Just a few weeks ago we broke news of a new caliber from Girard-Perregaux, the GP4800. Today, we’re getting a first look at the Laureato which the caliber will call home, and it’s none other than a 50th anniversary edition done in steel and yellow gold with a grey dial for max throwback appeal. It’s called, naturally enough, the Laureato Fifty, and it’s a celebration of one of the most unique luxury sport watches to come out of the ‘70s. But this is more than a mere material swap, and while this is clearly a Laureato at a glance, there are plenty of new details to discover that add up to a measurably different experience on the wrist.
Before we get into the watch, let’s take a moment to appreciate the history of the Laureato, which now measures half a century. The first reference to release would come in (checks math) 1975, two years after the Royal Oak, and a year before the Nautilus and Ingenieur. Unlike those watches, the Laureato would not feature a mechanical movement, instead relying on their own chronometer quartz caliber 705. This was a brand ahead of the curve when it came to quartz calibers, in an era where the future of the mechanical watch was still fairly uncertain. Looking back, it feels like a perfectly reasonable decision, and one that they stuck to for generations, not introducing a mechanical Laureato until the ‘90s.
Aesthetically, the Laureato has never felt quite as effortless as those other two sport watches to come out of the ‘70s, and it’s an uneasiness that lingers today. I say that not as a bad thing, necessarily, the Laureato is certainly an interesting design, and it’s one that only becomes more interesting when observed in the metal, and on the wrist. There are rounded, soft surfaces that host hard angles in the eight-sided bezel piece, creating some tension in areas, but when taken as a whole, this is a genuinely compelling structure (even if it has to grow on you a bit). The first Laureato had a flat link bracelet, but that has gradually evolved into an integrated H-link situation that works rather nicely. It’s a watch that gets compared to the Royal Oak, but I don’t think that holds up very well under scrutiny, and looking at the original only further reinforces that.
The modern Laureato has gradually found its footing, with a wide range of references that have taken the design in a few different directions, and even incorporated a fair amount of complications, color palettes, and materials. Girard-Perregaux hasn’t been afraid to stretch their legs with this watch, and they largely work pretty well. Nowhere is that more evident than the Laureato Fifty seen here. This is a watch that feels confident, and one that finally locks in many of the small details that have been neither here nor there in the watch’s past.
The Laureato Fifty uses a 39mm case, which doesn’t currently exist in the lineup. This case and bracelet look familiar, but they are both entirely new for this watch. The size of the H-links has been revised to a slightly trimmer configuration, with the case and bracelet united by a deep polished chamfer that re-profiles the shape ever so slightly. These are the details that might not jump out at you, but they make a noticeable difference in look and feel. The sum is greater than the parts in some ways, and this is exactly the kind of attention this design deserves.
The mix of steel and yellow gold is a nod to the original, but it feels far more refined here. What is new is the grey dial, which leans into the mid ‘70s vibe hard and works wonderfully well. The dial is absent of any markings on the lower half, leaving just the brand along the top. Girard-Perregaux mercifully resisted the urge to put any anniversary branding on the dial itself, keeping things perfectly clean as a result. The dial hardware is also rendered in yellow gold.
If this isn’t a design you were keen on in the past, I’m not sure the Laureato Fifty will be the one to turn you around, and I think that’s a very good thing for the Laureato. The character has been retained, while all the little details have been elevated. It hasn’t become some generic sport luxury watch, the likes of which litter your Instagram feed. This is unique, and it may be polarizing, but it’s a design that cuts to the heart of what modern Girard-Perregaux is capable of.
This watch does make use of the new Girard-Perregaux caliber 4800 that was discussed in more detail right here. The Laureato Fifty will be limited to 200 pieces, and I dearly hope that this is a case and bracelet that we see make their way into the regular production Laureato collection. Pricing is set at $28,320. Girard-Perregaux