The Gentleman Magazine Issue 10 | August 2018 | Page 7
THE NEW LAUREATO TOURBILLON
Differentiating the Tourbillon by a titanium bridge
Gravity has no particular influence on the running of a watch
worn by contemporary, active and often sporty men today, as
it formerly did with pocket watches whose movements were
liable to experience variations in precision. Nonetheless, the
several hundred elements composing an Haute Horlogerie
calibre remain subject to friction several times per second.
Regularity and accuracy were thus absolute requirements for
Girard-Perregaux. The Tourbillon, appearing in frequently
daring and complex guises, is a horological complication
that holds a fundamental place in its quest for chronometric
perfection.
The age-old requirements of Haute Horlogerie and high-tech
materials; supreme precision and daily wear; the original icon
from 1975 and modern-day man focused firmly on the present:
the new Laureato Tourbillon establishes the perfect connection
between these widely diverse elements.
Radiating a strong presence on the wrist with its 43mm
diameter, this creation is joining the Laureato line that made its
grand comeback in 2016, initially as a limited edition marking
Girard-Perregaux’ 225th Anniversary, and then a year later as
a constantly expanding collection enjoying equally growing
success.
The new Laureato Tourbillon features the entire set of
characteristics that give meaning to a watch: stylish aesthetics,
horological content stemming from historical skills, and
the powerful design of a tourbillon held by an arrow-shaped
bridge.
“Consciousness is a bridge between that which has been and
that which will be, a bridge between the past and the future”,
wrote Henri Bergson in his questioning of the concept of
duration.
What is it that makes a watch appealing and ensures that it
remains so across the decades, unhindered by any potential
obstacles and instead building on its ongoing credibility? Our
memories keep the past alive, while our imagination makes
the future appear tangible. In the mid-1970s, the octagonal
bezel topping the integrated case and bracelet of the first
Laureato featured an unusual aesthetic for masculine watches.
For the new Laureato Tourbillon, the Manufacture has opted
for a 43mm-diameter bezel, a decision that enables the
watch to express a distinctive and dynamic personality, while
safeguarding its elegant character.
This quest for excellence was rewarded in 2017 by the Tourbillon
Watch Prize that honoured the Manufacture for La Esmeralda
Tou rbillon at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The new
Laureato Tourbillon epitomises this well-mastered expertise.
It is driven by the proprietary GP 09510-0003 movement of
which the Tourbillon with its lyre-shaped carriage is composed
of 81 parts weighing just 0.44 grams. This movement features
automatic winding – in this instance enabled by a micro-rotor
designed in such a way that it does not block the view of the
movement’s beauty. Playing a starring role in this fascinating
show, an arrow-shaped bridge holds the Tourbillon at 6 o’clock
and thus imparts an immediately recognisable signature. In
keeping with the aesthetic choices behind the development
of the Laureato Tourbillon, this bridge is made of titanium.
The entire movement is graced with finishes – chamfering,
polishing, Côtes de Genève, circular graining – performed by
the expert hands of in-house artisans.
Offering a fresh vision of elegance
The new Laureato Tourbillon is endowed with a powerful
identity conferred by its octagonal bezel topping an integrated
case extended by the metal bracelet with its wide supple links
in a perfectly flowing design. The polished and satin-brushed
surfaces create subtle depth effects and enliven the watch as it
plays with light. Crafted from titanium, a light and ultra-sturdy
material, it is intended for daily wear and designed to support
the rough and tumble of a busy life without encumbering the
wrist by an overly intrusive presence. It embodies a resolutely
different, free-spirited, liberty-loving vision of elegance.
The traditional Clous de Paris hobnail dial motif lends structure
and strikes a pleasing contrast with the sportier baton-type
hour-markers. Blue accents on the latter as well as on the blued
steel hands set the perfect finishing touches to the aesthetic
harmony of the watch face.
With authentic panache and empowered by its horological
content, the new Laureato Tourbillon takes its place within
a line that is diversifying in an ever-attentive response to the
demanding expectations of today’s men.
The Gentleman Magazine | 07