the PDF

By Michael Thompson
With its Constant Escapement, a new chronograph
and a slimmed down collection, Girard-Perregaux
signals a new era.
The Girard-Perregaux
Constant Escapement
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The Constant Escapement
took more than five years
of research. This first model
features 271 parts.
years ago at a press conference just prior to the SIHH in Geneva,
watchmakers at Girard-Perregaux presented an interesting concept that
the brand said could revolutionize escapement technology.
When what looked like a butterfly appeared on a large screen, the
assembled press audibly oohed. Puzzled looks, however, were soon replaced by nods as watchmakers (and the late Luigi Macaluso, formerly
the company’s CEO) explained the details of the then-experimental
Constant Escapement.
The idea for the new escapement comes from the long-sought
horological desire to develop more consistent energy transfer to the
balance wheel. Watchmakers have long known how to improve that
energy delivery system with a variety of ‘constant force’ mechanisms
or with more indirect remontoirs using gears, levers and tiny chains.
While these traditional methods come with their own limitations, most
do their duty and increase the consistency of the mainspring’s energy as
it enters the balance.
But Girard-Perregaux sought something new. Drawing from some
previous proposals at Rolex (and indeed hiring Nicolas Déhon, the same
watchmaker who developed the concept there) Girard-Perregaux in
2008 took steps to make something called blade-driven constant force
escapement a reality.
01: Making the blade in the Constant Escapement would have been im-
possible before the use of silicon and the arrival of new manufacturing
techniques like deep reactive ion etching (DRIE).
Girard-Perregaux’s partnership with the CSEM (Swiss Electronics and Micro-engineering Center) in Neuchâtel made the blade feasible. The one-piece
structure is held in virtual levitation and undergoes no friction except at the
moment of the impulse and the flexing of the blade. The energy of the blade
is directly transmitted back to the balance wheel.
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01
03
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Five years later, this journey is complete with the debut of the GirardPerregaux Constant Escapement, as seen on this month’s cover.
Thinner than hair
A blade six times thinner than a human hair is at the center of the butterfly-shaped Constant Escapement. Made of high-tech silicon, the blade
transmits a steady source of energy from the barrel to the watch’s going
train by ‘buckling’ at eye-popping speed.
Déhon was initially inspired when he held a train ticket vertically
between his thumb and forefinger and watched as it snapped from
one side to the other.
As Girard-Perregaux explains: “This blade is flexed to a point as
close as possible to its unstable state, and only needs an infinitesimal
quantity of energy – a micro-impulse given by the balance wheel (less
perturbing than in a lever escapement) – for it to snap from one state
to the other, and in the process, to push the balance wheel forward,
compensating for the variable energy of the barrel and liberating the
same quantity of energy every time.”
Unlike other systems that instead generate a constant force averaged
over time, this device offers an authentic constant force escapement, as
the force is instantaneous and continuous. Continue
02: The movement’s aesthetic is meant to be technical, three-dimensional,
and to also give a nod to tradition, with references to the brand’s past designs,
especially its famed Three Bridges. The wide-open sapphire glass back held in
place by six screws offers another angle of view on the unusual 3-D construction of this unique movement.
03: To offer maximum visibility to the escapement’s butterfly wing frame
and vibrating blade, the hours and minutes occupy a sub-dial off-centered
at 12 o’clock. This is flanked by the two energy reservoirs in the shape of the
double barrels. The power reserve (about one week) is indicated at 9 o’clock.
The watch
To debut this new technology, Girard-Perregaux placed it into a new
watch and made it the first model in a new Haute Horlogerie Constant
Escapement collection.
The movement takes its prominent place in a round 48 mm diameter
case in white gold with a curved case band. The hours and minutes occupy
a subdial off-centered at 12 o’clock and flanked by the two energy reservoirs in the shape of the double barrels. The power reserve, approximately
one week, is indicated at 9 o’clock.
“The watch is revolutionary in every aspect,” notes Michele Sofisti, CEO of
Sowind, parent firm of both Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard.
