Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady – Ref. 99242D52B401-CK4A
The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady is the perfect watch for females seeking artisanal craftsmanship and mechanical excellence. Angus Davies examines this exemplar of haute horlogerie and discovers a watch that respects intelligent women.
Some people may be surprised to hear a working class ‘lad’ from Lancashire talk about sexual equality, but it is a subject I feel compelled to discuss. While I do not purport to be an ardent follower of Germaine Greer and I have no intention of burning my bra, heaven forbid, I do believe in equality.
Every day my ‘inbox’ groans, almost collapsing under the weight of numerous emails. Most of these electronic missives, rich in superlatives and marketing hyperbole, originate from public relations companies. On occasion, I will see the odd watch, a so-called ‘novelty’, blighted with a face only a mother could love. Nevertheless, most new models have an array of attributes, providing a compelling case for acquisition. Indeed, as a man, I am indulged with a broad selection of horological delights, many of which sate my desires.
Sadly, despite there being a multitude of gent’s models to choose from, the watch industry often fails to fulfil the needs of female consumers. This inequality truly annoys me, culminating in my well-developed belief in horological feminism.
For far too long the marketing types, working in various watch companies, have assumed all women are the same even though the market for men’s watches is divided into numerous segments. The female offer generally consists of dials featuring indexes formed of minuscule diamond fragments, plated cases, vibrantly-hued dials and straps and, lastly, bland quartz movements. While some female buyers may be happy with the specification of these models and merely want a serviceable device for imparting the time, the yearnings of female horophiles are invariably left unsatisfied.
In my professional capacity, I communicate with legions of male watch collectors every week. We share the same love of watchmaking. Breguet overcoils, complications, design, finissage, gem-setting, grand feu enamelling and variable inertia balances are just a few examples of the horological fetishism that arouse most avid male watch collectors. However, it is my belief there are many women who share the same interest in watches and are frustrated at being patronised with mundane timepieces devoid of merit.
Thankfully, there are a few watches available that are not only tastefully infused with femininity, but also encompass high-end watchmaking. One such notable example, rich in virtue, is the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady. Allow me to elaborate.
The dial
Ordinarily, when looking at a watch dial, the hands and indexes come to the fore. However, with this model, the dominant dial elements are the three bridges which run from east to west. These eponymous bridges have been part of Girard-Perregaux’s DNA for over 150 years.
While it is widely known that Abraham Louis Breguet patented the tourbillon in 1801, some people may not be aware that Constant Girard-Perregaux obsessively researched escapement systems, including Breguet’s revered ‘whirlwind’. Circa 1860, Constant created a pocket watch featuring a tourbillon escapement and three prominent parallel bridges. This watch received a first-class award from the Observatory of the canton of Neuchâtel. Over the years which ensued, the Maison created further pocket watches, each conferring advancement. In 1991, the Manufacture produced a tourbillon with three gold bridges, featuring a scaled-down movement, presented in wristwatch form. Later, in 1999, Girard-Perregaux went further by releasing an automatic version of this wristwatch, equipped with a platinum micro-rotor positioned beneath the barrel.
The brand states that each gold bridge is made by hand and, collectively, the triumvirate of bridges take one week to complete. Certainly, when I appraised the bridges with a loupe, I could readily appreciate the resplendent gleam of each surface and the pristine chamfering. Each bridge is held in position with two mirror-polished screws.
Although the bridges are the headline act, the golden hour and minute hands articulate meaning wonderfully. While the men’s 40mm model is fitted with dauphine hands, the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady features faceted spear-like hands, enriched with curvaceous edges. The readability of the dial remains the same, but the lancine hands feel softer and more feminine.
The epidermis of the dial is fascinating to behold. It is made of mother-of pearl, hand-engraved and hand-painted. The surface features numerous fan-shaped pockets of light tone. In direct sunlight, the dial is suffused with a becoming shade of baby blue, however, rotate the watch away from the sun’s gaze and the horological canvas assumes a lilac hue.
The barrel is positioned in the upper portion of the dial and embellished with a disc of mother-of-pearl, while the internal surface of the sapphire crystal bears the brand’s name. At the fulcrum of the dial the centre wheel is freely shown while at the base of the dial, the tourbillon slowly rotates.
