Girard-Perregaux 1966 Annual Calendar and Equation of Time watch introduced at SIHH 2009

Girard-Perregaux, one of the most revered Swiss Manufactures producing the most reliable in-house movements, has revealed its new masterpiece.

Called the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Annual Calendar and Equation of Time, the watch is based on the recent Vintage 1966 Annual Calendar. However, instead of the original moonphase dial, the watch features an Equation of Time complication. The latter is a ±15 minutes indicator that shows the difference between the solar time (aka local time that depends on the longitude of the observer) and the time displayed on the watch’s dial.

The watch is powered by G-P’s own GP033M0 automatic caliber that we’ve already seen in the Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Annual and Zodiac Calendars ladies watch. The movement is secured inside a mid-sized 40mm case made of 18k rose gold. Just like its progenitor, the watch features a white dial with highly contrasting blued steel hands of the small seconds, days and solar time dials. The classic leaf-shaped hour and minute hands are conversely made of gold, but the watch’s ‘interface’ remains highly legible and doesn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary information.

Together with the last year’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1833 Ultra Thin watch, this timepiece shares the first position in my personal Most Desired Pieces of Luxury Top-20.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Annual Calendar and Equation of Time watch’s specification :

Price range: N/A but really expensive
Movement: Automatic GP033M0
Complications: Date, month, solar time, annual calendar
Power reserve: 46 hours
Case material: Pink gold, 18K
Case diameter: 40mm
Case height: N/A
Dial: White
Water resistance: N/A
Strap: Leather
Crystal: Sapphire