Girard-Perregaux brought back its emblematic 1970s sports watch, the Laureato, in a big way in 2016 and has been expanding it as a core men’s collection ever since, introducing a skeletonized version in 2017 and new chronograph models this year. This summer, the brand targets the ladies’ market with the launch of five new models, in two new sizes, with diamond-set bezels and vibrant colors.
Like their larger, masculine counterparts, the Laureato 38mm and Laureato 34mm — collectively, the first five models are referred to as the Summer Edition 2018 — are recognizable for their octagonal bezels and clous de Paris hobnail patterns on the painted-finish dials. The cases are in stainless steel, with alternating brushed and polished finishing, and the bezels are bedecked with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds in both the 34mm and 38mm models. All five are offered in both steel-bracelet and rubber-strap versions (with the seamlessly integrated straps matching the colors of the dial), each limited to 75 pieces.
The Laureato 34mm is available with either a candy pink (Rosa Prezioso) or sea-green (Turchese Purezza) dial, with matching straps or steel bracelets. Also of note on the dials are the tone-on-tone coloring of the date window at 3 o’clock. Inside the smaller watch’s case is a Swiss quartz movement, the in-house-manufactured GP13100, to which Girard-Perregaux has rendered its signature finishing and has opted to put on display through a clear sapphire caseback — a rarity for a quartz movement. Both 34mm models are priced at $9,200 on a strap and $10,100 on a bracelet.
The three dial iterations of the Laureato 38mm are dark blue (blue Infinito), purple (Viola Armonia), and yellow (Giallo Luce). Their cases are water-resistant to 100 meters, as opposed to the 30-meter water resistance of the 34-mm cases, and like their more petite counterparts the screwed-down casebacks feature sapphire windows to show off the movements.
These movements, however, are not quartz but self-winding mechanicals, namely Girard-Perregaux’s in-house Caliber GP03300, which powers the watch’s hours, minutes, central seconds and date display. Composed of 218 components, it boasts a 46-hour power reserve in addition to its host of decorative finishes, which include a circular grained mainplate, a côtes de Genève pattern on the rotor, and satin finishing, beveled chamfers and blued screws throughout the bridges and plates.
The price of the Laureato 38mm is $14,400 on the rubber strap and $15,200 on the steel bracelet.
I have always liked Girard-Perregaux, yet I think they were the most under-rated watch brand on earth.
I have noticed that Girard-Perregaux were ignored by the watch media most of the time and I do not know the reason.
Yet their Laureato collection were second to none.