Breguet identified gravitational forces adversely affect the behaviour of the regulating organ. His ingenious solution, the tourbillon, places both the escapement and the regulating organ within a revolving cage. Every time the cage rotates 360°, any positional errors are negated, thereby enhancing precision as well as bestowing an enchanting spectacle.
In this particular instance, the Manufacture has looked to its past and equipped the timepiece with a lyre-shaped tourbillon carriage, a feature that can be traced back to the three bridge pocket watches of the 19th century. A small, thermally blued hand is affixed to the carriage, indicating the running seconds.
The case
The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady is housed in a 38mm 18-carat pink gold case. Although this makes the model smaller than its male counterparts, it remains a generously proportioned feminine timepiece. A key benefit of its ample scale is that each element of the dial has sufficient room to breathe. Nothing appears squashed and the readability of the dial is excellent. The case measures 11.35mm in height, meaning it should not prove unwieldy or unduly protrude from the wrist.
Despite my earlier comments about watch brands cynically using gems to ensnare a lady’s heart, I do find the 56 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.25 cts) adorning the case of this watch quite bewitching. The stones on this model are beautifully integrated into the bezel and lugs. Furthermore, the diamonds are fulsome and tastefully applied. The crown is embellished with a tourmaline (0.12 cts) which introduces a further soupçon of colour without impairing the model’s decorous appearance.
The Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady features an exhibition caseback, affording views of the Calibre GP09600-0033. This paragon of fine watchmaking is supplied on a high-gloss blue alligator strap, paired with a pink gold pin buckle enriched with a further 18 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.20 cts).
The movement
As previously stated, the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady features an automatic movement, the Calibre GP09600-0033. With most automatic watches, a large oscillating weight dominates the dorsal view of the timepiece, however, in this instance there are no obvious clues as to this movement’s self-winding tendencies. Girard-Perregaux has positioned a small white gold micro-rotor beneath the barrel. An elaborately formed ratchet wheel sits atop a frosted bridge, providing a subtle clue to the whereabouts of the micro-rotor and the barrel.
The movement features a plethora of exposed wheels ordinarily hidden from view. Two bridges are embellished with Côtes de Genève motif and encompass jewel and screw sinks polished to a bright conclusion. Two prominent bridges, similar in design to the gold bridges front of house, feature straight graining and, once again, polished sinks. Anglage abounds with several bevelled ‘internal angles’ highly prized by aficionados.
The screwed balance has a frequency of 21,600 vph (3Hz) and the movement contains 31 jewels. When the movement is fully wound, it will run autonomously for at least 50 hours.
Closing remarks
Despite the elaborate dial of the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady and its prominent tourbillon carriage, the display proves eminently legible. The addition of indexes may have facilitated reading-off individual minutes, but it would have marred the uncluttered appearance of the dial. In my opinion, Girard-Perregaux has judged the face of this watch to perfection.
Beyond its functionality, this model plays host to a myriad of artisanal touches. The baby blue dial features an elaborate motif, carefully painted by hand, despite the consistent nature of the decoration suggesting otherwise. The case has been crafted from the outset to accommodate gems without impairing water resistance. The tourbillon is presented at the base of the dial, flawless like a precious gem, sparkling as it rotates for the delectation of the wearer.
The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady is a paragon of horological virtue. It is clear that when developing this creation, the Swiss luxury marque did not countenance the notion of compromise. Unfortunately, such excellence attracts commensurate pricing which is likely to prove out of reach of most horophiles. However, don’t despair, some exemplars of haute horlogerie, albeit simpler, are available for substantially less. Indeed, Girard-Perregaux offer a number of watches that exude style but at the same time encompass many qualities, including a finely decorated Manufacture movement.
There is no longer any excuse to wear a brightly coloured watch devoid of goodness. I urge all females to enjoy a wholesome diet of fine watchmaking and implore all watch brands to embrace the concept of horological feminism.
Further reading
https://www.girard-perregaux.com/
Technical specifications
- Model: Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Lady
- Reference: 99242D52B401-CK4A
Case: 18-carat pink gold; diameter 38mm; height 11.35mm; water resistance 3ATM (30m); sapphire crystal to the front and caseback. - Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds on the tourbillon
- Movement: Calibre GP09600-0033; automatic movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3Hz); 31 jewels; power reserve minimum 50 hours
- Strap: High-gloss blue alligator strap paired with a pink gold pin buckle. The pin buckle features a further 18 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.20 cts)
- Price: £111,000 (RRP as at 3.4.2020)