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Quick visit: Girard-Perregaux in La Chaux-de-Fonds
We had the opportunity to visit Girard-Perregaux Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds last November, and here is our account of the tour and photographs.
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Pinault\'s Kering luxury group. Watch portfolio: Girard-Perregaux (2011) + Ulysse Nardin (2014). Combined revenue ~CHF 200-300M.
1975 Italian-designed integrated-bracelet sports watch with octagonal bezel. Revived 2016.
Fifty years of the Laureato, now in full steel, 36mm and 39mm, and actually available
Last year's 50th-anniversary limited becomes a four-watch core collection. Two new 36mm references, a 39mm steel-and-enamel halo piece, and the in-house GP4800 in every case.
Deployant
We had the opportunity to visit Girard-Perregaux Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds last November, and here is our account of the tour and photographs.
Wash your hands, relax, and enjoy this week's roundup of watches from around the web.
SJX Watches
Following the cancellation of both the year’s biggest watch fairs – Baselworld and Watches & Wonders Geneva (WWG) – due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, a consortium of watch brands have come together to show their wares come April. The event, dubbed Geneva Watch Days, was the brainchild of Bulgari and its chief executive Jean-Christophe Babin – one of the first brands to pull out of Baselworld – and conceived with European press and retailers in mind. [Update March 24, 2020: GWD will now take place August 26-29, 2020 instead.] WWG to GWD Taking place when WWG was due to happen, April 26 to 29, Geneva Watch Days now has a line-up of brands big and small: Girard-Perregaux, Gerald Genta, Ulysse Nardin, Breitling, MB&F;, De Bethune and Urwerk. A handful more might sign on, including H. Moser & Cie. and Chopard. However, at present, none of the brands belonging to the major watchmaking conglomerates, Richemont or Swatch Group, or either of the Geneva giants, namely Rolex and Patek Philippe, has announced their participation – and are unlikely to due to the complexities of the industry. Crucially, Geneva Watch Days is not a fair per se, rather it is a series of events organised by brands in separate venues, including boutiques and hotels, but happening during the same period. Because the individual events during Geneva Watch Days are small-scale and discrete, none of them will run counter to the Swiss government’s temporary ban on events with over 1,000 people. ...
Hodinkee
Crystal clear.
Quill & Pad
SIHH 2019 provided an instructive example to Tim Mosso of architecture’s low-key role in watch design relative to well-worn tropes. For him it was the third year in a row that parts of Geneva’s Palexpo felt like a Southern California cars-and-coffee event. But there are a few watch brands that do architecture well, and Tim takes a closer look at some of them here.
SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux is best known for the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, one of the most distinctive and beautiful movements in watchmaking – even 160 years after it was first designed. Characterised by its symmetry and arrow-shaped bridges, the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is one of the few movements has an irrefutably iconic design. Some of the three-bridges magic has democratised with the Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges 45 mm, a time-only watch that’s a more affordable take on the 19th century design. Constant Girard’s movement French watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine revolutionised the construction of the watch movement around 1770 when he invented the Lépine calibre, which used bridges and cocks to secure the moving parts on the base plate, replacing the prevailing pillar construction where the parts were held between two full plates. Almost a century later, Girard-Perregaux founder Constant Girard took Lépine’s idea a step further by rethinking the layout of the movement, with an eye towards not just mechanical function, but also beauty. A Girard-Perregaux pocket watch with nickel-plated parallel bridges, c. 1875. Photo – Antiquorum Starting in the mid 1850s, Girard began working on a caliber with its barrel, gear train, and regulator arranged vertically in a straight line. They were secured by identical, parallel bridges shaped like an elongated rhombus, creating an incredibly elegant equilibrium in the movement layout. Eventually the large, par...
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We bring you the detailed review of the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light, a new, skeletonized Laureato in a sapphire glass case.
Hodinkee
A closer look at the brand's constant force escapement.
Revolution
Custom king: Bamford Watch Department adds Girard-Perregaux to growing list of clients that includes TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari
Revolution
From Omega to Girard-Perregaux, Ken Kessler charts the first instalment of our grand tour through the watches inspired by Maranello’s finest.
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Girard-Perregaux presents the Laureato Absolute Rock - Carbon Glass Chronograph in a new technical material with stunning looks. Here is our detailed review.
Time+Tide
As the 1960s drew to a close, the Swiss watch industry found itself entering one of the most significant periods of turmoil it would ever experience. Its response to the accurate and affordable watches coming out of Asia was not to compete in a race to the bottom - instead, the Swiss took the high … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Graduating with the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
There was a lot going on in the middle of the 1960s. The space race was in full swing, the Australian dollar was introduced, and the launch of the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection. This collection was launched alongside a number of other projects that Girard-Perregaux were working on, including being aggressively competitive in the Neuchâtel Observatory … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Mid-Century Magic with the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having made its debut two years ago with a dual-dial watch that combined an automatic and quartz movement, Klo & Co. is an unusual “microbrand”, having been started by a trio of young Filipino watch enthusiasts. The Manila-based brand has just unveiled the Alpesailer, a steel sports watch with an internal rotating bezel and an integrated bracelet. Head-on, the Alpesailer clearly derived from Gerald Genta’s famous octagonal design – think of it as a “Super Compressor” style homage to the Royal Oak. That being said, the bezel is actually brushed and round on top, with a polished octagonal base, bringing to mind the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. While the watch wins no prizes for ingenious design, it’s well spec’ed and only US$400. Depth rated to 100m, the case measures 41mm wide and 12.5mm in height. It features a “Super Compressor” style design with an internal rotating bezel and twin crowns – one for winding and setting, the other for rotating the bezel. However, like most modern watches inspired by actual Super Compressor dive watches from the 1960s, this does not have the same, Super Compressor sealing technology pioneered by case maker Ervin Piquerez, which relied on a spring-loaded back that press against the case as external water pressure increased. While the twin-crown design remains attractive even today, advancements in the fabrication of cases, crystals and gaskets have made such sealing technology superfluous in a modern watch. The A...