To Sofisti, the watch is both a technical achievement as well as a reminder
of Girard-Perregaux’s long-proven abilities as a genuine Swiss watch manufacturer with a rich horological heritage. Continue
Watchmaker Paul-Henry Deglaire
New Faces of Time
Last summer, several Girard-Perregaux watchmakers demonstrated
their talents on workbenches Girard-Perregaux set up overlooking Grand Central
Terminal in New York City. It marked the opening of the global Young Watchmakers Tour, where the brand puts its horological talent on the road.
These young watchmakers, whom the brand dubs the ‘New Faces of Tradition,’
follow in the footsteps of Jean-François Bautte, Constant Girard-Perregaux, Luigi
“Gino” Macaluso and Maestro Dominique Loiseau — loyal to the innovative history
of the House while invigorating it with a new sense of creativity.
The tour has taken this group of craftsmen and craftswomen from New York
City to Paris, Beijing to Miami, Le glacier d’Aletsch in the Alps and back home
again to La Chaux-de-Fonds. Girard-Perregaux started the tour to underscore
its commitment to nurturing new talent
Most recently, several of the young watchmakers were seen working inside
the Girard-Perregaux booth at BaselWorld. They continue to tour the globe,
ready to “assume the mantle of high quality and painstaking craftsmanship
from those who have come before, and being proud brand ambassadors along
the way,” according to the brand.
Q&A
How has the Constant Escapement influenced Girard-Perregaux’s image with consumers and with retailers?
The Constant Escapement is a breakthrough, the
fruit of years of research & development and an
answer to a question that has perplexed watchmakers for decades. It is revolutionary in every aspect;
we radicalized technical and aesthetics options. As
such, it is a fantastic statement for the brand. It is
also a reminder that an authentic manufacture, with
integrated production and a true innovation capacity,
is not something that is improvised.
How have you reorganized Girard-Perregaux’s collections since last year?
I believe in simplicity. Girard-Perregaux had too many
collections so we had to rationalize and focus on key
products. At the same time, we launched the new Hawk
and Traveller collections. They rejuvenate the brand,
offering sporty or lifestyle alternatives to the classic
designs of the Girard-Perregaux 1966 and Vintage
1945 collections.
Lastly, we are working to nurture our rich heritage,
investing in R&D to create spectacular concepts such
as the Constant Escapement. This is also the reason
for our cooperation with Dominique Loiseau, who is
bringing in his vision, talent and inventiveness and with
whom we are developing an exceptional complication.
Why are you expanding research and
development?
Watchmaking is an art in movement! Research & development is the raison d’être of a watch manufacture like
Girard-Perregaux. The brand has been continuously
reinventing itself while staying true to tradition. Beyond
the marketing initiative, this is the meaning of the New
Face of Tradition showcasing our young watchmakers.
Girard-Perregaux believes firmly in growing talent,
cultivating fresh, forward-thinking minds.
R&D is therefore a priority for us; the activity has
been completely reorganized, gathering all the resources and creating one team.
How does the new Traveller collection
assist Girard-Perregaux’s customers?
The Traveller collection is both casual and elegant, with
a strong and refined modern style. The lines are sleek,
the curves dynamic. It is the inheritor of the ww.tc collection with a new look, and it reinterprets the unique
Girard-Perregaux legacy in designing world timers. It
is proposed in two models: one is a chronograph with
Michele Sofisti | CEO Sowind
[ Girard-Perregaux & JeanRichard ]
time zone indication, and the other has moon phases,
power reserve and large date indications.
Have you also changed or expanded your
manufacturing?
As explained before, I am a believer in simplicity and
the rationalization of the collection was the first action
to improve manufacturing. For the longer term, we
have ambitious plans for the brand and for Sowind,
which requires an expansion of production capacities.
Has the New Face of Tradition campaign been
effective?
This campaign, an industry first celebrating young
talent, has been extremely successful. It started with
a print and a digital journal which were followed by a
tour that has taken this exceptional group of craftsmen
and craftswomen from New York City to Paris, Beijing
to Miami, Sidney to Le glacier d’Aletsch in the Alps. Far away from the traditional clichés or the stereotypical old Swiss watchmaker, we want to show the
true face of watchmaking today. Behind the exceptional
Girard-Perregaux timepieces live the passion of the
Girard-Perregaux watchmakers.
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When will we see the next project with
Dominique Loiseau?
Our plan is to disclose it in 2014
Have you changed the brand’s United States
distribution drastically?
