Girard-Perregaux  Laureato  Watches

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Watches: Sleek and Versatile

Reintroduced in 2016, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato collection was redesigned with new sizes, colors, and embellishments. It still retained its original octagonal bezel on top of a ring trademark in the Girard-Perregaux timepieces along with the integrated bracelet that intrigued watch enthusiasts. This octagon and ring combination was intended to make different reflections of light against the timepiece — an unnoticed detail that truly adds aesthetic. The collection offers cases measuring 44mm, 42mm, 38mm, and 34mm that will complement the wrists of both men and women. These watches are made with materials such as stainless steel, ceramic, titanium, carbon glass,  sapphire crystal, and gold. In addition, for a fancier timepiece, there are also pieces adorned with precious diamonds on their octagon-shaped bezels. 

Prices at a Glance: Most Popular Girard-Perregaux Laureato Watches

How much does a Girard-Perregaux Laureato watch cost? 

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph watches offer a wide variety of designs and aesthetics that caters to all men and women. It has case sizes ranging from 38mm to 44mm made with materials such as steel, carbon glass, Titanium PVD, and pink gold. Along with that are several dial styles, such as mother-of-pearl, Clous de Paris pattern, and a classic plain colored. These are offered in shades of blue, black, and silver. 

Furthermore, the dials of these watches look handsome and chic especially the patterned ones since the added texture is more visually appealing. In the middle of 4 and 5 o’clock is a date display feature, while at 3 o’clock a 60-second counter, at 6 o’clock is a minute counter, and at 9 o’clock is an hour counter. As for the straps, there are leather, steel, and rubber. For a stainless steel watch, it will cost you $15,100 USD to $15,800 USD. However, the ladies’ watch Girard-Perregaux Laureato Ref. 81040D11A771-BB7B with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.94 cts) is priced at a higher price of $20,400 USD. The cheapest timepieces for the pink gold, carbon glass, and titanium are $31,100 USD, $13,500 USD, and $16,700 — listed in order of the materials mentioned. 

Shifting to the carbon glass chronograph watch, we have the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Rock. This is one of the newest models under the Laureato collection. It leans more towards the sporty look due to its urban design particularly its case and bezel. For example, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Rock Ref. 81060-36-691-FH6A has an interesting blue marble-like pattern that matches with the blue stitching of its rubber strap. With its black dial, it makes this feature stand out. In addition, the 44mm carbon glass case is lightweight yet highly durable. In fact, it was presented at the 2019 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) — an invite-only trade show. To top this off is the Laureato Absolute logo engraving at the back of the timepiece. Although, keep in mind that this particular model is only limited to 100 pieces and costs $16,700 USD each. So, if you cannot get your hands on this timepiece, you can go for the Ref. 81060-21-491-FH6A. It has a titanium PVD case, blue with a sunray motif dial, and a rubber strap. This costs $13,500 USD.

For a more eye-catching timepiece, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato  Skeleton line is truly out of the ordinary. This is due to the fact that the watch does not have a dial. Instead, it has a skeleton-like structure that acts like a cage for the caliber. The front and back has a sapphire crystal glass so you can see-through the watch and appreciate the intricate movement inside. No need to worry, though, since there are still indexes for the hours circling the sides of the skeleton with the 12 o’clock, featuring the “GP” logo. Below the logo is the balance wheel and between the 5 and 6 o’clock is a neatly coiled mainspring. Although the mainspring is not centered at 6 o'clock, its positioning together with the balance wheel balances the look of the face of the watch. To soften the industrial looking timepiece, you can opt for a pink gold case and bracelet, like the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Ref. 81015-52-002-52A which costs about $66,900 USD. If you are more into ceramics, you can check out the Ref. 81015-32-001-32A that is priced at $40,300 USD. It also comes in stainless steel which costs $35,300 USD.

