The streamlining of Girard-Perregaux, which began last year with the introduction of the Hawk collection, continues with the debut of the new Traveller, an updated version of G-P’s ww.tc collection, at Baselworld 2013. The first two Traveller models are a chronograph with world-time function and a moon-phase model with large date.
The new-look Traveller collection features sleeker lines and a softer, more ergonomic silhouette for the 44-mm-diameter cases; long lugs with graduated bevels that accentuate their convex curves; and an interplay of polished and satin-brushed finishes on the case. Also, both the movements’ rotors and the watches’ folding clasps echo the “arrow” shape of Girard-Perregaux’s iconic Three Gold Bridges.
The Traveller Moon Phases and Large Date has a 30-part steel case and is powered by Girard-Perregaux’s manufacture automatic caliber GP03300, which has 35 jewels and a 46-hour power reserve. The case has a sapphire viewing window in the back and is water-resistant to 100 meters. The opaline dial is slightly spherical, with luminous-tipped applied hour indices that point toward the dial’s center. The hour and minute hands are also tipped with luminescent material. The large date display is at 12 o’clock, under a “GP” appliqué logo, and the moon-phase indication, accompanied by the small seconds, is at 7:30. A power-reserve indicator is placed at 4:30.
Girard-Perregaux has designed the movement so that the moon-phase and power-reserve displays are both directly connected to the barrel. According to G-P, the moon-phase, which is adjusted by a corrector in the case at 10 o’clock, is extremely precise, needing adjustment only once every 122 years. The photo-realistic moon face image is on a mineral glass and then metallized with a subtle gradation from black to gray. The “night” field is studded with silvery stars, one of which hides a small G-P logo. Along the satin-brushed, circular border of the display are the markers for the small seconds.
The large date, which has an “instantaneous” jump of 15 milliseconds, uses a system patented by Girard-Perregaux: two disks, one transparent (for the tens), the other matte (for the units), overlap without creating any visible border between digits. The disks are only .10 mm thick and the numerals are in a curved, contemporary font that matches the watch’s modern design. The Traveller Moon Phases with Large Date comes on a black alligator leather strap; it is also available with a black dial or with a gray dial with ceramic bezel and brown strap. The price is $12,800.
The collection’s original name (the initials stand for “Worldwide Time Control”) lives on in the other new model, the Traveller ww.tc. Its 34-part case is available in steel, steel and titanium, or steel with a ceramic bezel, and is water-resistant to 100 meters. This watch also contains Caliber GP 03300, here equipped with small seconds, chronograph, date, and the feature that gives the model its name, a world-time function with day/night indication.
Girard-Perregaux has designed the opaline dial so that the meridians of the globe can be seen without interfering with the reading of the time. Along the periphery of the dial is a beveled ring displaying world cities and a 24-hour day-night disk. The date is an aperture at 2 o’clock; the chronograph subdials are at 9 o’clock (for the 30-minutes counter) and 6 o’clock (for the 12-hour counter); and the small-seconds subdial is at 3 o’clock. The block hour markers are enhanced with luminous material.
Operating the Traveller ww.tc has been greatly simplified in comparison with its predecessor: A single screwed crown at 3 o’clock, with three settings, controls all the watch’s functions. The first position sets the city disk, the second the date, and the third the hours, minute and 24-hour world-time ring. The dial options are matte black (steel case), silvered opaline (titanium case and steel case with black ceramic bezel). The Traveller ww.tc will retail for $16,000.
