INTRODUCING: Girard Perregaux Laureato 50

Ditulis oleh: Leong Wong Dicipta: 02 Oktober 2026

Chic and Sophisticated, rarely does a watch wear the two accolades as well as the Laureato 

Under the 235-year-old Girard Perregaux family of iconic collections, there’s none more successful and epitomised modernity better than the Laureato. One can hardly believe that the collection is celebrating its 50th anniversary; that surprise is a result of its timeless modern aesthetics. It was first launched in 1975; it was supposed to unveil the innovation of the modern era of Swiss timing, which a few companies were also experimenting with, one of the earliest being the quartz movement that went into production. It was bold, modern and strikingly youthful like many of its peers, trying to cast a wider net among the younger and affluent crowds- something different, modern and chic, moving away from their traditional classic. All that happened in the midst of the looming threat from the much cheaper Japanese quartz tsunami. And finally, what could have been an instant icon was retired quietly shortly towards the end of the 70s. 

In the mid 1990s, Girard Perregaux entered the revival of the mechanical movement, with one collection in mind, which just happened to celebrate its 20th year in 1995, and that was the Laureato. This time around it was given a mechanical heart instead- the one you have to play with to make it tick, one you, the horology enthusiasts and connoisseurs, were waiting for. The mechanical movement has returned. It was a slow burner; some ultimately impressive movements began to appear, showing off their long-dormant skills which they still possess to their small but growing fanbase, and of course in limited production. The next few years, it gained momentum, and soon the mechanical movement finally won the world over.

Then came 2016 was when Laureato went through a complete redesign in time to celebrate the 225th Anniversary of Girard Perregaux, and it became a permanent member of the family and a collection of its own. The redesigned timepiece keeps all the basic aesthetics of the original 1965, with sleeker elements, gentler and more refined bevelled corners and also the beautiful finishing; the most noticeable difference is the ‘clous de Paris’ dial on the new Laureato, and also the centre links on the new bracelet are given a refresh. The new aesthetics are more current and on trend, though small it seems, but they are markedly different to the experts’ eyes.

Celebrating the Laureato’s 50th Anniversary, Girard Perregaux brought out two new sizes, the 39mm and the 36mm. The first thing you notice when you put on the current watches is the smooth, round and gently bevelled edges; they feel comfortable and friendly on the wrist, and even the luminous applique indexes and hands look more prominent and yet elegant. Not to mention the current smaller size, which has a much wider appeal for the diminutive sizes, especially the 36mm, which was once considered the normal size. 

The 39mm comes in two variants: a gold dial with a Clous de Paris pattern and gold indexes and gold baton hands, or a blue enamel dial with a Clous de Paris pattern and gold indexes and gold baton hands. The 36mm has the identical details and aesthetics as its larger siblings. It also comes in two variants: a gold dial and a silver dial with a Clous de Paris pattern, with a little adage, a bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds of graduating sizes, for that little touch of chic sophistication. These Anniversary pieces are also a purist's dream, as they bear no date, a rarity in this day and age; it means you can escape from the snare of the darn date.

Both are powered by the new generation in-house developed and Manufacture automatic Calibre GP4800, which emits 4 Hz frequencies or 28,800 VpH; that’s pretty fast for a normal classification, and aids in its precision. It comes with 60 hours of power reserve generated by a pink gold weight and balance bridge. They made a refined, elegant anniversary collection.