JEWELRY
SWITZERLAND
GIRARD-PERREGAUX NEO-BRIDGES
GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE
A FUTURISTIC EXTRAPOLATION OF A 19TH
CENTURY MOVEMENT ARCHITECTURE NOW
CONSIDERED TO BE THE HISTORICAL SIGNATURE
OF THE MANUFACTURE GIRARD-PERREGAUX,
THE NEO-BRIDGES AUTOMATIC TITANIUM WATCH
HERALDS A CONSTRUCTION APPROACH AIMED AT
BRINGING A DRAMATIC THEATRICAL TOUCH TO
TOMORROW’S MECHANICAL HOROLOGY.
F
undamentally retro-futurist in terms of its aesthetic approach, the Neo-
Bridges automatic titanium adopts a certain vision of forward-looking
horology, while remaining entirely in harmony with the history of the
brand founded in 1791.
Shaping the future
At the crossroads between two worlds associating tradition and innovation,
this visionary time-measuring instrument showcases one of the key directions
being taken by the new image of the Manufacture, which remains consistently
ahead of its time. The rich vitality of this new expression of Manufacture Girard-
Perregaux’s mechanical vision takes firm root in the past in order to propel itself
firmly towards the future. The Neo-Bridges Automatic Titanium picks up the
architectural construction design codes cherished by Constant Girard, creator of
the Esmeralda pocket watch that was honoured in 1889 by a first prize at the Paris
Universal Exhibition. It also echoes the theatrical nature of the creations by Jean-
François Bautte who, in the late 18th century, designed horological instruments
employing a playful approach to displaying the passing hours in order to demystify
the flow of time and thus transform watches into pure kinetic works of art.
The dynamics of visual balance
Within this magnificently staged watchmaking show, the new GP08400 self-wind-
ing 14 ¼-ligne movement with micro-rotor forms an inseparable whole with the 45
mm-diameter titanium case that is water-resistant to 30 metres, fitted with a black
alligator leather strap secured by a titanium triple folding clasp. This captivating
movement featuring perfect symmetry – thanks to the judicious positioning of
the micro-rotor along the same axis as the barrel drum ensuring a 50-hour power
reserve – is first and foremost designed to draw the eye. The architecture does
indeed capture the gaze, especially since it is reinforced by contemporary finishing
including sandblasting, NAC treatment of the mainplate, and a PVD coating on
the delicately curved bridges. This ensemble with its sophisticated graphic design
is endowed with an infinitely hypnotic charm thanks to the presence at 6 o’clock
of a large 10.15 mm-diameter variable-inertia balance wheel oscillating at a fre-
quency of 3 Hertz (21,600 vibrations per hour). The generous size of the balance
makes it less subject to disturbances and therefore more accurate.
2