Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green Watch Review
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green is the latest incarnation of the watch that burst onto the watch collecting scene back in 1975. Time has always been kind to this handsome timepiece with no signs of thinning hair, age spots or wrinkles. US-based journalist, Meehna Goldsmith seeks to discover the secret behind the Laureato’s enduring looks.
The luxury sports watch craze of 1972
Audemars Piguet kicked off the luxury sports watch craze at Basel in 1972 with the introduction of the Royal Oak, designed by the prolific Gerald Genta. At the time, the Swiss watch industry was in the midst of economic turmoil, thanks in no small part to the arrival of quartz watches. AP was not immune and was just a heartbeat away from bankruptcy. The Royal Oak made quite a splash, most notably for its hefty price tag of CHF 3300. A stainless steel watch that cost more than a gold Patek Philippe dress watch?! Blasphemy!
Royal Oak, Nautilus, 222 – a new horological genre
As enthusiasts know, the Royal Oak was, and is, a smashing success, and can be credited with singlehandedly saving Audemars Piguet. With the fanfare surrounding the Royal Oak, Patek Philippe boarded the luxury sports watch train and released the Nautilus in 1976, followed by Vacheron Constantin with the 222 in 1977, a precursor to the Overseas.
Laureato – at the vanguard of quartz technology
In 1975, Girard-Perregaux released the Laureato, its version of a luxury sports watch – but it was powered by a quartz movement. While most people associate quartz with Japanese watches, the frequency of 32,768 Hz was actually set by GP and became the universal standard for quartz watches. It wasn’t until 1995 that GP put a mechanical movement in the Laureato.
Although it came to market prior to the Nautilus and 222, the Laureato often gets overshadowed by the offerings of the holy trinity. And that’s a real shame because the Laureato offers a sharp design with in-house mechanics that, dare I say, rival the other three.
Over the years, the Laureato has slipped in and out of the GP collection. There was a redesign in 1995 and extensions such as the EVO 3 in 2003. Girard-Perregaux again revisited its iconic sports watch in 2016, with a limited edition of 225 pieces celebrating the brand’s 225th anniversary. When the edition sold out, GP decided to breathe new life into the entire Laureato collection, adding in other complications in 2017, including a tourbillon.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green – a new look
If you hadn’t already noticed, watches are not immune to trends with brands often fixating on certain colours; green being the hot colour of this season. The 42 mm Laureato three hander with date offers a lush green to the verdant buffet. With its octagonal bezel floating on a circular base, the Laureato presents a distinct and sleek architectural visage. The satin-finished bezel against the backdrop of the polished circular base allows for an interesting and dynamic play of light.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green – Clous de Paris dial
The trademark Clous de Paris dial works well on the green background, which reflects different shades of the hue depending upon the angle of the light. The baton-style hands and indexes are crafted in black PVD and filled with white lume for evening viewing, while rhodium plates the sweep seconds hand, providing another dimension of colour to the palette.
In addition to offering the Laureato 42 mm in green, Girard-Perregaux snuck in a new design element. Do you know what it is? Take a look at the dial before moving on to the next paragraph.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green – black flange
Did you catch the colour of the flange? The other models in the collection match the flange to the dial colour. The Laureato 42mm Green has a black flange, with white minute markers, framing the dial. It’s a bit of a bolder look that gives the watch character while differentiating it from its Laureato brethren.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green – Calibre GP01800-2035
Girard-Perregaux equips the Laureato 42 mm Green with the Calibre GP01800-2035, an in-house automatic movement with a generous 54-hour power reserve. Finished with decorations such as circular graining, bevelling and Côtes de Genève on the plate and rotor, it’s on view through the sapphire caseback.
The 42mm Green comes in a 42 mm (duh) stainless steel case with a low profile of just 10.68 mm. The watch attaches to the wrist with a clean and supple stainless steel bracelet. Composed of contrasting polished and satin surfaces, it mirrors the finishings on the bezel above. I love details like these.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green – closing thoughts
I always thought the Laureato was underrated. When Patek Philippe announced the swan song of Nautilus 5711, a furious mob descended, inflating a mid-30K watch into six figures. There’s been a similar run and run-up on the Royal Oak, which retailed for about the same.
With many possible Patek and AP customers priced out of the market, they will be looking for other luxury sports watch options. The Laureato has always been a contender in terms of quality and style but has never enjoyed the same adulation as some comparable models from other famous houses.
The stars seem aligned for Girard-Perregaux to gain a new audience and get its well-deserved time in the luxury sports watch spotlight – and the Laureato 42 mm Green is the perfect introduction.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 mm Green
- Reference: 81010-11-3153-1CM
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 42 mm, height 10.68 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours; minutes; central seconds; date
- Movement: GP01800-2035, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 28 jewels, power reserve (minimum) 54 hours, 191 components.
- Bracelet: steel, polished and satin-finished
- Price: £12,200 (RRP as of 26.9.2023)