ReviewThe Bare Affair: A Look Inside The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton Steel And Pink Gold
Adding to the riveting Laureato Skeleton series are the 42mm editions in stainless steel and in pink gold, featuring a robust grey galvanised movement, visible through the skeletonised dial
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Swiss luxury watchmaker Girard-Perregaux introduced the Laureato in 1975—an avant-garde luxury sports watch featuring a steel body, paired with a metal bracelet and a quartz movement. The octagonal bezel with its straight lines bordered a simple white dial, making it a versatile timepiece. Now a timeless design, the watch has evolved with the times to offer a contemporary, energetic, and playful Laureato collection that is now powered by an automatic mechanical movement. This modern family of watches features members like the Laureato 42mm with a green dial, the Laureato Tourbillon 45mm in titanium and rose gold, and the Laureato Chronograph 42mm in steel with a silver dial. But the collection also offers intense flavours with several Laureato skeleton watches, including the Laureato Absolute Light and Light & Fire editions, the Laureato Earth to Sky edition, and not to mention the gorgeous and very lucid 42mm Laureato Skeleton in steel, and the Laureato Skeleton in pink gold.
Laureato Skeleton: Watches In Steel And Pink Gold
Laureato Skeletons are dressy sports watches that follow a superb design philosophy and also pack solid power within. The family of skeleton watches has two new additions in the appealing and desirable 42mm steel Laureato Skeleton and in pink gold.
A steel bracelet that features a steel triple-folding buckle completes the look of the steel Laureato Skeleton, while the pink gold model is also paired with a matching bracelet. The shades of both watches have been extended to other elements as well. For the steel version, the hour markers, the GP badging, and the hands don a metal look to match the sturdy style of the steel Laureato Skeleton. As for the pink gold, these elements appear in the same gilt shade to augment its finesse.
The open-worked components of these skeleton models are all decorated by hand and offer a mesmerising view into the heart of its mechanical movement. Water-resistant up to 100 metres, both models are driven by the GP01800-0006 automatic movement, which beats at a frequency of 4Hz and delivers an impressive power reserve of around 54 hours, powering functions like hours, minutes, and small seconds.
Commanding-Looking Skeletons
These skeleton timepieces are truly works of art with fine attention to detail that honours the maison‘s ingenious craftsmanship. Although not visible instantly, observing the dial between nine and 10 o’clock shows the sweep seconds in a sub-dial, driven by the seconds wheel. The GP and Girard-Perregaux badging find suitable positions on the dial around the bridges for an unobtrusive appearance. While the warm hues of the pink gold skeleton come to life with the grey galvanised movement, the steel version with its coated grey movement presents a commanding look.
Speaking of looks, these Laureato timepieces keep up with the octagonal bezel architecture of their siblings and are presented with brilliant polishing and finishes for sheen and exuberance. Both the steel and pink gold Laureato Skeleton timepieces are fitted with a sapphire crystal display caseback secured by six screws, allowing the wearer to view the engine working its magic on turning the watch over. The speedy oscillation of the regulating organ with its variable inertia is awe-inspiring and, of course, elusive.
Ceramic Skeletons
These steel and gold iterations diversify the Laureato Skeleton series, which has two more models in ceramic that are just as breathtaking. The Earth to Sky Edition is set in a 42mm black ceramic case that houses a blue-coated calibre, giving the watch its bold and sprightly aesthetic.
The other, a 42mm skeleton version is entirely clad in black ceramic, which makes for a discreet design, adding power and depth to the dark shade of the watch. Both ceramic versions are paired with a black ceramic bracelet, featuring a triple-folding buckle.
The Earth to Sky Edition and the ceramic Laureato Skeleton are both powered by self-winding mechanical movements. The two iterations in ceramic are water-resistant up to 100 metres and also provide autonomy of around 54 hours.