An enigmatic bluish-grey hue that stops you in your tracks
Some watches demand a second glance. The new Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm deserves more than that. It carries that familiar sharp-meets-smooth silhouette while hiding a serious bit of artistry beneath the sapphire.
The dial is pure Grand Feu enamel, created through a slow, nerve-wracking, artisan-level process done entirely in-house by Girard-Perregaux’s Sowind Group. A mix of silica, minium, potash, soda, and carefully measured metal oxides is ground into a fine powder, brushed onto the dial in wafer-thin layers, and fired in a kiln at 800°C. This is repeated up to 10 times. Any bubble or hairline crack means rejection. The survivors emerge in deep bluish-grey, impossibly glossy, and practically immortal. They will never fade, dull, or age.
Beneath the enamel lies a sunray flinqué motif, adding an almost 3-D shimmer when the light catches it. The result is a dial that shifts character with the hour, the weather, and even your cuff. Enamel was the natural choice here—not just for its beauty, but for its ability to remain unchanged for decades.
The rest of the watch stays true to the Laureato design code. Octagonal bezel on a circular plinth, tonneau-shaped case with alternating polished and brushed finishes, slim profile, and integrated steel bracelet combine for effortless comfort. Rhodium-plated hands, a gold-bridge-inspired counterweight on the seconds hand, and a colour-matched date window complete the picture.
Inside beats the in-house GP01800 calibre, just 3.97mm thick with a 54-hour power reserve. Visible through the caseback, its pink gold rotor with circular Côtes de Genève, straight Côtes on the bridges, mirror-polished screws, bevelled edges, and circular graining are all hallmarks of Girard-Perregaux’s 230-year-old commitment to fine watchmaking.
The Laureato 42mm Grand Feu enamel proves that an icon can be reimagined with fresh detail while keeping every ounce of its original soul.
