Girard-Perregaux Goes Full Aston Martin Racing Green in New Ceramic Laureato

It’s a good time to be an Aston Martin fan. Review embargoes finally lifted on their next generation hypercar, the Valkyrie (spoiler alert, it’s bonkers); their Formula 1 team is showing a shocking amount of pace with the legendary Spainiard, Fernando Alonso (don’t call him old) at the wheel; and finally, as of today, that iconic Aston Martin Racing Green is now available in the new fully ceramic Laureato from Girard-Perregaux. The Laureato is low key one of the great integrated sport watches at the high end, and this is the first time it’s been offered in AMR green, as well as being fully rendered in ceramic. 

The newest limited edition additions to the Laureato range will be offered in both the 38mm and 42mm sizing, mirroring what is currently offered elsewhere in the collection. More options is never a bad thing in our book, though in my brief time with the watch I found the 38mm to wear exceptionally well given the shape of the case. Unlike other integrated watches, the Laureato manages the lug transition in a way that more closely resembles the footprint of a more traditional lug placement, leading to a more ‘true to size’ experience with the watch. With that in mind, the 42mm doesn’t wear overly large, and given the weight of the watches will not present much in the way of heft, either.

Both sizes are relatively scant, with the 42mm measuring 11mm in thickness, and the 38mm measuring a hair over 10mm in thickness. With a case and bracelet constructed of titanium, these watches are exceptionally light on the wrist. In fact, the only part of the exterior that’s not made of ceramic, a small piece to support the springbar at the first link of the bracelet, is titanium. 

Each of the watches use a slightly different movement to best fit the case size. The 38mm case gets the GP03300, while the 42mm case gets the slightly larger GP01800. Both are visible through the caseback. I appreciate the use of different movements here to keep the date window from floating inward. Both are Girard-Perregaux movements, with the GP03300 being derived from the famous 3100 caliber, which has a rather storied history (a story for another day).

The G-P Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition (it’s official name) is nearly uniform in color, with small variances arising from textures and finishes, as well as dial components that mercifully allow for an appropriate level of legibility. The green is dark and leans into the cooler sections of the hue, and is for all intents and purposes, the same as BRG (British Racing Green), appropriately. It’s the same color seen on many Aston Martin vehicles, and of course the same shade currently found on the AMR23 Formula 1 car. In watch form, the color works surprisingly well alternating between the brushed and polished surfaces of the watch. It’s colorful, but still somewhat discreet in true British fashion.

The dial gets a cross-hatching texture to break things up a bit, framed by a black chapter ring and white accents on the branding and in the lume of the hands. Even the date disc is color matched to maintain continuity. The black of the chapter ring and of the frame of the hands is the same value as the green itself, keeping the highest contrast moments between the dial and the time and date components. 

Overall the classic design of the Laureato takes the color scheme quite well, taking on a new character in the process but without ditching its identity in the process. The Laureato is a great base design, penned by Italian architect Adolfo Natalini in the mid ‘70s, so it’s no surprise to see it utilized so well in a very modern construction method such as ceramic. 

The Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition will be limited in production, with the 42mm variant getting a run of 388 examples, and the 38mm getting just 188 examples. Pricing is set at $25,800 and $25,000 respectively. Given the notoriety of the Aston Martin Racing team this year I wouldn’t be surprised to see more collaborations to celebrate the partnership throughout the year, but a big part of the appeal of this watch is the lack of any noticeable branding crossover while on wrist. The Aston Martin wings are emblazoned on the exhibition caseback, but being a fan of the cars or that brand is not a requisite to enjoy this one. 

Learn more about the latest Laureato from Girard-Perregaux, and keep an eye out for a more in-depth look at the Laureato coming soon.