Latest Review
If you’ve seen me around in the watch community, it’s very likely you’ve noticed me wearing a Girard-Perregaux Laureato. While I’ve fooled many into thinking I own one of these beauties, the model is in fact my number one requested loaner whenever I have the privilege to borrow a timepiece for a special event. In my years adoring the Laureato, I’ve had the pleasure of trying out several iterations from the bold 42mm (proving that yes, even my rather small 5.75-inch wrist can rock a 42) to the more pared down 38mm. In all the sizes and dial colors that have graced my wrist, one of my favorites has to be the 38mm copper, which, in my humble opinion, is the ideal twist on a two-tone look.
Today, Girard-Perregaux is complicating things for me yet again with some incredibly compelling new takes on the Laureato. First up, we have two variations with a solid 18-karat rose gold dials, one in 39mm and one in 36mm. Unsurprisingly, these deeply rival my former-favorite with the copper dial. I would say the copper is a bit more subtle and subdued with a slightly more matte appearance and a rich shade that lands somewhere between yellow and rose gold. The dial of the new models is decidedly shinier and more reflective with a true rose gold color that is both bright and soft at the same time.
In addition to feeling torn between the previous copper dial version and the new 18-karat rose gold, I’m equally undecided on my favorite proportions for the Laureato. I thought the 38mm ticked all the right boxes for me, but after test driving the new 36mm ahead of the launch, I’m smitten. This brand new size is versatile and wears perfectly while still remaining modern despite a more modest size. In the new 36mm build, Girard-Perregaux also gives us a monochromatic silver dial iteration with a diamond set bezel.
Last but certainly not least is the fourth new addition to the Laureato lineup, bringing an enamel dial to the collection for the first time. Again, those of you who know me are well aware of my obsession with enamel that extends from pure love to practice with three enameling apprenticeships under my belt to date. There’s often a misconception that intricate enamel forms like cloisonne are the most complex, but actually executing a single color with consistency and precision is equally challenging. Here, we have a beautiful shade of blue giving new depth and brilliance to the signature Clous de Paris pattern of the dial. I cannot wait to see this version of the 39mm silhouette in the metal.
Powering each of the four new additions is the automatic GP4800 manufacture caliber. This compact movement measuring just 25.6mm and with a thickness of only 4.28mm is highly versatile for the expanding range of sizes Girard-Perregaux has rolled out in the Laureato line. Still, even with its modest proportions, the brand retains an architecture that draws direct inspiration from its trademark Three Bridges design and, exclusively for this release, the balance bridge has been crafted in rose gold to reinforce the movement’s visual depth and identity.
Each of these four new models join Girard-Perregaux’s catalog today with the 39mm enamel variant priced at $24,500, the diamond-set 36mm iteration priced at $24,200, and both sizes of the rose gold dial version priced at $23,100. For more information, head over directly to Girard-Perregaux.
