Friends,

One more novelty from this year, SIHH 2017: Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date with Moon Phases!

A classic combination of complications in a 40mm case.

Two complications that Girard-Perregaux learned to master:

Large Date, the date change is lightning fast, one ten thousandth of a second!

Moon Phases, needs to be set once in a lifetime, if the movement is running constantly, needs to be adjusted every 122 years!

But doesn’t GP already have a 1966 Large Date with Moon Phases?

Yes, in 2015 one version was released: 41mm case, enhanced hands and bezel.

While I love the 2015 version for its boldness, here is a watch that plays an entirely different tone.

Reverting back to the classic leaf hands with thinner profile and without the lume.

Gone is also the wider bezel, giving the case a thinner, more elegant profile.

Part of the reduction of the bezel comes natural, since this new version is one millimetre smaller in diameter, 40mm.

The four quarters, 12, 3, 6 and 9 are still enhanced with applied indexes.

The word “AUTOMATIC” is (unfortunately) still inside the sub-seconds at six.

New is the text “1791” on the dial, referring to the 225 Anniversary from last year.

Here I would have preferred to remove the “AUTOMATIC” and moved the “1791” down to the sub-seconds.

That would have made the dial more open, IMO.

The new 1966 Large Date with Moon Phases comes in two versions, White Gold and Pink Gold.

The White Gold version is like an ice queen, cold, sharp and stunning!

But, after a comment from CC, I now realize, one thing that would have made this watch even more beautiful is, if the Moon on the moon disk would have been in Gold.

It would have given the watch that little extra, the warmth and the contrast!

The second version, the Pink Gold is just the opposite in some ways.

Warm, welcoming and with good contrast!

Like Audrey Hepburn and Marylin Monroe, if you like. Both stunning beautiful ladies, but very different charm.

The Pink Gold version is easier to read time and the moon is more like a warm summers night, than a cold December, like on the White Gold.

Inside is the automatic inhouse movement GP03300-0111.

In the 41mm case, the movement looked kind of small, here in the 40mm case, it is still not big, but much better.

In fact, if you look on the back, what makes it look small is not the movement, but the opening.

As you can see, the rotor is actually larger than the opening.

One thing GP may consider would be to design a new case back for the 1966, to show more of their movements.

On the wrist, both versions are stunning and as I already stated, the 1966, 40mm case is spot on for me!

Cold, sharp…

Warm, welcoming…

I must confess that I am having a hard time choosing a favourite between this new version and the previous.

Even if “same watch”, they play two very different cards here.

My instinct would be to say both, but even so, I am not sure which one would get the most wrist time…

Instead I will say, previous version is bolder, more noticeable, sportier.

This new version is more classic, refined, more under the radar.

Which one is the best, depends all on who is the one to wear the watch and the mood of that person!

What is easier to stat is which one I prefer between the White Gold and the Pink Gold: only one gets the Green Lantern approval!

So, which version would be your choice?

Best

Blomman