Girard-Perregaux brings modernity to its oldest design
Russell Sheldrake- Large sapphire crystals on the front and back allow buckets of light to hit the Three Flying Bridges movement.
- The one-minute tourbillon at the bottom increasing the level of high horology.
- It is one of the more luxurious offerings from Girard-Perregaux at US$171,000.
The Bridges collection from Girard-Perregaux can be classified as the oldest piece of branding in the watch world. It’s iconic design is instantly eye-catching, yet wonderfully functional at the same time. The broad arrow-shaped bridges that span the width of the dial and support the three most important parts of the movement, the barrel, the hands, and the escapement, in a line of perfect symmetry is so inextricably tied to the brand that no other has really attempted to replicate it as it would instantly be mistaken for a Girard-Perregaux.
There has been a noticeable push from the brand of late to modernise this design, bringing it sharply into the 21st century, with this new Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges the latest, luxe example. Framed in rose gold, the main component of this watch is its abundance of nothing. The movement sits inside a glass box top and bottom, allowing buckets of light through, and anything that felt like it didn’t need to be in the movement has been stripped right back.
It’s an odd sensation when you put a watch on, and you can still see a lot of your wrist. So when I had the chance to do so at Geneva Watch Days recently, it really caught me off guard, so much so I had to ask the amazing team at Girard-Perregaux to repeat what they had just said as I had completely missed it because I was too busy doing a double take at my still visible skin. The rose gold case adds to this effect as well, blending in with the skin far more than a white metal would.
The eponymous Three Flying Bridges here have been skeletonised to the point where they now resemble flying buttresses that you might see in Gothic architecture. Made from solid rose gold, but blackened with a PVD coating, the anglage has been applied after this coating so the rose gold still peeks through on the edges.
Another benefit of having these bridges skeletonised is that you get a near-unobstructed view of the GP09400-1273 movement that fans of the brand will recognise from previous versions of this model. It offers a clear line of sight to everything from the well-finished tourbillon at the bottom, up through the gear train and the keyless works, to the barrel at the top and its mainspring inside.
Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges pricing and availability
The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges is available now from all Girard-Perregaux retailers. Price: US$171,000.
| Brand | Girard-Perregaux |
| Model | Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges |
| Reference | 99296-52-3434-5CC |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 15.3mm (T) |
| Case Material | Pink gold |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Skeletonised |
| Strap | Rubber with additional black leather, both with pink gold folding buckle |
| Movement | GP09400-1273, in-house, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds on tourbillon |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$171,000 |