A Visual Chronicle of Grönefeld 1941 Principia 2018-2022
2022 was a banner year for the Horological Brothers Bart & Tim Grönefeld. The brand launched their first ever chronograph and first ever sports models. To top it off, the chronograph, 1941 Grönograaf, won the 2022 GPHG competition in the Chronograph category. It was the third prestigious award after previous wins in the Tourbillon category and the Men’s Watch category in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
All these high-end pieces are out of my reach due to very high prices. My tried and true collecting strategy is trying to acquire the entry-level pieces from the top independent brands. The craftsmanship and attention to details in creating these simpler, time-only models are usually consistent with the high complication models. There are variations of the basic models to choose from and I love to do visual chronicles of them (see FPJ CS and DB Titan Hawk). These basic models tend to retain values better, quite interestingly.
Among the Grönefeld collections, the model that fits my buying strategy is the Principia, a 3-hand, automatic watch. I placed an order in March 2021 for a Principia in stainless steel with the turquoise dial. The wait time is about 2 years. In September 2021, the brothers closed the order book for Principia.
To make the wait for the Principia easier, let’s do a complete list of all the Principia models ever released. I also included a different model line in this list too. Please wait till the end and let me know if this inclusion makes sense to you.
A Brief History of Principia
Like many top independent watchmakers, when starting out, the brothers needed to deliver on the most complicated watches. This was to showcase their watchmaking prowess and won recognitions. Then it was time to make a simple, 3-hand watch. The price point would be lower, so the watch can reach a wider group of watch collectors and enthusiasts. Furthermore, the basic models are simply more suitable for daily wear.
The time was 2018 and the brothers released their simple watch, the Principia. A new, in-house movement was developed which was the first automatic movement from the brand. The exquisite hand-finishing and unique aesthetic made this new movement immediately stand out. The production volume was very low, due to the work needed for each movement. The name “Principia” was inspired by a classic book by Sir Isaac Newton, reminding us that the gravity is powering the winding mechanism.
The Principia was among the six finalists in the 2019 GPHG Men’s Watch category. It was the most contested category with a total of 19 entries. The winner in the end was the Voutilainen 28ti, a watch costing 3 times as Principia. Still, it was a recognition from the industry peers that Principia got into the final round.
The Principia was unveiled with the options of white gold, red gold and steel for the case, five dial designs and six different straps. Clients may mix and match to find their favorite combination (out of 90 choices). Lastly, each Principia comes with a beautiful winder, a fantastic companion.
Now, let’s see the various models being released from 2018 to 2022.
October 2018: the initial release
The hardest job in placing an order for a Principia is perhaps choosing the dial color! Each dial just looks so stunning and perfect! It must be an incredible art in finalizing the colors. The colors need to go well with all 3 metals. The clients’ tastes have to be considered with shifting trends in mind. The choices have to stand the test of time.
Believe it or not, the Principia was leading the trends in the popularity of dial colors. Let’s take the turquoise blue, or should we say the Tiffany blue, as an example. Rolex released the various Oyster Perpetual models in turquoise blue in August 2020. Kurono Tokyo launched “Seiji” in Tiffany blue in August 2021. Patek Philippe unveiled the final iteration of Nautilus 5711 in Tiffany dial in December 2021. Sinn released the 556 Aquamarine Blue in April 2022. The Principia was certainly setting the trend as early as October 2018.
Turquoise dial
Rhodium dial
Light blue dial
Salmon dial
Cream lacquer dial
September 2021: Special Edition for Sincere Fine Watches 12 pieces
Watch collectors love limited edition pieces. Grönefeld and its ADs knew how to delight the clients. With very tight production schedule, Grönefeld managed to ship three special collaboration models in one year.
For the Sincere Fine Watches in Singapore, the LE model features an elegantly frosted two-tone rose gold and khaki dial. On top of the sub-dial, we may see “Grönefeld Special Edition” printed. There were only 12 pieces made for 12 lucky collectors.
January 2022: Special Edition for Cellini Jewelers 12 Pieces
For clients of the Cellini Jewelers in New York City, the trophy pieces were made of Gibeon Meteorite dial with a Widmanstätten pattern. The Widmanstätten pattern consists of various long interleaving bands which gleam in the light, rendering every dial unique. Only 12 pieces were up for grabs.
August 2022: Special Edition Gröneblue for Sydel and Sydel Jewelry 10 Pieces
How do you top a meteorite dial? A mermerizing blue with its own name :). Rewarding the loyal clients of Sydel and Sydel Jewelry in Chicago, a stunning piece with a Gröneblue dial was created. The outer ring was decorated with sunburst finishing while the center area is more uniform in contrast. What an amazing piece on the wrist!
September 2022: "Principia Sports" - a.k.a. 1969 DeltaWorks
A major milestone for Grönefeld in 2022 was the launch of a sports model line. The new model was developed based on Principia, by using the same movement and evolving the dial design. The main changes are a new rotor for the movement and the colorful rubber straps. Overall, these models definitely look more sporty and outdoorsy. Officially, the sports line is referred to as 1969 DeltaWorks.
Conclusions
Based on rough estimation, Grönefeld has been making about 60 Principia pieces a year (including the LE models). That is 5 pieces a month, or about one piece a week. The Grönefeld watchmakers take time carrying out hand finishing and hand assembly meticulously. The unmatched attention to details is what make these stunning timepieces stand out and shine.
The development of Principia paved the way to launching the 1969 DeltaWorks quickly. Principia has become a dazzling star in the Grönefeld collections. We may look forward to more smashing variations of this prolific model line in the future.
Note: most of the pictures in this post are from the Grönefeld IG account and website.
Inclusion definitely makes sense, it’s a recased Principia 😂