Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition Watch Review
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition is the latest octane-rich creation from the Swiss Manufacture. Featuring a titanium and carbon case, this neoteric creation has a very distinctive appearance. US-based Meehna Goldsmith looks to the past before exploring this ultra-modern creation.
Girard-Perregaux x Aston Martin since 2021
In 2021, Girard-Perregaux became the Official Watch Partner of Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™️ Team. The Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition is the latest timepiece to come from that collaboration.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition – the third collaboration
Before examining the Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition (I’ll call it the ACAM F1 Edition hereafter), let’s take a peek into the Aston Martin mystique. Probably the most famous driver of an Aston Martin is James Bond. Bet you didn’t know that Bond originally drove a Bentley in the Ian Fleming novels. It was at the suggestion of a fan that 007 should get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. Fleming chose the DB Mark III for the novels. However, when it came to the film version of Goldfinger in 1964, Bond did his fancy manoeuvring in a DB5. It was the perfect vehicle for a sophisticated spy, the Aston Martin embodied savoir faire along with some useful technology.
Girard-Perregaux keeps up the tradition with the Aston Martin partnership. As Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux’s CEO, said about the ACAM F1 Edition, “With our previous collaborative models, the emphasis was on style and elegance. However, with this latest watch, we sought to work closely with the F1 side of the brand, focusing more on the idea of performance.”
The ACAM F1 Edition is the third collaboration between Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin.
The first two were the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges Aston Martin Edition and the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition. The ACAM F1 Edition is basically the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition on steroids.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition – sultry green dial
What first strikes you about the ACAM F1 Edition is the sultry “Aston Martin Green” dial. Within the rich paintwork, you’ll see the diamond-like pattern known as cross-hatching, first making an appearance in Aston Martin’s ‘AM’ logo (1921 – 1926). Also, this distinctive pattern references the quilted seats in many of the marque’s high-performance sports cars.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition – case
Weight is a crucial element in Formula 1 racing when trying to blaze across the finish line before your competitors. Obviously, the less load the car carries, the faster it can move. The ACAM F1 Edition incorporates this idea with a special 44 mm case. It’s composed of titanium powder and carbon elements that are combined with a tinted resin in the manufacturing process, giving each watch a unique colour and pattern. As well as being extremely light, this composite material apparently has superior ductility to steel. Another aspect that makes the watch special is that the carbon elements of the case are sourced from two F1 Aston Martin race cars used during the 2021 season.
Look at any number of race cars and you’ll find hollowed-out components. These are used to maintain structural rigidity with minimal increase in mass, as well as for cooling purposes. The ACAM F1 references this idea with open-worked hands on the dial. Lime-coloured chronograph hands also reference the colourway of the Aston Martin F1 car. In addition, the counterweight on the central chronograph hand is shaped to look like side strakes, part of the design language employed on several Aston Martin road cars.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition – FKM rubber strap
The advanced materials theme continues with the strap which is formed of a new material called GP Rubber Alloy – again presented in Aston Martin Green. Requiring specialised equipment to produce, it’s composed of FKM rubber and carbon elements from two Formula One™️ race cars driven during the 2021 season. According to the brand, the strap, which contains a fabric-effect façade, is more supple and stronger than a conventional rubber strap. To ensure a secure and snug fit, the buckle contains a micro-adjustment system.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition – Calibre GP03300-1058
Usually, the watches in the Laureato collection are fitted with a solid case back. For the first time on a Laureato Absolute model, the ACAM F1 Edition features an exhibition case back, providing views of the engine: the automatic Manufacture movement Calibre GP03300-1058. Etched on the crystal is the Aston Martin logo along with the name of the race team.
Available in authorised Girard-Perregaux retailers, the ACAM F1 Edition is limited to 306 pieces, a reference to the distance drivers Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel plan to cover at the 2022 British Grand Prix. The Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition confers all the panache and cutting-edge technology befitting all Bond, Stroll and Vettel wannabes.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin F1 Edition
- Reference: 81060-41-3071-1CX
- Case: Titanium & carbon case with carbon extracted from two Formula One™️ race cars used during the 2021 season; diameter 44 mm; height 15.15 mm; water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres); sapphire crystal to front; exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds; date; chronograph
- Movement: GP03300-1058; self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz); 63 jewels; power reserve min. 46 hours; 419 components.
- Strap: GP Rubber Alloy in Aston Martin Racing Green – a mix of rubber and carbon extracted from two Formula OneTM race cars used during the 2021 season, fabric effect and green stitches. Supplied with a folding buckle with micro-adjustment system, titanium with black PVD treatment
- Price: £21,500 (RRP as of 1.6.2022)
- Limited Edition: 306 pieces