Girard-Perregaux is getting ahead of release season with the reveal of a new Laureato Chronograph rendered entirely in grade 5 titanium. The Laureato collection will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, and this release marks a high point in the current generation, which is no stranger to semi-exotic lightweight materials. This latest Laureato Chronograph feels right at home in grade 5 material, and it’s not presented in an exotic manner, but rather in an everyday approachable design that feels mature and straightforward. This is one Laureato we’ve been waiting for.
The Laureato collection has employed the use of titanium in a variety of ways in recent generations, but rarely in such sober packaging. There are no big colors or PVD treatments here, this has been executed in a manner that celebrates the material itself. The result is subtle, handsome, and utterly practical. That doesn’t mean the watch is bereft of personality, however. The warm tones of the material make a big impact within the geometric case and bracelet, while the gray dial features its own unique details. It all comes together in a surprisingly compelling manner that compliments the featherweight sensation on the wrist.
This Laureato Chronograph measures 42mm in diameter, and the integrated nature of the bracelet means the effective lug to lug length is about the same. The case begins a downward curvature to meet the bracelet just after the bezel structure, meaning this watch wears closer to 40mm on the wrist. The tapering bracelet helps achieve an exceptional level of wearability, which is only heightened by the lightweight nature of the whole package. The watch measures 12mm in thickness, which tucks in neatly thanks to the curved caseback.
The use of titanium here pushes this watch into borderline disconcertingly light territory, with no real heft to speak of remaining. All the more impressive considering the 419 component chronograph GP03300 movement inside. If you’re not a fan of super lightweight titanium watches, preferring to feel the heft of a watch on your wrist, this one will not offer an enjoyable experience. In use this watch simply disappears, and it underscores the somewhat subtle design decisions that push this watch into everyday practical territory.
Usability and wearability seem to be prime factors in many of the decisions made around this watch. The result feels tool-watch adjacent, a watch you’d want to incorporate into your daily rotation, regardless of activity. The price may have you second guessing that, but in practice, this is a fantastic bit of kit. The dark gray dial, which gets a ‘Clous de Paris’ pattern, finishes the relatively neutral look of the watch, and provides plenty of contrast to the silver and white applied hour indices and hands. The sub dials for the timing elements are filled with concentric rings in a manner similar to the existing steel Laureato Chronographs. There’s plenty of interesting textures here, but none of them call attention to themselves thanks to the monotone nature of anything not vital to the core functions of the watch.
The case and bracelet retain the unique Laureato design language, which was originally penned by Milanese architect, Adolfo Natalin for its initial release 1975. The titanium receives a mixture of brushed and polished finishes, including chamfers around the case, and a polished center link in the bracelet. The end of the case gets a female section to welcome a center link integration to the rest of the bracelet, eliminating any stiffness as the watch begins to wrap around the wrist. The material has a certain visual appeal as well, with warm undertones that pair with the gray dial beautifully.
Overall this is one of the most mature executions of the Laureato to date. The design is honest and the execution is maximized for usability. It takes the collection into a slightly different direction without losing focus on its identity, and it has me excited for what we might see heading into the collection’s big anniversary next year. Expect much more on that as we get closer.
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Ti49 (titanium, 49th anniversary) is available now, priced from $19,400. Girard-Perregaux