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Katherine S. Cunanan

Perpetual State of Evolution

Greubel Forsey gives us a fantastic reason to celebrate the Spring Equinox.

The days are different now, yet they are also the same. Spring is upon us and the new season would be a very welcome change. The spring equinox is a time of evolution, an awakening. Spring means new light, new life, and a brand new start.

For Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, the driving forces behind Greubel Forsey, this is the perfect time to celebrate the Spring Equinox with a fantastic timepiece that will take your breath away. The QP à Équation watch is complicated, the functions are numerous, and the color palette is divine.

QP à Équation

It’s So Complicated… but I Like It
The QP à Équation watch has several complications and really makes use of the real estate on the dial and case back. The watch has a bidirectional perpetual calendar, day, date, month, calendar year, leap year, day/night; equation of time with month, season, solstice and equinox; function selector; the GF Tourbillon 24 Secondes; hours and minutes, small seconds, and a power-reserve indicator. I said it was complicated, but don’t worry, Greubel Forsey makes it easy – easy to use and easy to love.

The QP à Équation watch combines a perpetual calendar, a tourbillon, and an Equation of Time function. The reinvention is impressive, honestly, more so when you see the watch yet don’t feel overwhelmed. A perpetual calendar complication allows the watch to automatically adjust for months of different lengths in the year, including a leap year. A tourbillon helps a watch avoid timekeeping errors caused by shifts in gravity during the day – your wrist is never in the same position for long, and the slight movements create shifts in gravity. Both these complications are familiar to most of us. The Equation of Time function might be a little less familiar though.

QP à Équation

The equation of time is the difference between the time displayed by the sun’s position on a sundial and the time displayed by a clock or watch. There is a difference, some say from mere seconds to as long as 16 minutes. Greubel Forsey explains it best: “The Equation of Time merits further explanation. Horology seeks to measure time as regularly as possible; however the Earth orbits the Sun in an elliptical path. As the Earth sweeps close past the Sun, the period between successive solar zeniths, or the solar day’s length, changes. This causes the difference between solar time and mean time to vary from a few seconds to as much as 16 minutes during the year. The Equation of Time is the conversion factor between solar and mean time. To read solar time, simply look at the back subdial for the displayed date’s Equation of Time.”

That, in a complicated nutshell, is the beauty of this watch. Despite all these functions and complications, the watch is as easy to use as a three-hander. But the beauty doesn’t end there. The palette of this watch is just as exciting.

QP à Équation

It’s impressive…
The watch has vintage look to it, thanks to the color combination of the 5N red gold case, but is also thoroughly modern in appeal. 5N red gold is three-fourths gold and one-fourth copper, and it is the copper that gives the delightful red tinge. The red gold is the perfect partner for the delicious chocolate-colored dial. The multi-level aspect makes it all the more interesting to look at and appreciate each complication. I particularly like the balance of colors on the dial and case. While chocolate brown and red gold are the main colors, the addition of gray and black, plus the touches of red, keep the whole piece very engaging. The layout is also impressive – you can appreciate the design aesthetic even more. The case back allows a peek inside so you can see the rest of the watch mechanisms at work. The hand-sewn alligator leather strap is beautiful too.

An Evolution
When Greubel Forsey wins an award, it seems to propel them even further ahead in their horological journey. And when they say that watchmaking is in a perpetual state of evolution, that evolution holds true to all of us. Spring brings new life and invited new love. The Greubel Forsey QP à Équation watch is so distinctive, you’ll enjoy getting to know it.

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