Girard-Perregaux is kicking off the F1 season’s summer break with a new Laureato Aston Martin edition, and this time it’s using their Ceramic Skeleton as a base. It’s worth noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Laureato, something we may see the brand circle back to before the year is out. Aston Martin is heading into the break on a high note, having secured their best finish of the season in Hungary, with Alonso taking P5, and Stroll taking P7, even if they’re not sure where the performance came from, it bodes well for the second half of the season, which resumes August 31st, in the Netherlands. Girard-Perregaux has therefore timed the release of their latest effort with the brand perfectly, and it also happens to be one of the more compelling Laureatos in recent memory.
Girard-Perregaux re-imagined the Laureato as a sport watch collection back in 2016, and it didn’t take long for the first Skeleton Ceramic to follow, coming just a year later. We’ve seen the collection mature into a diverse range of sizes and materials in the intervening years, and as old as the platform itself is, it seems to take to exotic materials rather well. It should come as no surprise that many of the Aston Martin co-designed references to have been released, many take advantage of this fact, with carbon, ceramic, and titanium all making appearances.
The latest Laureato Astin Martin edition marks the ninth such collaboration between the automotive brand and the watch maker, and regardless of your thoughts on the cars or F1, the watches themselves are, on the whole, largely compelling on their own. The newest watch is no exception. In fact, you’d be forgiven for not making the connection until you turn the watch over to see the Aston wings adorning the caseback. In that sense, it’s a bit like some of the Bond watches from Omega, where an understanding of the connection isn’t necessarily a requisite to appreciate the watch.
The new Laureato Skeleton Aston Martin edition features a case and bracelet rendered entirely in black ceramic. It retains a mix of brushed and polished finishes, and comes together in a deceptively organic manner. The case measures 42mm in diameter, and a hair over 11mm in thickness, though the integrated bracelet design and lightweight nature of the material make this an exceptionally welcoming watch on the wrist.
Inside, Girard-Perregaux is still using their own automatic caliber GP01800 with 54 hours of reserve. Seen here, the movement has been opened up to reveal much of the inner workings in rather dramatic fashion thanks to the lack of a dial plate. Arching bridges lead the eye through the movement, with the going train from the mainspring to the escapement revealing itself from bottom to top. Hour markers are applied to the rehaut, barely encroaching into the space you’d typically expect to find a dial.
With this Aston Martin edition, the hands, hour markers, and branding are all done in dark green, which looks great in contrast to the black when viewed up close. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do any favors as far as legibility is concerned, as the dark green lume in the hands blends in rather easily with the dark backdrop. There is hue contrast, but no value contrast between the vital elements of the dial, but it’s easy to overlook as the package itself comes together so well. Plus, if you’re looking for legibility, there are plenty of other Laureato references out there with full fixed dials.
There is no sign of the Aston Martin connection until you turn the watch over, where you will find the logo applied to the exhibition caseback. Only 88 pieces are planned for production, with the price set at 57,200 €. Girard-Perregaux