Girard-Perregaux
- Founded
- 1791
- Based in
- La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
- In our catalog
- 3 watches from $8,300 to $20,000
Girard-Perregaux is one of those brands that collectors love and the wider public barely knows. Its history goes back to the eighteenth century, it built one of the most beautiful tourbillons ever made, and it played a key role in the development of the quartz watch. Today its best-known model is the Laureato, a steel sports watch from the 1970s that came back strongly in the 2010s.
History
The company traces its roots to Jean-François Bautte, a Geneva watchmaker who started making watches in 1791. In 1854 Constant Girard married Marie Perregaux and founded Girard-Perregaux in La Chaux-de-Fonds; it later took over the Bautte firm. In 1889 Girard-Perregaux won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition for a tourbillon whose movement was held by three parallel arrow-shaped gold bridges, a design that remains the brand's emblem.
The company was a pioneer of high-frequency movements in the 1960s and helped develop quartz in the 1970s; the 32,768 Hz frequency it adopted became the industry standard. In 1975 it launched the Laureato, an integrated-bracelet steel watch whose name comes from the Italian title of the film The Graduate. Girard-Perregaux was owned by Kering from 2011 and became independent again in 2022 through a management buyout, alongside sister brand Ulysse Nardin.
Signature models
- Laureato 42: The sports watch with an octagonal bezel and an integrated bracelet, relaunched in 2016 and now a core line.
- Laureato Chronograph 42: The chronograph version of the Laureato, with a sporty but elegant feel.
- 1966 Background: A slim, classical dress watch from the 1966 collection.
- Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges: The brand's signature high complication.
What it's known for
GP makes its own movements, offers some of the most beautiful skeletonized tourbillons in the industry, and its Laureato is a good alternative to more famous integrated-bracelet watches.
Price and positioning
Girard-Perregaux watches cost from about $8,000 for a 1966 to around $18,000 for a Laureato chronograph, with tourbillons far above. It sits alongside Jaeger-LeCoultre, Zenith and Vacheron's entry models. Pre-owned prices are often attractive because the brand has less hype than its peers.
Girard-Perregaux watches in our library
- Girard-Perregaux 1966 Background ($8,300 to $9,100)
- Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 ($14,500 to $15,900)
- Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42 ($18,500 to $20,000)