Hands-On: The Girard-Perregaux 1966 In Steel

October 14, 2015

Girard-Perregaux has been, for the last few years, in the public eye very much for its haute horlogerie pieces, and it deserves the attention its gotten. The variations on its classic Three Golden Bridges Tourbillon are a great example of how its still possible to create stylistically compelling variations on what has for at least a decade threatened to be a played-out complication (the 2015 tourbillon model with minute repeater, for instance, is breathtaking). It makes some of the most original decorative arts watches as well, including the 2015 Baselworld Chamber of Wonders watches with map motifs. And, of course, it is also the company that cracked a centuries-old horological puzzle by releasing the very first wristwatch with a true constant force escapement (not to be confused with a remontoire degalite, which, though a constant force device C like the chain-and-fusee C should not be confused with the far rarer constant force escapement). At the same time, Girard-Perregaux has also been one of the most important makers of simple watches, but simple watches that have a lot more under the hood than you would expect. Theres a strong tradition in watchmaking C especially before the days of so-called luxury watchmaking C when, if you bought a watch, youd want something simple, functional, and efficient at delivering accuracy; Girard-Perregaux has a history here as well. Probably the single most interesting watch from GP in terms of simplicity and accuracy were the Chronometer HF (High Frequency) watches, which came with a guarantee of accuracy. So Girard-Perregaux stands for complexity, sure, but also for a certain kind of purity and commitment to mechanical integrity thats gotten a little harder to find over the years. (Like, they have a hand-wound, in-house chronograph movement, which nobody outside of the big 3 or 4 is supposed to have. Why do we forget this?) The 1966 collection in general is sort of the GP for the rest of us C its not the Three Golden Bridges stuff, but its almost more interesting in that it still represents the making of an in-house movement (they get little enough thanks for it, despite the apparent obsession of todays watch enthusiasts for in-house movements) in a beautifully simple case with really nicely done dial furniture (dials and markers) of the likes that very few brands are doing these days. Sure, youve got the usual suspects C if you read HODINKEE you know that, lets say, Seiko (in the Grand Seikos) and Rolex (in everything) and Tudor (in the new caliber MT5621) and others make truly in-house movements. NOMOS gets a lot of credit for doing so, and rightly so, and yet Girard-Perregaux has been in the game for years and doesnt get the points it should. ? Were not sure why, but submitted for your consideration, the 1966 in stainless steel. This is the sort of watchmaking you used to take for granted from Switzerland: nice finish ?C you know, nothing obsessive-compulsive, just good, solid, honest finish C in a house-made movement, in a watch that has an identity, sure, but that also doesnt force one on you. In short, its the sort of thing everyone seems to say they want, but somehow seems to overlook the fact that Girard-Perregaux has been giving you what you want all along. Girard-Perregaux 1966, in steel, and can we say, the kind of classic, simple watchmaking everyone thinks no one is doing anymore and that GP is doing. Movement, the GP in-house, full-rotor caliber GP03300-0030, minimum 46 hour power reserve. 40 mm case, stainless steel.Reference 49555-11-131-BB60 (leather strap): $7,500Reference 49555-11-131-11A (steel bracelet): $8,200More details here.