Girard-Perregaux Laureato FIFTY
Good Sports: Girard-Perregaux Marks the 50th Anniversary of the Laureato with a New Limited Edition
The limited edition Laureato FIFTY is the perfect distillation of the evolution of this distinctive watch.
By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large
Every watchmaker has a collection that defines them in the eyes of enthusiasts; a design that is instantly recognizable and whose performance is praised. At Girard-Perregaux, we’d say the Laureato, which was unveiled fifty years ago, is that watch.
Part of a wave of elegant sports watches with integrated bracelets in the 1970s, the Laureato also helped usher in the concept of a fully integrated manufacture, as the timepiece was designed, developed, and produced entirely in-house, powered by a chronometer-certified manufacture quartz movement.
But time stands still for no watch. And this year, Girard-Perregaux is celebrating the Laureato’s half-century with a limited edition of 200 called the Laureato FIFTY.
It pays tribute to the past with features like its trademark octagonal bezel, but its birthday suit has been updated, hinting that Girard-Perregaux has big plans for its future.
The 1975
Of course, the Laureato has evolved to adapt to changing tastes and technologies over the last 50 years. In fact, the story of the sport-chic timepiece began in 1966, when Girard-Perregaux opened a Research and Development department devoted to exploring the potential of quartz technology.
Then, in 1971, the brand announced the calibre GP350 with a frequency of 32,768 Hz, which has since become the universal standard in the watchmaking industry. By 1977, 83% of the quartz-related patents registered with COSC belonged to Girard-Perregaux.
Quartz, of course, took a reputational hit with the proliferation of cheap mass-produced movements (which almost destroyed the mechanical watch industry). Thus, the luxurious Laureato collection adopted mechanical calibres in the mid-1990s as the industry started to recover from the Quartz Crisis.
The FIFTY
The FIFTY, inspired by the first-ever Laureato model, continues Girard-Perregaux’s commitment to exploring advanced technologies. In fact, it features an entirely new calibre – the GP4800 – an automatic movement that was in development for several years and which debuted at the end of September.
While the GP4800 draws upon the Maison’s historical knowledge, it also focuses on a silicon escapement and variable inertia balance. The goal was to increase longevity and energy efficiency. It is also a historic milestone, since it is the first “simple” movement (hours, minutes, central second, and date) to be informed by another Girard-Perregaux signature: the Three Bridges.
With measurements of 25.6mm in diameter and 4.28mm in thickness, the GP4800 maintains the concept of a streamlined quartz movement, but is actually a self-winding mechanical calibre. As for accuracy, the calibre beats at a frequency of 28,800 Vib/h (4 Hz) and boasts a power reserve of 55 hours.
High Fidelity
The OG Girard-Perregaux Laureato was also part of a cohort of watches that blew up preconceived notions about what a watch should look like. However, while competitors such as the Royal Oak (1972), which is all angles and screws, or the Nautilus (1976), with its “porthole” shape, the Laureato, with its octagonal bezel set on a circular base, cushiony case, and flowing integrated bracelet, always felt softer and rounder.
This design philosophy is still reflected in the new FIFTY.
Our own Ash Longet had the chance to test drive the watch in the weeks before its release. Here are her notes:
“Having had it on my wrist for a few weeks, I’ve begun to appreciate that the beauty of this piece lies not in revolution, but in refinement. The case, now more svelte, has shed a fraction of a millimeter here and there. The bezel, more angular and assertive, frames the dial with the poise of mid-century architecture – confident, geometric, yet utterly timeless.”
Girard-Perregaux has also leaned into the chic part of sports chic. As Longet reports, “The bracelet, with its yellow gold links, feels less like jewelry and more like sculpture.
“And then there is the dial. Ah, that dial! The clous de Paris motif, smaller and refined, draws the eye inward, its tone elusive, hovering somewhere between grey and green. It is the chromatic equivalent of a whispered secret.”
Pricing & Availability
The 39mm Laureato FIFTY, featuring a 3N yellow gold and steel bi-metal case and bracelet, is a limited edition of 200 pieces and will be available from the brand’s retailers at a price of CHF 25'500.
For more information, check out the Girard-Perregaux website.