Bridging the classic complications to the new world
Being 235 years old doesn’t stop Girard Perregaux from being progressive and innovative with the spirit of modernity, as it sits seamlessly with its family of traditional DNA. A Maison that isn’t afraid of being current and relevant in the modern world. We have seen their new interpretation of their three bridges, their reintroduction of the 70s Laureato and other retro pieces alongside the newest, and the use of high-tech materials, and the list goes on.
Recently, Girard Perregaux has been on fire, unveiling masterpieces in succession, wowing us with their acumen as masters of watchmaking. The latest addition to the family haute horlogerie is the Minute Repeater Flying Bridge. The thoroughly modern classic aesthetics with minimum fuss and detail, clean and pure lines, culminate in a modern 46mm pink gold case with brush-polish finishing that enhances the robust case, made elegant by the openwork dial. A sapphire box seals and displays the latest marvel from the Manufacture. The classic grand complications, not one but two, are being hosted by the latest in-house developed and Manufacture Calibre GP9530, a modern architecture that just made its debut, with its equally modern reinterpretation of iconic 3 bridges conceived in the mid 1800s, with the new 2+1 layout.
The first thing one notices is the two golden bridges, blackened on top for a powerful but discreet aesthetic contrasting against the rhodium-plated components of the calibre. The smaller bridge sits at the bottom of the dial, hosting the gem of a grand complication, the flying tourbillon, which is also the home of the continuous seconds. The bigger bridge straddles across the middle, anchoring the gold skeleton hours and minutes hands coated with blue emission luminescent. Surrounding the inner gold bezel is the faceted applique hour indexes coated with blue emission luminescent, and black minute transfers in between.
Last but not least, the minute repeater, the star and the namesake of the timepiece, a grand complication that has been the pride of the Maison’s long history. The first thing we noticed is the gong of the minute repeater encircled around the flange twice for a long reverberation of the resonance of the tone and anchored and fastened to the housing at 12 o’clock with a hammer on each side to resonate freely in pitch-perfect and crystal-clear acoustic around the box sapphire case when they strike on command. When activated, by sliding the lever on the left side of the case, the minute repeater will chime the minutes, quarters and the hours in different pitches and intervals, in a four-note (G, D, E and C) melody. The Minute Repeater is no small feat as it is one of the most complicated grand complications to make, and it is the most challenging to engineer and construct. The result has always been a pleasure to master for watchmakers, as it’s not just an engineering wonder but also an aural pleasure. The most entertaining of them all.
When you flip the masterpiece over, you will see the third blackened golden bridge at the bottom holding the reverse side of the flying tourbillon to secure and protect it from shock. While we are here, we can clearly see the new architecture of the skeleton bridge: a central baguette bridge that runs from top to bottom and the round formation of the skeleton bridge, which fastens the main spring barrel on the left, which harnesses 60 hours when fully wound; and on the right, it fastens the micro rotor. The entire movement is plated with rhodium, apart from the blackened golden bridges.
The modern aesthetics with classic grand complications is indeed a masterpiece that truly represents our current era, with the soul of traditional watchmaking. The Girard Perregaux Minute Repeater Flying Bridges is a collector and connoisseur’s dream.
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