In 1889, Girard-Perregaux won a gold medal with its timepiece Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.
The three bridges were in the form of arrows crafted from gold. This year, the new Laureato Tourbillon with Three Bridges tips its hat to its predecessor.
The SIHH 2012 novelty is a 10-piece limited edition also inspired by the 1970s, with its strong design.
It comes with three translucent blue parallel bridges and a tourbillon made of 72 components, with one rotation every minute, weighing 0.3 grams.
Stefano Macaluso, general manager of Girard-Perregaux, says it wasn’t easy to find the right shade of blue for the bridges.
“The blue colour of the bridges has generated a lot of interest. The main challenge in making a watch with coloured bridges is creating an elegant effect. My concern was that the bridges would appear too blue and make the timepiece look like a cheap plastic watch as a result. I really like the end result – the blue tone looks precious and has an intense quality to it.” Stefano Macaluso, General Manager, Girard Perregaux
The Laureato Tourbillon with Three Bridges features an octagonal platinum bezel with satin-brushed and polished finishes, a rhodium-plated white gold crown with Girard-Perregaux’s logo engraved on it, and a caseback showing the watch’s movement.
Comprising 241 components, the Girard-Perregaux 9600-0004 movement has a power reserve of a minimum of 48 hours and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour.
The Laureato Tourbillon with Three Bridges’ guilloche circular main plate is adorned with luminescent and diamond-polished, baton-shaped hands.
Housed in a 42.60mm case, the timepiece is water-resistant up to 30 metres, a titanium bracelet with H-shaped links and a folding titanium clasp engraved with Girard-Perregaux’s logo.
When asked what the brand does to boost its appeal to collectors on the mainland, Macaluso says: “Last year, we celebrated our 220th anniversary and held an interesting event in Shanghai.
“We explained our long history by showing the Girard-Perregaux Museum’s collection outside Switzerland for the first time to local watch lovers. The feedback was good; we showcased the historical and cultural background of the watches to visitors.” Stefano Macaluso
Macaluso stresses that the brand’s design approach is global, not local.
“We want to design watches with a classic outlook and sophisticated movement,” he says. “Our target customers are people who appreciate traditional craftsmanship and our best-sellers in China are also our best-sellers in other parts of the world, such as Russia.”
Macaluso thinks that watch enthusiasts are increasingly drawn to tourbillon watches and openwork timepieces. “Demand for high-end mechanisms will grow this year,” he says. “We have a strong legacy in tourbillon watches and they are selling well. There is also a trend in skeleton watches because buyers are curious about how a watch’s mechanisms work.”
Article by Victoria Ip South China Morning Post