We have stopped working with a few retailers and
opened several others. We want to focus on a selective
and qualitative distribution.
Why should a collector consider GirardPerregaux when ready to make a new watch
purchase?
We design timepieces with a 360° expertise in watchmaking, with a fully integrated approach. This is the
guarantee for authentic products that are much more
than simply the result of assembly of standard components or movements. This is also the guarantee:
an acute expertise and full control on every step of
production. Lastly, this is what allows us to reinvent
ourselves and create exceptional timepieces.
Girard-Perregaux has written some of the most
fascinating pages in the history of watchmaking, yet
the look ahead, to the next century and beyond, is
what truly typifies its ambition. Avant-garde creations,
breakthroughs such as the Constant Escapement, are
born from this philosophy and heritage.
Do you follow auction sales for vintage
Girard-Perregaux? Why or why not?
I do, but not as much as I would like giving my agenda.
Our patrimony department is following auctions and
eventually acquires watches that would be interesting
additions to the collections of our museum.
Will we see additional Girard-Perregaux
retail stores in the United States? No. At least not in the short term, as I believe in
the development of the brand building strong
partnerships with retailers rather than opening
stand-alone boutiques.
What are your next priorities regarding
Girard-Perregaux?
Over the past months, we have rationalized and
restructured our offerings, launching new collections
like the Hawk or Traveller, presenting milestones
like the Constant Escapement; we have invested
into marketing with a fantastic dynamic in this field
too. While keeping the pace in these activities, our
priority will be to strengthen our distribution at the
international level.
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04: The fruit of five years of research, this new model features caliber GP 03800, the latest member of the caliber 3000 family (launched in 1994). It arrives in the form of a classic column-wheel chronograph movement with lateral clutch. The new 1966 Chronograph
model that houses the caliber features a central direct-drive seconds hand and a jumping
minutes counter. The result: the small hand jumps from one minute to the next in a fraction
of a second. Thus it’s easier to read than the usual continuous mechanism. All this is housed
in the classic rose gold case, which via the back offers a view of the beautifully traditional
architecture of the new movement.
05: Girard-Perregaux has used the name Sea Hawk for decades to designate its high waterresistance models. The new collection is a redesign of the 2002 Sea Hawk, and now features
several variations, including the redesigned Sea Hawk and the all-new Chrono Hawk. The Sea
Hawk is a true diver’s watch (pictured) while the 44 mm Chrono Hawk features a new look
with straight edges that form an octagonal shape with flattened pushers, round satin-finish
steel bezel and an octagonal rubber ring.
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06: This Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon Bi-Axial in Tantalum is the fourth edition of
a model inspired by the brand’s famed three-bridge tourbillon pocket watch from
the 1860s. This latest edition features the specialized dual-axis tourbillon set under
a platinum dial and within a 45 mm case made of very hard tantalum. Production is
limited to twelve pieces.
07: The new Girard-Perregaux Traveller collection debuts with a moonphase and
world time model. The Traveller Moon Phases and Large Date (pictured), featuring
the in-house Caliber 3300, also features a large date display, moon phase aperture
with small seconds and a power-reserve (at 4:30).
The second Traveller watch (not pictured) is a ww.tc, or “Worldwide Time Control”
model, that has now found a home within this new Traveller collection.
Other new models
The Constant Escapement is only one of several new Girard-Perregaux debuts that, this year, have put the brand on the road to
something of a revival.
Timed in part for its return to BaselWorld after an eighteen-year hiatus
while displaying instead at Geneva’s SIHH, this renaissance also includes
the debut of a wholly new integrated chronograph, a re-imagined design
for the former Sea Hawk collection and the appearance of the Travel-
ler collection to encompass its popular ww.tc world timers. Add these to
the Tourbillon Bi-Axial Tantalum seen earlier in the year, and its ongoing
work with watchmaker extraordinaire Dominique Loiseau (with results
expected next year), and it’s no surprise that many observers were dubbing the brand’s offerings as among this year’s highlights at BaselWorld.
Take a look at just a few elements of Sofisti’s ‘new’ Girard-Perregaux
on this page, and see our interview with Sofisti, where he explains his
strategy to “simplify” the brand’s offerings and message.