Infinite Gray: Girard-Perregaux Unveils Laureato 42mm With Grand-Feu-Enamel Dial
In 1975, Girard-Perregaux introduced the Laureato, a watch that has since become an icon in the realms of luxury sports watches thanks to its integrated bracelet, angular case design, and in-house movement. This year, the Swiss manufacture expands the collection with a new 42mm model featuring a gray Grand Feu enamel dial—an update that highlights the brand’s continued focus on traditional craftsmanship and refined finishing techniques.
The new Laureato 42 mm features a dial produced using the Grand Feu enamel technique, a traditional and rare craftsmanship that involves repeatedly firing enamel powder at high temperatures to achieve a stable, long-lasting finish. The dial’s gray tone with bluish undertones is the result of a carefully balanced mixture of silica, minium, potash, soda, and metal oxides. Beneath the enamel layer, a sunray flinqué pattern adds visual depth, while the enamel itself ensures resistance to fading and discoloration over time. Due to the complexity and variability of the process, only a limited number of dials meet the required quality standards, underscoring the technical demands of this method.
The visual purity continues with rhodium-plated baton hands and markers, while the slender central seconds hand bears a counterweight inspired by the brand’s legendary Three Gold Bridges. A date window positioned at 3 o’clock features numerals displayed on a color-matched disc, seamlessly harmonizing with the rich enamel dial for an elegant aesthetic.
Despite the compelling dial, the timepiece remains grounded in the distinctive geometry that made the Laureato an icon: an octagonal bezel set atop a circular plinth, which itself flows seamlessly into the tonneau-shaped case. Rendered in stainless steel with alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces, the 42mm case measures just 10.68mm this and preserves the Laureato’s water-resistance rating of 100 meters.
Beneath the surface, the Laureato 42mm is no less exacting. It houses the GP01800 caliber, a self-winding movement developed entirely in-house at the brand’s La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture. At just 3.97mm thick, it nonetheless offers a robust 54-hour power reserve and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Finishing is exemplary: a pink gold oscillating weight adorned with circular Côtes de Genève, straight striping on the bridges, hand-polished bevels, and gilded engravings underscore the brand’s dedication to traditional finishing techniques.
Pricing is marked at $17,900.
To learn more, visit Girard-Perregaux, here.
