Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock

Born in the mid-1970s and relaunched a few years ago, the Laureato is GP’s answer to the growing market of the luxury sports watch. This classic watch has been joined recently with a bolder, sportier edition, the Laureato Absolute. With this new 100-piece limited edition, the design of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato is reinforced by an unusual material. Indeed, the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock is crafted from carbon glass. A sandwich-style dial sits above a Manufacture self-winding chronograph movement held inside a case that weighs just 94 grams. Overview.

Signatures of the sports watch

When we think of the steel sports watch craze of the 1970s, we instantly recall Gerald Genta’s recognizable Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch design, identified by a unique, trendsetting octagonal-shaped bezel and a portal-inspired aesthetic that collectors far and wide just couldn’t resist. Girard-Perregaux developed its own take on a steel sports watch a few years later. Released with a cushion-shaped case, an octagonal bezel close to that of the Royal Oak, and a robust integrated bracelet, the Laureato was the brand’s modular steel sports watch with polished finishes and yellow gold accents. 

Fast forward to 2017 when Girard-Perregaux launched a fully fledged Laureato collection making this style of watch available in many variations, from a three-hand and date to chronographs or skeletonized models. The style of the Laureato watch then began to evolve into a trendier, modernized companion for the wrist, with lightweight titanium cases coated in black PVD treatments and ergonomic rubber straps. Respecting the legacy of the Laureato, and keeping in line with this younger generation of Absolute models released in 2019, the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock watch is an evolution of the Laureato Absolute Passion that MONOCHROME covered back in February. It keeps its bold and confident 44mm case – this time developed from carbon glass. 

The Absolute Crystal Rock Watch

Girard-Perregaux intended the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock to play, once again, on depth and texture with a mix of polished and satin-brushed finishes, straight edges and curved lines. The rectangular push-pieces for example, bear rounded corners unlike the piston-shaped pushers of the “regular” Laureato chronographs. The remarkably strong and lightweight carbon glass case is constructed from layers and layers of carbon fibre and fibreglass, which, when subject to high temperatures, achieves uneven strata. Once milled and shaped, this end result creates a unique finish to each watch. 

The gradient grey-coloured dial of the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock is another take on the ‘layering’ effect. The top surface of the dial is perforated, partially exposing the black lower layer. Depending on the way the light hits the dial, this arrangement can make the cut-out baton-type indices appear recessed into the dial. In a similar fashion, the black or baton-type hands have been treated with luminescent material to aid timekeeping in dark conditions. 

Set behind the chronograph hours, minutes, and small seconds counters on the dial is a 419-part self-winding modular movement. The calibre GP03300-1058 offers a date window a 4:30, a performance of 28,800 vibrations per hour and a 46-hour power reserve. The movement is faithful to the Laureato collection, having featured in the 38mm steel and 18k rose gold iterations, as well as the Laureato Absolute Passion Racing Red chronograph.

Cleverly, Girard-Perregaux’s play on texture extends into the strap details of the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock watch. A grey rubber strap is completed with a fabric-effect surface and grey stitching. The model’s additional black rubber strap with the same fabric decoration will, no doubt, provide a more classic, sporty option when desired. 

Availability and Price

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Crystal Glass Limited Edition watch is subject to just 100 pieces worldwide and is priced at USD 16,900.

More details at www.girard-perregaux.com.