SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Revives the Retro-Digital Casquette of 1976
Very much a genre that took off in the 1970s, the digital-display quartz watch was invented by American watch company Hamilton in 1970 – and positioned as a high-end watch at the time – and over the following decades various watchmakers from Europe and Asia have presented their own takes on the digital watch, though it is the latter that has come to dominate the market. One of the more memorable was the Girard-Perregaux ref. 9931 “Casquette” of 1976 that was especially sci-fi with its aerodynamic design. But after a brief production run it vanished from the brand’s catalogue until a surprising comeback last year with a unique, modernised version made for charity auction Only Watch 2021. And now Girard-Perregaux (GP) has finally taken the covers off the Casquette 2.0, which replicates the style of the original but with updated tech and materials, namely a ceramic and titanium case along with a new movement. Initial thoughts The Casquette 2.0 is a remake done well. It retains the appealing design of the vintage original, which was a good looking but dinky watch, and instead channels resources to improving the construction and functions. The new scratch-resistant ceramic case and bracelet demonstrates GP’s effort in a thoughtfully improved remake, especially since similarly priced watches tend to rely on black-coated steel. At the same time, the watch has improved in its function. It gains a chronograph and a second time zone, both of which are rudimentary but n...