2020 Girard-Perregaux Laureato Models: What’s New 

Introduced in 2020, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light is an innovative timepiece with an intricate and modern design. What is unique about this watch is that the case has a titanium skeleton making it lightweight. This skeleton also reflects light that can be seen through the 44mm sapphire crystal case causing it to look as if it is lit up and lights are dancing when you move your wrist. A timepiece with this kind of case is extremely difficult and time consuming  to create therefore it takes a highly skilled, patient and meticulous watchmaker to build it. 

Housed inside the sapphire crystal case is the in-house GP01800 automatic caliber. This self-winding movement has a power reserve of 54 hours and a gold oscillating weight. In addition, the caliber is shaped in an octagon to match the eight-sided bezel sitting atop of a ring. The watch does not have a dial and has a sapphire crystal caseback which enables you to see the complex movement inside that gets filled in with the light reflected from the skeleton of the case. At 12 o’clock you will see the “GP” that stands for Girard-Perregaux and right below it is the balance wheel. Looking in between 5 and 6 o’clock, you will spot the mainspring barrel which makes the face of the watch quite even and organized. Lastly, at 10 o’clock is a small seconds counter. As for the hands, part of it is luminescent for easier time reading at night. To give the spotlight to the main watch, it is given a simple rubber strap with a titanium folding buckle. Unfortunately, this model is only limited to 88 pieces so if ever you are planning to purchase this masterpiece, you will need to prepare $88,900 USD.

Another watch worth checking is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Ghost. This timepiece is born from the collaboration of Girard-Perregaux with Bamford Watch Department- a company offering luxury watches. The distinct feature of this is its all white color which led to its name, Laureato Ghost. The monochromatic color of the watch gives it a clean, modern, and chic look. Its case is made from ceramic while the strap is made from calf leather. Even the triple folding buckle with steel blades has a white ceramic cover. To keep in line with the clean look, it has a clutter-free white dial with a Clou de Paris pattern. At 3 o'clock there is a date display window and at 6 o’clock you will see the “LAUREATO BAMFORD” insignia. Of course, it also has the classic Laureato identification- the octagon bezel. As expected, this is a limited edition. This model is only available in 45 pieces and is priced at $14,600 USD.

History Behind the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Collection

Launched in 1972, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato gained popularity out of all the Girard-Perregaux watches due to its uncommon octagon-shaped bezel. The first model released is somewhat similar to what the collection has today. The original design had of course, the eccentric gold bezel, sitting atop a gold ring on a matte steel case. The cushion-shaped case matched the steel integrated bracelet that had a gold line down the middle that complemented with the rest of the gold details. Looking at the white hobnail patterned dial, it has a date window at 3 o’clock and the “GP” logo at 12 o’clock. To achieve the elegant look, the brand opted for a minimalist face. The hours were marked with slim gold lines that harmonized with the gold sleek hands. In addition, a simple “Girard-Perregaux” writing was placed below 12 o’clock together with a sophisticated cursive “Quartz Chronometer” on top of 6 o’clock. After this, several Girard-Perregaux Laureato models were released. such as the Laureato EVO 3 in 2003 that was identified due to the rubber lining between the bezel and the case and the Laureato tourbillon that had three sapphire bridges. Unfortunately, following the release of these watches, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato collection became inactive until its reappearance in 2016.

5 Reasons to Buy a Girard-Perregaux Laureato Watch

A timepiece that has a mix of retro, sporty, and elegant aesthetic along with high-quality material is such a great buy. Here are the reasons why you should get yourself a Girard-Perregaux Laureato watch:

1. Eccentric octagon-shaped bezel and an integrated band

2. Variety of case materials such as steel, pink gold, ceramic, carbon class, and sapphire and titanium

3. Unique structure of the Laureato Skeleton

4. Beautiful Clous de Paris patterned dials

5. Limited-edition watches

Girard-Perregaux Laureato: Sporty-Elegant Watches 

A Girard-Perregaux Laureato is a confidence-boosting timepiece due to the variety of stunning styles to choose from. They are sporty yet elegant and luxurious, perfect for semi-formal to formal outfits. With its one-of-kind structure, you will surely stand out from the crowd.