For SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux, recent double award winners of the 2016 GPHG sees the debut of a complete Laureato collection forming the Girard Perregaux foundation. Additionally, in celebration of various anniversaries and accomplisHments, Girard Perregaux also consolidated their previously disperse series of Bridge watches into a new Bridge collection – moving forward, all Bridge watches, whether 2 or 3 or even 1 Bridge as in the Neo-Bridge, in either classic or contemporary executions will be housed in the series. For SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux also re-introduces the legendary WW.TC (world timer) model into the 1966 collection. Finally, re-invigorated by two GPHG wins in both men’s and women’s categories, Girard Perregaux introduces a high mech, high art novelty – the Tri-Axial Planetarium.
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato
Debuting in Baselworld 2016, the Laureato was a limited edition in tribute to the 225th anniversary of Girard Perregaux. For SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux returns the Laureato to the core collection, resurrecting the 70s icon with progressive signature design and today available in close to 30 references with all manner of movements including automatic, quartz and high complications and in four diameters with versions in steel, gold, two-tone steel & gold or featuring titanium elements to cater to each taste and every preference.
The Laureato by definition has a Clous de Paris hobnail pattern, a collection of tiny pyramids which fill the entire opening of the watch and capture the light. But over and above this, the Laureato is a mind-set. Sporty because it is tough, chic because it is enriched with meticulous details, it is just as suited to important occasions as it is to everyday wear.
The Girard Perregaux Laureato was designed with striking aesthetics by Milan-based architect who combined the muse of geometrical circle and polygon into a distinctive octagonal bezel inside a circle; linked by harmonious curves instead of sharp lines, the result is polished convex and concave surfaces which allow the light to glint off the watch case just so.
Historically speaking, the original 1975 Laureato was home to the most technologically advanced movement at the time – ironically the first quartz movement produced in Switzerland by Girard Perregaux, COSC certified, the chronometric performance of that quartz calibre out-classed the competition and the movement itself became among the first to earn the lauded quartz chronometer certificate
The SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon single-handedly embodies all the historic expertise of the Manufacture Girard-Perregaux. Price CHF 95,400
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon
The Laureato Tourbillon takes Girard Perregaux’s historic expertise with tourbillons and crowns the collection at the top of the tier, a proud emblem of the Manufacture. The two tone 45mm titanium and gold case is home to the GP09510 calibre, taking direct inspiration from the distinctive shape and structure of Girard Perregaux tourbillons right down to the arrow-shaped Gold Bridge.
A micro-rotor winds the self-winding tourbillon calibre and the GP09510 is available in two variations: with a tourbillon bridge in pink gold while the other, offers a tourbillon bridge in white gold, which extends the subtly graded shades of the case in titanium and white gold.
Each 42 mm Laureato is equipped with a GP01800 movement.
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato 42 mm
Designed as a daily wear watch, the Laureato 42 mm can be considered the “base” masculine model of the collection with moderate 10.88mm thickness and a choice of three Clou de Paris hobnail dials – silver grey, slate grey and blue. The case is available in a choice of steel or pink gold with a matching metal bracelet or an alligator leather strap. According to Girard Perregaux spokesperson, the alligator strap editions will come with a free rubber strap for sporting activities.
The Laureato 38 mm is equipped with a single movement, the GP03300. This mechanical self-winding calibre is entirely manufactured by Girard-Perregaux.
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato 38 mm
For men or women, the Laureato 38 mm is available in steel and precious metal editions while diamond set bezel version with 56 diamonds are available in steel or 18K pink gold, each with the same strap options as the 42mm.
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Laureato 34 mm
The Laureato 34 mm is unabashedly feminine, often adorned with precious stones. In steel, gold or a combination of both, the 34 mm Laureato is 7.75mm thin made possible by a fully decorated manufacture quartz movement.
