Grönefeld 1941 Principia watch – a Movement for Connoisseurs

 

 

Each Grönefeld 1941 Principia is delivered with a high quality, double axis, watch-winder made by Bernard Favre. 

Almost three years after the release of their multiple award winning 1941 Remontoire watch,  Bart and Tim Grönefeld revealed their first automatically wound timepiece the “1941 Principia”.

The ‘Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica’ often referred to as simply the Principia, is a body of work by Sir Isaac Newton, delivered in three books. Written in Latin, the Principia formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation. This Newton’s scientific study is the foundation of classical mechanics and it led the Horological Brothers to select the ‘Principia’ name for their first watch with automatic winding mechanism.

In the sphere of watchmaking, gravity can be a friend or foe.

The slightest motion of the wearer’s wrist causes an oscillating weight to rotate under gravity. It is this rotation which imparts energy to the mainspring, obviating the need for the wearer to wind the watch. In this instance, the benefit of gravity is harvested, making the 1941 Principia Automatic ideal for daily wear.

However, gravity can also be problematic, exerting undue influence on the rate keeping of a watch. When a timepiece is held in various positions it can run fast or slow. To mitigate the influence of such positional errors, the Grönefeld 1941 Principia Automatic is fitted with a free-sprung hairspring. This specification detail is superior to a simple index-adjuster, but Grönefeld feel it justifies the additional expense involved.

Grönefeld 1941 Principia is equipped with Solid Silver Dials

The Horological Brothers have given much consideration to the dial design, which delivers peerless readability and a handsome aesthetic.

Each version of the 1941 Principia is offered with an array of dials, all crafted in solid sterling silver. The would-be wearer can choose from a cream lacquered dial with roman numerals, a refreshing matt turquoise or light blue dial with polished applied baton hour markers. Alternatively, the company’s rhodium plated or gold plated salmon dials are also available. The cream
lacquer dial features the same traditional logotype first used by Bart and Tim’s Grandfather, Johan Grönefeld, back in 1912.

The extended Lancette hour and minute hands are flame-blued and include mirror-polished centres. In the lower portion of the dial is a small seconds display. A flame-blued hand with an elegant counterweight traverses the display with notable poise. At the top of the subdial on the cream lacquer dial, ’60’ is proclaimed in a subtle shade of orange. It is a patriotic reference to Bart and Tim’s country of birth, The Netherlands.

Grönefeld 1941 Principia is a Movement for Connoisseurs

In normal use, the wearer does not need to operate the crown, mitigating the risk of harm to the crown stem. This Grönefeld Principia automatic watch confers convenience, making it ideal for daily use.

Bart and Tim always wanted the Grönefeld 1941 Principia to appeal to the most discerning watch collectors. It was therefore imperative that the movement was befitting of such a timepiece. The stainless-steel bridges replicate the facades of the Dutch houses, termed ‘bell gables’, once again, referencing the homeland of the Horological Brothers. The bridges are hand- bevelled, evincing a brilliant gleam. The centres deliver a sublime contrast with their micro-blasted surfaces and are adorned with relief engraving.

The 1941 Principia Automatic is fitted with a 22-karat solid red gold monobloc rotor. The eye-catching oscillating weight is extensively decorated by hand and turns on a ceramic ball bearing, preventing wear and eliminating the need for lubrication.