Time+Tide
When it came up that a review of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato was on the editorial agenda, Felix cocked an eyebrow and said, “Are you going to write about your reaction when you first saw it?” Yes, I thought, when the time comes, I will. So here we are. The day that I first laid eyes … ContinuedThe post MY WEEK WITH: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph, and how I got completely turned around to loving it appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Over the last few years the Laureato line has emerged as Girard-Perregaux’s valiant hero - a sporty steel warrior well equipped to win wrists across the world. Earlier this year, at SIHH in Geneva, Girard-Perregaux unleashed their latest expression of the Laureato – the evolved Laureato Absolute. This darkly clad watch was offered in a … ContinuedThe post Absolute power – the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Before we start, I feel I should apologise for the above headline. Only, I’m not sure if I should apologise to the Ramones or Girard-Perregaux. Perhaps both. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato was reborn at SIHH 2017 - from humble mid-70s beginnings. Since then we’ve seen the sporty collection gradually expand to encompass all the usual complications … ContinuedThe post Hey! Ho! Laureato! Checking out Girard-Perregaux’s hot panda chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Over the past five years, a new generation of bosses has taken over the watch world. Many share common traits that distinguish them from the preceding generation of chieftains: a charming informality and a nose for courting the next generation of consumers – millennial and otherwise. Patrick Pruniaux is a leading member of his class, who was tapped to run Ulysse Nardin in August 2017. A year later, he was elevated to run Kering’s watch division, which meant taking on leadership of Girard-Perregaux as well. Mr Pruniaux has done a remarkable job of revitalising Ulysse Nardin – not just with fresh marketing, but more crucially with new watches that make sense. He’s streamlined the range of offerings and introduced more accessible watches, with much of his efforts focused on arguably the most important Ulysse Nardin watch of the modern era – the Freak. His strategy for the Freak is notable for being all-encompassing, ranging from aggressively affordable pricing with the Freak X, while pushing hard at the boundaries of material science and engineering, culminating in the Freak NeXt. The Freak X Mr Pruniaux took a surprisingly roundabout way to arrive at one of the top jobs in watchmaking. He started in drinks and spirits at Diageo and then Moët-Hennessey. He then entered the watch business with TAG Heuer, where he rose to lead retail and sales. But the most instructive phase of his watchmaking career, ironically, was at Apple. The computer maker r...
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After bringing Laureato firmly back into the spotlight, Girard-Perregaux increases the case size and makes the watch look more sporty. Laureato Absolute is entirely clad in black PVD-treated titanium and water-resistant to 300 metres.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: In the world of luxury steel sports watches, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato family is underrated. More than two centuries since they started making watches, the Laureato is made by a brand that has some of the richest history in horology. In that time, Girard-Perregaux have added significantly to the art of mechanical watchmaking, with … ContinuedThe post Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm, a sleeper in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: In the last few years, two-tone watches have moved from fringe to mainstream trend status. And while it’s clear that yellow gold has been largely replaced with pink, the other material de rigueur is typically steel. Which is why we’re still so into the Girard-Perregaux Laureato in titanium and pink gold – the perfect … ContinuedThe post Industrial aesthetics – the Girard-Perregaux Laureato in titanium and pink gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Girard-Perregaux launches the new Cosmos, stemming from the Bridges collection, the piece highlighted by the brand in 2019, reveals the hidden portions of the night sky and glows with a black light. The centrepiece of the "Earth to Sky" theme, this watch is armed with tourbillon, sky chart and world time complications.
Revolution
Revolution
Girard-Perregaux presents the stunning Bridges Cosmos tourbillon, as well as midnight editions of its 1966 and Laureato collections
Girard-Perregaux gets into the pre-SIHH 2019 spirit with the Laureato Perpetual Calendar and three new Cat’s Eye timepieces.
Time+Tide
The Triple Bridges holds a special place in the history of Girard-Perregaux, as does the tourbillon. In 1867, a watch with three bridges and one tourbillon won a prize for chronometry at Neuchâtel Observatory, and the distinctive design became a de facto logo for the brand. The striking design of the triple arrow-headed bridges is … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: 150 years of greatness, the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges 40mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: What is it about an all-black watch that really gets the heart racing? I mean, it’s a neutral colour, like white, silver, or grey, yet just by adding a heavy dose of toner, an entire watch can be transformed. Case (and dial, and strap) in point, the black ceramic Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm. A luxury … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: This Laureato is the reason why you should always bet on black appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The release of Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato collection has been anything but a slow burn. Beginning in 2016 with a limited-edition tribute to the 1975 original, the La Chaux-de-Fonds based manufacturer wasted no time in expanding their offerings. And in 2017 they released a fully-fledged collection of three-handed sports watches. This year, we not only see sporty … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Bridging time – the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Born in the 1970s, the Laureato has evolved into the timeless icon it is today.
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