00/24 WatchWorld

44 mm Girard-Perregaux Hawk Ceramic. Black, angular and almost sinister. The matte color of the case and the integrated strap softens and modernizes the distinct Laureato octagon angles. The pattern on the dial recalls the very recognizable GP bridge.

Hello from Zurich, where Girard Perregaux has just announced a rather significant horological breakthrough. Actually, its “constant escapement” has been known about for some time, having been in development since 2008, but the thing has finally been put into a very special watch – and here it is.

42 mm of complicated pink gold greatness. GP’s new 1966 model houses three illustrious watchmaking complications. They are displayed on a sober and very well balanced dial and driven by a mechanical caliber with over 400 component parts. This new complicated model sits at the top of the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection (by complication and by name) and the wandering eye is immediately caught by the date located at 1:30 on the dial.

The Freedom Tower alligators that have caused so much attraction took over the Mandarin Oriental for an evening of Miami beats, art and watchmaking on the beach. Girard-Perregaux, iconic luxury Swiss watch brand, who partnered up with the FOReverglades exhibit to encourage environmental conservation efforts, created a limited edition timepiece featuring the famous alligators and celebrated the launch of their new HAWK collection.

Igen kom der et et cool ur mellem mine urglade fingre hos Bruun Rasmussen Kunstauktioner and dennegang var der tale om et guldbelagt Girard-Perregaux med quartz-værk fra 1970'erne. Det lyder måske ikke særligt sexet, men når man kigger næremere på værkets historie, så forstår man, hvor stor betydning dette værk har for quartz-værkerne i dag, idet den frekvens på 32.768 Hz er blevet standard for quartz.

Recently yet another great critter reached my table at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers and this time it was an early Girard-Perregaux goldplated wristwatch with quartz movement. Now it may not sound all that interesting if it was not for the fact that the quartz movement beating with 32.768 Hz in this watch actually benchmarked the way we consider quartz movements today.

With the latest Hublot Ferrari models out I realized that Hublot is seemingly having success with their collaboration with the Italian car-maker. Which is not something that could be said about neither the Panerai nor Girard-Perregaux, when they featured the prancing stallion on they dials. But why did GP or Panerai not succeed as well as Hublot seem to be doing? Well, I see three reasons.

Most books devoted to watches are expensive. Much more affordable are the Patrizzi Pocket Expert books, written by Osvaldo Patrizzi and his team (Osvaldo Patrizzi changed the world of vintage watches as co-founder of the watch auction house Antiquorum).

Where were all the innovative watches? Besides from Greubel Forsey and Richard Mille I did not see a lot of great new inventions nor wow-factor-news from the other watch brands. AP showed not surprisingly a slightly updated Royal Oak collection. JLC had a couple of Reverso's and a Deep Sea Chronograph that was not an off spin of history, but instead an off spin of last years relaunch. Girard-Perregaux showed a Laureato with their iconic three-bridge tourbillon and JeanRichard presented a DiverScope that was not PVD-coated.

And will show their news at Basel World 2013 instead of SIHH in Geneva. But that does not mean they are not showing fantastic timepieces at SIHH this year. For instance this incredible looking Laureato with the legendary three bridges tourbillon. Want it? Well, be FAST! It is limited to 10 pieces only!