Greubel Forsey has introduced the QP Balancier – a new perpetual calendar with 12 functions and indications united by a single crown. With no pushers, different crown positions, and no risk of setting calendar functions at a wrong time – the QP Balancier is the brand’s “most intuitive perpetual calendar ever.”
“Hidden pushers? Multiple crown positions? Forward-only adjustment? Lengthy resets? Every limitation of traditional perpetual calendars has been eliminated. The QP Balancier turns freely in both directions at any time of day, corrects instantly even after months unwound, and locks safely during the vulnerable midnight changeover, with a visible red zone for extra security. Programmed correctly until February 28, 2100, it needs only a simple Atelier adjustment to remain accurate for another century.”
The QP Balancier is a Geneva Watch Days 2025 launch.
Key Features
Functions and Operations
Image: “For centuries, the perpetual calendar has been revered as one of watchmaking’s most prestigious complications. Yet it often came with compromises: fragile mechanisms, cryptic interfaces, and laborious resets whenever the watch stopped. Greubel Forsey set out to change that. In 2015, the QP à Équation introduced the Mechanical Computer – our seventh Fundamental Invention – a 25-part mechanical brain that “knows” the Gregorian calendar rules, ensuring perfect synchronisation of every display.”
Hours and minutes. Small seconds indicated on the disc near 10 o’clock.
Perpetual calendar functions: Day of the week, large date, and month indicated on apertures on the large disc between 3 and 5 o’clock. Calendar year displayed on the caseback. Leap year indicator between 6 and 7 o’clock.
24-hour day / night display (with red safety zone) on the disc between 11 and 12 o’clock.
Power reserve indicated on the scale between 1 and 2 o’clock.
Function selector (patented) – QP for perpetual calendar and HM for time adjustment – indicated on the disc near 2 o’clock, and activated by the co-axial pusher on the crown.
Crown at 3 o’clock for winding, time setting, and adjusting all perpetual calendar functions.
Dial
Image: An “at a glance” easy to read perpetual calendar display. The engraved text on the perpetual calendar functions disc evokes modern vibes. Notice the minutes scale on the outer dial.
Multi-level anthracite-coloured dial made from gold.
Skeletonised hour and minute hands are made from polished steel and coated with Super-LumiNova. Leap year and power reserve hands are made from polished steel and feature a hand-polished countersink and a flat black polished head. The small seconds, leap year, 24-hour day / night, and function selector indicators are made from gold.
Movement
Image: The escapement platform on the left. Notice the balance wheel inclined at a 30° angle. Finishing includes: “Flat black polished steel, polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks. Polished steel pillars. Flat black polished and barrel polished steel balance wheel bridge.” A visual treat to be able to see the free-sprung balance wheel beat at a luxurious rate of 3 Hz.
Powered by a hand-wound movement with 2 patents. It drives the hours, minutes, small seconds, bidirectional perpetual calendar functions of day of the week, date, month, calendar year and leap year, 24-hour day / night display, power reserve indicator and function selector.
Diameter: 40.80 mm. Thickness: 10.40 mm. Parts: 612. This includes the escapement platform’s 59 parts. Jewels: 78. Frequency: 21,600 vph or 3 Hz. Chronometric power reserve: 72 hours.
The movement features “two coaxial series-coupled fast rotating barrels.” 1 turn every 3.2 hours. 1 barrel is equipped “with a slipping spring to avoid excels tension.” Variable inertia or free-sprung balance wheel with “6 gold mean-time screws.” Diameter: 12.60 mm. Phillips terminal curve balance spring with a Geneva-style stud.
Movement finishing is exceptionally high and includes:
“Each of its 612 components is hand-finished to the Atelier’s uncompromising standards – bevelled, black-polished, frosted, or straight-grained.”
Bridges and main plate: “Nickel silver, frosted and spotted, with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, nickel-palladium and anthracite treatments. Three engraved gold plates, one with the limitation number. Synthetic sapphire mechanical computer and calendar year bridges.”
Case
Image: Notice the calendar year display, the oilve-domed jewels in gold chatons, and unique security screws made from gold. I love the frosted finish of the bridges and main plate, and the subtle engraved text around it.
Case is made from white gold. Caseband diameter: 44.70 mm. Bezel diameter: 45.10 mm. Thickness: 10.55 mm. Thickness with synthetic sapphire crystals: 14.75 mm.
Bezel is hand polished. Caseband features a “hand-finished straight-graining” finish. Dial side and caseback feature a “high domed synthetic sapphire crystal.” Crown is made from white gold. Water resistant up to 3 ATM / 30 metres / 100 feet. The watch comes with a hand-sewn textured rubber strap fitted to a white gold pin buckle hand-engraved with the brand’s logo.
Our Thoughts
Image: “This is not a perpetual calendar you work around. It is one that works for you.” A horological masterpiece.
When I wrote about the Balancier Contemporain in July, I mentioned that it hints at a new direction for the brand – one that has already begun to arrive. The Nano Foudroyante – based on the Nano Foudroyante EWT (Experimental Watch Technology), a flyback chronograph with a flying tourbillon and a Nano Fourdoyante – and the QP Balancier have set the tone for the brand’s future.
Like tourbillons, perpetual calendars are a dime a dozen. Often, there is little to differentiate them across brands – both in terms of movement architecture and dial display. The QP Balancier stands out as a perpetual calendar for its blend of complexity and user-friendliness, making it worthy of the grand complication title.
Audemars Piguet’s new generation Calibre 7138 also does away with pushers, as all functions can be adjusted via the crown. It has been rolled out on select Code 11.59 and Royal Oak models. MB&F’s perpetual calendar movement – designed by Stephen McDonnell – is among the most unique of its kind.
Additional Details
Name: QP Balancier
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 490,000 (excluding taxes)
Limited edition of 22 pieces in white gold.
Please visit the brand’s website and Instagram page for more information.
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