Girard-Perregaux expands its Laureato series with two new 38 mm references that emphasize precision gem-setting and elevated design. These new additions, enhance the octagonal bezel’s visual impact through expertly selected diamonds and sapphires, offering fresh interpretations of a shape already familiar to watch collectors.
WATCHES
Focusing on the interaction of light, color, and surface, the first model features a bezel set with 32 baguette-cut diamonds, totaling approximately three carats. The brand designed a unique channel that accommodates each custom-cut stone. The octagonal shape gently widens toward the corners, allowing for subtle shifts in diamond size and placement. The invisible setting technique used here maximizes the brilliance of each stone without visible support structures. Each gem rests within a structure calibrated for alignment and brightness, underscoring Girard-Perregaux’s commitment to craft.
The dial of this first reference uses white gold, patterned with a Clous de Paris texture. Designers intentionally left out the standard dial text between 4 and 8 o’clock, allowing the surface to remain open and focused. The watch introduces tonal depth through subtle contrasts rather than overt decoration. White gold indices and the GP logo reflect the material language of the bezel, continuing the quiet precision throughout the face of the piece.
This execution doesn’t rely on visual excess. Instead, it draws the viewer in through fine adjustments in tone, polish, and scale. The watch expresses presence not through complication, but through balance.
For those seeking a more vivid palette, Girard-Perregaux introduces a second 38 mm model that uses a bezel set with 10 brilliant-cut diamonds (about 0.177 carats) and 46 brilliant-cut sapphires (about 0.798 carats). The design builds color gradually, starting near 6 o’clock with clear diamonds and progressing toward deeper sapphire blues as the bezel arcs toward 12 o’clock. The largest stones appear at the corners, amplifying the shape of the octagon and creating a smooth shift in saturation and size.
The dial uses grey as its base color, retaining the Clous de Paris texture. Blue text adds contrast, reinforcing the bezel’s visual rhythm. This approach brings energy to the Laureato’s classic format without losing the sharpness of its design logic.
Both references run on the in-house GP03300 calibre. Girard-Perregaux assembles this movement at its manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It features a pink gold oscillating weight, decorated with circular Côtes de Genève, that gathers kinetic energy from the wearer’s wrist. Once removed, the watch continues to function for a minimum of 46 hours.
The movement includes 218 components and 27 jewels. Its specifications support hours, minutes, central seconds, and a date function. Additional finishes such as engraved gilded text, straight Côtes de Genève on the bridges, mirror-polished screws, and circular graining on the main plate contribute to the overall design. These elements reflect Girard-Perregaux’s integrated approach to horology, where internal engineering aligns with external elegance.
The Laureato first appeared in the 1970s when high-end manufacturers began producing steel watches with integrated bracelets. Unlike other brands, Girard-Perregaux created the Laureato entirely in-house, from movement to casing. This control allowed for a refined product from the outset, combining performance and design flexibility.
Since then, the Laureato has evolved through multiple variations, including changes in dial finishes, complications, and materials. With these two new references, the brand continues this process by focusing on material interaction and formal restraint. Both models carry the familiar silhouette, octagonal bezel on a circular base over a tonneau-shaped case, with surfaces alternating between polished and satin finishes. The integrated bracelet maintains the model’s reputation for comfort, while the gem-set bezels enhance its visual rhythm.
Girard-Perregaux will make both versions of the Laureato 38 mm available globally starting April 15, 2025. Each reflects the manufacture’s approach to modern watchmaking, technical precision expressed through careful proportion, material depth, and mechanical clarity.
