Australian Watch Authority
Smart Money: 5 of the best buys from Only Watch 2019
Most of the hype around the results of Only Watch 2019 has been wholly and solely squared at the monumental, record-breaking price achieved by the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, and it's pretty easy to understand why … it sold for $31 million CHF (roughly $52 million AUD)! However, away from the white noise of the staggering price of the stainless steel Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, there were actually a fair few bargains (relative term) to be had at…
VIDEO: Graduating with the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm
As the 1960s drew to a close, the Swiss watch industry found itself entering one of the most significant periods of turmoil it would ever experience. Its response to the accurate and affordable watches coming out of Asia was not to compete in a race to the bottom — instead, the Swiss took the high road, and doubled down on the fact that watches would remain status objects even in the face of cheaper, practical quartz versions. The largest manufacturers…
VIDEO: Mid-Century Magic with the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection
There was a lot going on in the middle of the 1960s. The space race was in full swing, the Australian dollar was introduced, and the launch of the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection. This collection was launched alongside a number of other projects that Girard-Perregaux were working on, including being aggressively competitive in the Neuchâtel Observatory chronometry trials, and producing the first watch movement to beat at 10 beats per second or 36,000 times an hour. Today, the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection…
Absolute power – the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph
Over the last few years the Laureato line has emerged as Girard-Perregaux's valiant hero — a sporty steel warrior well equipped to win wrists across the world. Earlier this year, at SIHH in Geneva, Girard-Perregaux unleashed their latest expression of the Laureato – the evolved Laureato Absolute. This darkly clad watch was offered in a trio: time-only, world time and chronograph — we're going to focus only on the latter today. The case is the familiar Laureato shape, though the…
Hey! Ho! Laureato! Checking out Girard-Perregaux's hot panda chronograph
Before we start, I feel I should apologise for the above headline. Only, I'm not sure if I should apologise to the Ramones or Girard-Perregaux. Perhaps both. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato was reborn at SIHH 2017 — from humble mid-70s beginnings. Since then we've seen the sporty collection gradually expand to encompass all the usual complications and finishings – skeletons, tourbillons, perpetual calendars and the rest. But the one we're most into is, without doubt, the chronograph. In the mainline collections…