Neo-Bridges automatic titanium watch heralds a construction approach aimed at bringing a dramatic theatrical touch to tomorrow’s mechanical horology. 45 mm-diameter titanium case that is water-resistant to 30 metres, fitted with a black alligator leather strap secured by a titanium triple folding clasp. Price: CHF 24,400
SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux Neo-Bridges
What do you get when you apply modern ideals of aesthetics to a classical 19th century complication and historical signature of Girard Perregaux? For SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux unveiled the future of the manufacture in the Neo-Bridges automatic titanium. The rich history of Girard Perregaux’s watchmaking ideologies and the manufacture’s ideas of the futurist watchmaking comes to the fore in the Neo-Bridges Automatic Titanium. Picking up the architectural cues of Constant Girard, creator of the Esmeralda pocket watch that won first prize at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889 and interpreting them with 21st century eyes, the Neo-Bridges Automatic Titanium with new GP08400 self-winding movement bears a visible micro-rotor, easily misidentified as a secondary mainspring due to the immense symmetry of the skeletonised face, the actual mainspring is home to 50 hours power reserve.
The sophisticated modernist interpretation of the Bridge holds a regular balance escapement and not a tourbillon while contemporary finishing including sandblasting, NAC treatment of the mainplate, and a PVD coating on the delicately curved bridges add a nice elegance to an otherwise thoroughly contemporary watch.
Sub-seconds adds to the classic charm of the new WW TC joining the 1966 collection.
SIHH 2017 WW.TC joins the 1966 collection
For SIHH 2017 Girard Perregaux reinterprets a historical icon from the manufacture- the WW.TC. An abbreviation for World Wide Time Control, the original world timer from the 60s was recognisable with two characteristic crowns on either side of the case.
The new 1966 WW.TC is single crown and user-friendly in terms of both legibility and handling. A rotating 24-hour disc surrounding the chapter ring features two black/white semi-circles to distinguish between day and night. Settings are performed via the two crowns at 9 and 3 o’clock: the first serves to position the reference city at noon; and the second to adjust the hours and minutes – with which the 24-hour disc is automatically synchronised.
A modular rather than integrated movement, the 1966 is powered by a manufacture self-winding movement with international world timing module and equipped with 46 hour power reserve.
Mind-set of a GPHG Winner: SIHH 2017 Tri-Axial Planetarium
Hot on the back on two GPHG wins in 2016, Girard Perregaux unveils the Tri-Axial Planetarium with two captivating, delicately miniature-painted complications: a rotating globe with day/night indication and a precision moon-phase display. High precision tri-axial tourbillon joins three-dimensional Planetarium which makes a complete rotation in 24 hours.
As a watch, it distills the sum total of Girard Perregaux’s DNA and know-how, from arrow-shaped gold bridges to the lyre shaped tourbillon carriage. The mid case of the bears a side opening on the side of the tourbillon to allow full view of the ingenious Tri-Axial tourbillon. As the name implies, the featherweight 1.24 gram tourbillon is equipped with a regulator operating on three rotation axes instead of just one; performing one rotation per minute while the structure within spins on a second axis in 30-second cycles. Both are in turn revolve within a third structure once every two minutes on yet another axis – an opus to watchmaking.
Two astronomical complications complete the opus with a globe replicating the earth right down to 24 hour rotation to provide instant world time display according to latitude lines. Set to 12 noon and the arrow indicator at the base of the sphere shows where it is day time and conversely, where it is night. Hand-crafted using the miniature painting technique, high art joins high horology with cartography depicting the world as it was at the time of Girard Perregaux’s founding in 1791. The lunar disc is similarly micro-painted and follows 17th century selenography, coincidentally during the time of the telescope’s invention. The astronomical moon-phase indicator requires adjustment only once every 122 years, by means of a pusher at 2 o’clock.
The 48 mm-diameter pink gold case is endowed with all the attributes of Girard-Perregaux Fine Watchmaking: an imposing curved case middle, a bevelled bezel and cambered lugs. Water-resistant to 30 metres.
Equipped with hand-winding Manufacture GP09310-0001 calibre ensuring a 70-hour power reserve, the SIHH 2017 Tri-Axial Planetarium is Girard Perregaux’s history artistry and watchmaking prowess on your wrist. Price on application due to exchange rate differences.
