, craftsmanship, and the refusal to compromise, one aspect that sets Greubel Forsey apart as each movement is put together, taken apart again, then put together and then cased to ensure its quality and durability. Operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, it opts for a rhythm that balances accuracy, durability, and elegance.
However, this is a piece that is not going to be common. The QP Balancier is limited to just 22 timepieces. That scarcity is not designed to be for scarcity’s sake; it is more about the time it takes to make the QP Balancier and ensure it is of the highest quality. It takes several days to hand-finish just one bridge. Multiply this across all watches and all components, even those components that are unseen, and this is a watch that takes a vast amount of time to make. And I wouldn’t expect anything less!
Initial Thoughts
Greubel Forsey is for those who believe that a watch can be more than an instrument; that it can be a companion, a teacher, but most of all, a statement on the wrist. It is for those who accept that beauty can be utilitarian, and utility beautiful. But also, for those who can afford it, as Greubel Forsey pieces are not for those on a budget. But, if you have the budget, then Greubel Forsey watches are a must-have, I feel. But then again, I am a little biased as it is a grail brand on my list – and maybe one day I’ll get there.
If you seek a perpetual calendar that tethers both functionality and poetry, that gives you all the technical sophistication without the usual encumbrances — no hidden pushers, no awkward adjustments. Just a perpetual calendar, without compromise, the way it should be!
References: Greubel Forsey QP Balancier
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 44.7mm x 45.1mm x 14.75mm (10.55 excluding crystal)
- Case Material: Brushed and polished white gold
- Dial: Multi-level in gold, anthracite colour, Gold perpetual calendar aperture with polished raised engraving. Leap year, day-and-night, small second, power-reserve and function selector indicators in gold, circular-grained, straight-grained flanks with polished bevels
- Water Resistance: 30m (3 Bar)
- Movement: Greubel Forsey QP “Mechanical Computer” comprised of 612 parts, vibrating at 21,600 VpH / 3Hz
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Crystal: Domed and curved sapphire crystal on front and back
- Strap: Hand-sewn textured rubber with a white gold folding clasp, hand-engraved with the GF logo