ReviewThe Curious Case Of The Light And Shade: Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato Absolute In Metallised Sapphire Crystal

For a watch that’s based on the iconic design of the Laureato, the Absolute Laureato Light and Shade is quite a far cry from its roots. However, that’s precisely what makes this timepiece as special as it is. Put simply, it’s what happens when you combine over 200 years of watchmaking prowess with a proven classic. Of late, the Laureato collection has been witnessing a revival of sorts, with skeletonised iterations, larger, bolder timepieces, and even different colours. The Absolute Light and Shade you see here is a novelty that follows from the recent revival of the series. How it might be received by wearers and aficionados is yet to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—it’s quite the eye candy, with the details to back it up.

The Graduate That Breathed New Life Into Girard-Perregaux

It’s safe to say that when a brand does something for well over 200 years consecutively, they’re quite good at what they do. It didn’t, however, take the maison quite that long to gain a knack for watchmaking. Highly acclaimed for many of their collections, including the likes of the Bridges and the 1966, they had already established their name as a horological heavyweight by the time the Laureato came around.

Laureato, which literally translates to ‘graduate’ in Italian, was a timepiece launched by the maison in 1975—an era when integrated sports watches were basking in the limelight. Immediately making a name for itself amongst heavy hitters such as Patek Philippe’s Nautilus and Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, it was clear that the work of the Milanese architect Adolfo Natalini stood out to watch enthusiasts. Originally introduced as a quartz chronometer timepiece, this much-revered rendition of an archetype has undergone several changes in its rich history. With the ‘Absolute’ series of the collection—first released in 2019—the brand dared to experiment a bit further, with larger case sizes and new materials. That, in itself, gives Light and Shade solid ground from which to propel itself. And boy, propel it did.

The Light And Shade And Its Curious Case

Measuring 44mm in diameter, it features (almost) everything you’d expect from a Girard-Perregaux Laureato, but the details here paint a different picture. The case of this piece is made from metallised sapphire crystal, crafting which, according to the maison, requires 170 hours of labour per case.

How? Well, a bit of voodoo, a bit of magic, a bit of chemical X, et voila! Okay, it’s probably not that easy. In fact, sapphire crystal cases as a whole are notoriously difficult to make. This particular case uses the ‘Kyropoulos growth method’, which involves different heating points to produce large, high-quality cylindrical crystals. Alumina powder—a ceramic material—is transformed into a solid block of sapphire crystal, which is then machined to form the shapes you see on the watch. Post-metallisation, the sapphire attains the smoky look that instantly draws your attention.

The NAC-treated bridges and main plate feature finishing such as sandblasting, traits tirés, circular satin finishing and bevelling, and 55 hand-polished inner angles

₹98,20,000

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The clear view of the in-house calibre GP01800-1143 showcases exactly what we think defines this piece: an exercise in watchmaking prowess on a contemporary version of a classic

₹98,20,000

Check Our Selling Price

Apart from the meticulously crafted case, there’s plenty more going on with this timepiece. The clear view of the in-house calibre GP01800-1143 showcases exactly what we think defines this piece: an exercise in watchmaking prowess on a contemporary version of a classic. The NAC-treated bridges and main plate feature finishing such as sandblasting, traits tirés, circular satin finishing and bevelling, and 55 hand-polished inner angles. Plus, with a 54-hour power reserve at a 28,800vph beat rate, it’s clear to see a union of form and function here.

The unobstructed view of the movement makes for a stunning view, a worthy replacement to the traditional Clous de Paris Laureato dial

To tell the time, you can rely on the legibility of the chunky hour and minute markers which follow the skeletonised motif. The outer chapter ring features polished peaks, which double as hour markers. Black PVD-treated titanium lugs make the classic silhouette of the Laureato possible, without compromising the aesthetic.

The Absolute Before The Light And Shade

Such iterations of the Laureato aren’t something we haven’t seen before from the maison. The Absolute Laureato collection features similar skeletonised versions such as the ‘Earth to Sky’ edition. Even with the Light and Shade came the Light and Fire—a limited edition timepiece that shares many similarities with the star of the show for today.

The case of the Light and Fire is rendered in a new polycrystalline material called YAG. This compound formed by yttrium garnet and aluminium allows the case to hold darker and more richly saturated colours

Measuring 44mm in diameter with a height of 11.56mm, the timepiece boasts a commendable wrist presence, which, we’d say, is accentuated by the unobstructed view of the movement

With the courage to explore new materials and different designs while still somehow maintaining the DNA of the original collection, the brand proudly tell the world that they’re not afraid of experimentation. Though reinterpreting classics is a common theme in the watch world, you rarely see an iteration of an established timepiece so profoundly different from its roots. At the end of the day, however, Girard-Perregaux have achieved what they set out to display—their mastery of working with materials while celebrating their incredible legacy.