Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired draws upon the brand’s notable expertise, amassed over its 230-year lifetime. However, while this chronograph respects watchmaking tradition, it wholeheartedly embraces the future and demonstrates, once again, the brand’s penchant for using cutting-edge materials.
This year, Girard-Perregaux is celebrating its 230th anniversary. It has a rich history, punctuated with groundbreaking watches such as the Tourbillon ‘With Three Gold Bridges’ (1867), the famous La Esmeralda pocket watch (1889) and the Laureato (1975).
However, while the Manufacture is clearly proud of its past achievements, including its many registered patents and numerous prizes, its gaze continues to look forward, focussing on new horizons. Take, for example, the Constant Escapement L.M. (2013) which features an innovative flexible silicon blade that delivers a constant force to the balance, augmenting precision. This model necessitated 13 years of research and development to bring to market. However, Its brilliance was clear and led to prize-winning recognition at the GPHG 2013.
More recently, Girard-Perregaux has creatively played with sapphire crystal, making ‘Neo bridges’, a modern take on the brand’s famous bridges of 1867. Furthermore, it has successfully made watch cases from sapphire crystal and even endowed the supremely hard material with a blue hue. Its capacity to innovate cannot be overstated. While some brands may have greater brand awareness, the historical Maison has always attracted discerning watch aficionados and those in the know.
The new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired is another creation from the Swiss marque that brims with modernity and embraces new materials. The familiar Laureato shape returns, but this time it is made from curiously-sounding ‘Carbon Glass’. This highly innovative material combines carbon fibre and fibreglass which are united using high temperatures and pressure to form a homogenous material. The resultant case is black and exhibits a matte appearance with a textured finish. The carbon fibre and fibreglass are randomly aligned, creating a unique strata-like formation. Carbon Glass is very strong and yet remarkably light. Indeed the complete watch only weighs 94 grams.
Upholding Laureato tradition, the bezel is octagonal shaped, but in this instance, it is formed of blue Carbon Glass. The blue tones also feature on the chronograph pushers. Girard-Perregaux has also equipped the Laureato Absolute Wired with a fascinating dial. Essentially, the display is of the ‘sandwich-type’ variety, with various apertures in the upper layer affording views of the detail on the lower level. Clearly, the idea of a cursory approach is alien to the esteemed Manufacture.
At the heart of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired is a Manufacture movement, the self-winding Calibre GP03300-1058. Although this new model is an exemplar of contemporary watchmaking, the movement encompasses traditional craftsmanship and high-end finishing, including chamfering and Côtes de Genève motif.
Price: £11,470 (RRP as at 31.1.2021)
The brand’s press release (January 2021)
The story of the Laureato began in 1975. From the outset, this sports watch was always distinctive with its octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet. The styling combined straight edges and curved lines, while the surfaces of the case incorporated both polished and satin-brushed surfaces. Over the years, the popularity of the model has led Girard- Perregaux to create additional variants, but the design codes of the original Laureato continue to live on across its different iterations and its iconic status remains undiminished.
In 2019, Girard-Perregaux unveiled the Laureato Absolute, a watch respecting the legacy of the iconic model of 1975 but at the same time evincing a strong and masculine character. Now, Girard-Perregaux is pleased to release the latest chapter in this remarkable story, the Laureato Absolute “Wired”, a futuristic design that upholds the brand’s reputation for no-compromise craftsmanship.
Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux’s Chief Executive Officer, remarked: “Despite turning 230 years old Girard-Perregaux has no intention of remaining stuck in the past. In fact, launching e-commerce is just one of the many moves Girard- Perregaux will make in 2021 that reflects our philosophy of constant improvement and striving to maintain a competitive edge. While we will remain exclusive by way of limited launches and partnerships, catering to our clients in an “inclusive” way is just as important. Indeed, e-commerce helps us do this by augmenting consumer convenience in today’s connected world. It only seems fitting that we offer an ultramodern version of the iconic Laureato to complement this important milestone.”
Measuring 44mm in diameter, this new chronograph is housed in a Carbon Glass case. Formed from layers of carbon fibre and fibreglass which are then subject to high temperatures and pressure, the case material ultimately becomes homogenous. Thereafter, the material is milled into the desired shape. The resultant case exhibits a matte, slightly textured finish. Interestingly, the constituent layers create uneven strata within the material which are randomly aligned, making every watch unique. The bezel employs the same manufacturing process as the case, however, it is further enriched with electric blue hues which emphasize Girard-Perregaux’s signature octagonal shape.
Carbon Glass is both strong and very light. Indeed, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired weighs just 94 grams.
A sandwich-type construction method is used for the dial. It is comprised of an upper layer, perforated with numerous openings, sat upon a lower layer. The apertures in the upper layer afford partial sight of the lower layer.
The upper layer is executed in matte black, while the lower layer is presented in black-or, delivering a subtle contrast and making some dial details, such as the baton-type indexes, appear recessed. This design approach cleverly plays with depth, enriching the overall appearance of the dial. The chronograph is endowed with three snailed registers which sit below the upper dial layer, while a minute track is presented on a flange encircling the dial, thereby aiding readability.
The Laureato Absolute Wired is endowed with a Manufacture movement, the self-winding Calibre GP03300-1058. It is comprised of 419 components, all produced to Girard-Perregaux’s exacting standards.
In order to optimise wearer comfort, the Laureato Absolute Wired is presented on a black rubber strap featuring a fabric effect motif and incorporating black stitching. Both the case surfaces and strap facets flow seamlessly into one another, appearing as though they are just one component. The black tones of the case sit in concert with the blue hues of the bezel, while the black chronograph pushers are made of PVD-treated titanium and incorporate a blue border. A specific type of rubber is used for the strap, delivering superior flexibility and strength when compared with traditional rubber. The folding black titanium buckle is equipped with a micro adjustment system which allows the wearer to fine tune the sizing of the strap, thereby granting the optimal wrist fit.
Whenever Girard-Perregaux creates a limited edition it is invariably limited to 8, 18, 88, 188 pieces, etc. With few exceptions, the limitation features an ‘8’ in its number as this is synonymous with good fortune. On this occasion, the Laureato Absolute Wired is limited to just 88 pieces, delivering a notable degree of exclusivity.
Within the first month of the watch going on sale it will be sold exclusively via the new Girard Perregaux e-commerce platform, in addition to an array of timepieces from the Manufacture’s core collection. This service will initially be available to UK and US-based customers only, with further countries to be added subsequently.
Further reading