BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Remember the Laureato from Girard Perregaux? We do, it’s currently Girard Perregaux’s attempt to shoulder in on the market that craves the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The attempt wasn’t exactly successful, but that’s not because of something Girard Perregaux did (or didn’t do), it’s merely that the demand is explicitly focused on the watches mentioned above. Several others have attempted the same as Girard Perregaux, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas and Piaget Polo S for instance, and failed. But in failing, they gained their own following of devoted fans.
George Bamford with the Laureato Ghost
Since they realised that they’d need to get radical with the Laureato, Girard Perregaux has been making some wild additions to the catalogue. The latest comes courtesy of a connection with Bamford and features a snowy white case made of ceramic. White ceramic on a wristwatch is both brave and rare. Thinking back to Omega’s White Side of the Moon with its white ceramic case and white leather strap, it wasn’t well-received at all.
Girard Perregaux hasn’t gone completely mental and made this watch white on white on white. The Laureato Ghost as it’s called features black contrasts such as the hands, markers and inner flange ring on the dial, the stitching on the fabric strap and, weirdly, the crown. It brings a unique feel to the watch, and it seems very cutting edge thanks to the angles of the bezel and the sharp details of the dial. It shows what changing a colour can do because the watch hasn’t physically changed apart from that. The case measures 38mm x 10.2mm and comes on either a white strap or a white bracelet with links made of ceramic, which is very rare for a watch.
Inside the ceramic case and on display through the sapphire crystal is the calibre GP03300-0139. It’s in-house made by Girard Perregaux, it has a 46-hour power reserve and is automatically wound. It also has the industry-standard 4Hz beat rate for the balance wheel, meaning it will be accurate (although it doesn’t seem to be COSC chronometer rated).
The price for one of these is £10,300 on the strap or £12,000 on the bracelet. The watch is limited to just 45 examples and features the Bamford logo on the dial to signify the collaboration.
Visit Girard-Perregaux here.
