Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm Pink Gold, Now With Sage Green and Ultramarine Blue Dials
Two new original colours for the Laureato, paired with a luxurious pink gold case.
One of the earliest models in the so-called luxury sports watch category, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, was released in 1975 and powered by a quartz movement. In 1984, mechanical movements found their way into this original barrel-shaped watch, and this has become the norm since the return of the watch in 2016. Now an established collection with countless variations and colours, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato range extends once more this year with the addition of two original colours – sage green and ultramarine blue – inside luxurious pink gold cases.
The design of the Laureato was set in stone back in 1975, making it one of the earliest members of the highly regarded luxury sports watch category – and while it came after the all-important Royal Oak (1972), it predates three other icons, the Patek Nautilus (1976), the IWC Ingenieur (1976) and the Vacheron 222 (1977). A classic of the genre, the Laureato was built around a shaped case with an integrated bracelet. The raised octagonal bezel, placed on top of a circular plinth, added depth and originality to the angular tonneau-shaped case. This signature shape was the defining element of the 1975 version and has been faithfully revived in 2016 and 2017 for the return of this emblematic model.
The cornerstone of the collection, all three new references are based on the 42mm automatic time-and-date version – note that the 38mm edition of the Laureato automatic also works well for men and women. As such, we’re looking at rather sizeable models, specifically with the choice of 18k pink gold as the main material – necessarily adding to the visual presence and weight on the wrist. That being said, the Laureato does a great job of hiding its size thanks to a nicely curved profile. The case is mostly brushed with the necessary polished accents to highlight the complex shapes of the collection. Sapphire crystals are used on both sides, and the water-resistance is rated at 50m – sufficient but not exceptional.
Whatever the version, all three new Laureato 42mm Pink Gold versions have a stamped “clous de Paris” motif on the dial, with a satin-finished minute ring. Classic for the collection, the hands and applied makers (gold-plated) have a distinctive arrow shape. Thanks to the specific movement of this 42mm version, the date window is nicely positioned at the edge of the dial – and, to make it even better, the date disc matches the colour of the dial.
Girard-Perregaux brings two new choices this year. First is a “sage green” tone, which felt surprising on paper when paired with rose gold but works rather nicely in the metal. The other option is a classic of the luxury sports watch category: blue. To be precise, GP went for ultramarine blue, a colour close to lapis lazuli. It offers a nice contrast with the warm tone of the case.
Either way, these new GP are powered by the in-house calibre GP1800, a refined automatic movement with 4Hz frequency and 54h power reserve. The sapphire back reveals a nice decoration, with a pink gold rotor, circular graining on the main plate, bevelled bridges with Geneva stripes and circular stripes on the rotor.
The sage green and ultramarine blue versions can be ordered on a matching gold bracelet with H-shaped links and brushed and polished surfaces. The blue edition can also be fitted with a blue alligator strap with a folding buckle.
Available immediately from retailers and boutiques and part of the permanent collection, the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm models retail for EUR 54,700 or CHF 49,700 on a gold bracelet, and EUR 37,300 or CHF 33,900 on a leather strap. For more details, please visit www.girard-perregaux.com.
4 responses
Only 2 years ago GP was pricing the all gold model at $25,000, which was very high but to some extent rational. How are they pricing them at double the price? This is provocative.
@chady – there are certainly price increases… no doubt. But to give you an idea, the 38mm full gold model in 2017 was priced already at $34,500
Thank you for the reply Brice; I guess I fell victim to my failing memory. It feels that it is increasingly unlikely that a watch enthusiast with reasonable means can buy a precious metal watch. You have to be absurdly rich to buy this or risk it on the secondary market.
In October 2023 I purchased a GP Laureato 42mm in stainless steel, brand new from the GP AD in a GCC country, with 15% discount. At the time I had repeatedly tried (in the boutique) almost all the Laureatos, from 38mm YG/black leather strap (w/ white “Clous de Paris” pattern) to many 42mm ss models (green, blue, copper, black dial) including both ss and RG Skeleton variants.
The reference I purchased was the exquisite ‘Eternity’ LE of 188 pcs. The dial was sunray guilloche and on top of it green enamel. In April 2024 I decided to sell the piece (trade-in to a dealer in the E.U. to get my second a A. Lange & Söhne).
The dealer, upon receipt of my Laureato, checked the watch. The enamel dial was actually full of craters, some smaller and some larger imperfections – overall clearly poor QC in general. I was unaware of this as I had not used a loupe to check the piece. Anyhow I was told that it is just very bad quality control from the GP side and the watch will go off to the manufactur for a full dial replacement under warranty.
During ownership and as far as wearing & living with it, the Laureato was practically for me a near-perfect daily stainless steel wearer, with details as well as movement technology and finishing that only in AP-pedigree timepieces you come across. Its bracelet is not in par with that of the RO, but overall the watch has absolutely nothing to fear when compared to a watch like the Royal Oak. Overall an outstanding daily beater for the office, available, and at a reasonable price at ADs instead of grey dealers.
The case thickness plays a crucial role in the wonderful wearability on the wrist, as does the excellent balance of the end result, i.e. the way in which the bracelet connects to and integrates to the case. The gold rotor in the Eternity LE variant was the cherry on the cake.
However, with the poor QC on the dial execution GP exhibited why there is still a distance between manufacturs of Holy Trinity level (to me the known three plus ALS) and all others. I have been around for a decade and half, but to be brutally honest do not know who makes the GP dials. And I do not need to, really.
We all know that any brand making dials in-house or any dedicated dial maker have a near-80% rejection rate (or so) when making enamel dials, but this type of poor QC I was not expecting from GP. Perhaps I should have checked the dial with a loupe, prior to purchasing.
In the Laureato I would now go straight for the Skeleton variant if I had to do the exercise again, which is a really nice reference and also possible to find (in either the ss or RG versions). The standard dials are also fine in ss or precious metal, as long as you can get them with a fair discount. In summary, lovely watches as long as you don’t go for something exquisite which could potentially lead you into trouble.
To Brice and the M team thanks for a solid presentation on these new refs and also for the consistently stimulating content.