From Here To Eternity Editions: Girard-Perregaux’s Dubai Watch Week Launches

Of the many things that make Dubai Watch Week unique is that it, through hands-on workshops and presentations, provides the public with a peek into all the Métiers d’Art involved in crafting the world’s most luxurious timepieces.

So it’s fitting that Girard-Perregaux is using Dubai Watch Week’s platform to introduce the Eternity Edition series – a collection comprised of four different references showcasing Girard-Perregaux’s in-house enameling savoir-faire. These launches include La Esmeralda Tourbillon “A Secret” Eternity Edition, two Laureato Eternity Editions, and a Cat’s Eye Eternity Edition.

The 2021 re-interpretation is meant as an homage, not a re-creation. The first difference: It’s a wristwatch, not a pocket watch.

Secondly, the mainplate of La Esmeralda Tourbillon “A Secret” Eternity Edition is made using a CNC-machine and produced to infinitesimal tolerances unimaginable back in the 19th century. Plus, the mainplate itself features a new form of finishing, exclusive to Girard-Perregaux. Specifically, this model has concave beveling that involves creating a curved recess between the surface and flank of the caseback side, which allows for new levels of reflection and refractions of light.
 

It’s the artistry of the enameling that takes center stage, however. The “secret” in La Esmeralda Tourbillon “A Secret” Eternity Edition is its hidden cover. Once you pop the lid, you are treated to a blue scene featuring three horses inspired by the original “La Esmeralda” and adorned with a sunray guilloché decoration and blue grand feu enamel. A gorgeous tribute to the original’s legacy.
 

La Esmeralda Tourbillon “A Secret” Eternity Edition is offered in seven colorways, each produced on request and limited to 18 pieces per color. It is immediately available worldwide through authorized Girard-Perregaux retailers.

What sets the 2021 Laureato 42mm Eternity Editions apart from its predecessors is that its dial is imbued with a rich green or blue grand feu enamel dial. As Pruniaux said in a press release, “Their beauty will remain eternal, destined to be enjoyed by those in the future.”
 

While the watches are designed to endure, producing these grand feu enamel effects is an extremely delicate process. The enamel is made of a mixture of silica, minium (a.k.a. red lead), potash, and soda, ground into a fine powder. Metal oxides are then added to create different colors.
 

In Girard-Perregaux’s in-house facility, the powder is dusted onto the dial and then fired in an oven that typically operates at about 800 degrees Celsius. This process is repeated five to ten times to get the rich luster seen in the Laureato 42mm Eternity Editions. Even the most experienced master may go through several firings and still experience cracks, air bubbles, and color imperfections. And, ultimately, any and all flawed dials are rejected.
 

Everything about the Laureato 42mm Eternity Edition is crafted in-house in La Chaux-de-Fonds, including the GP01800 self-winding movement, which features a pink gold oscillating weight adorned with a circular Côtes de Genève motif. Additional decorations include straight Côtes de Genève on the bridges, beveling, mirror-polished screws, circular graining on the mainplate, and engraved gilded text.
 

The Laureato 42mm Eternity Edition is offered in two variants, blue and green. Each option is limited to 188 pieces. Sold exclusively by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons during December 2021, the models will then be available at all authorized brand retailers and on Girard-Perregaux’s website.

In 2004, Girard-Perregaux released a new creation, the Cat’s Eye collection. Like the Laureato, it is housed in an unconventional case – a sideways oval. That same year, this watch won the Ladies prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).

The manufacture has since produced many variations on the theme of the Cat’s Eye. These versions have highlighted the skills of both the company’s watchmakers (through high complications) and gem-setters (so many diamonds).
 

This year, with the Cat’s Eye Eternity Edition, Girard-Perregaux is making a grand feu the jewel of its collection. “With our Eternity Editions, our aim was to produce a limited number of watches that would showcase our expertise,” said Pruniaux in a press release. “We sought to create watches that will still look incredible in decades to come.”

The oval dial is adorned with a guilloché sunray motif visible through the blue translucent enamel surface, creating an effect akin to staring into the cool blue water of a reflecting pool. The date window at 3 o’clock features white numerals positioned upon a colored disc, matching the hue of the main dial and making it as unobtrusive as possible. The leaf-shaped hour and minute hands indicate the time with elegance.
 

Since its beginning, the Cat’s Eye has always married feminine design with mechanical prowess. This version sparkles in its 35.4mm by 30.4mm stainless steel case set with 62 brilliant-cut diamonds, but it roars with its calibre GP03300-1739 self-winding movement.

The Cat’s Eye Eternity Edition is limited to 88 pieces. Sold exclusively by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons during December 2021, this model will then be available at all authorized brand retailers and on Girard-Perregaux’s website.
 

Visit our dedicated Dubai Watch Week page to read all about this week’s latest releases.

(Photography by Pierre Vogel)