Girard-Perregaux revives a cult 1970s icon.
Bold, whimsical and divisive when it was introduced in 1976, the Girard-Perergaux Casquette was an unusual sight that one wouldn’t forget easily. This year, the brand decides to revive the watch for a new generation of fans and, by doing so, slips itself into the zeitgeist of mod-throwback watches, while surprising us with something slightly more off-beat and mischievous than the characteristic horological sobriety offered by its range tourbillons and dressy vintage-inspired collections.
Unambiguously named Casquette 2.0, the revived timepiece takes the 1976 original’s over-the-top, race car-spirit infused excitement, and pimps its unmistakable case and bracelet in sexy black ceramic with alternate glossy and matte finish. Paired with a titanium caseback and pushers, the watch weighs a mere 107g, its lightweight and robust qualities complementing the watch’s racy aesthetic.
Like before, the Casquette 2.0 runs on a quartz movement - but a modern one this time, of course - the Calibre GP03980, which also displays the month, year, chronograph, second time zone and a ‘secret’ programmable memory date, in addition to the time. The new movement also allows the wearer to view the time only on demand, preserving battery life such that it can last for about two years.
The original Casquette had a production run of only two years, of which only 8,200 were produced, making it a highly sought-after collectible for Girard-Perregaux fans. The last modern-day production of the watch was in 2021, when Girard-Perregaux collaborated with Bamford Watch Department to create a piece-unique for the Only Watch charity auction. The new Casquette 2.0 is primed to be just as hotly coveted, limited to just 820 pieces and available only at select Girard-Perregaux retailer boutiques.
