WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato going for nearly twice its retail price
Zach BlassEditor’s Note: We recently partnered with @watchanalytics to crunch the numbers and dig into the horological market trends and value fluctuations for the references that matter. Last time, we delved into the Rolex 2022 price hikes to see which models were most affected and what that meant for buyers worldwide. Today we are going to dive into the Laureato watch that is going for nearly twice its retail price on the secondary market: the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition.
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While I do not like to think of watches as assets, or at least let that mind-set dominate my behaviour, it is natural to want to protect your spent dollars and know that on a rainy day you will not suffer too great of a loss. For those who recently purchased the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition, savvy collectors may have had an inkling its value would hold due to it being a limited edition, among other characteristics. But it is nice to know that the majority of people who stand to benefit from its trading value are those with a genuine interest in Girard-Perregaux and the Laureato line.
But before we dive into the market analysis, here is a quick refresher on the watch – introduced last year at the end of October. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition, as its name suggests, is a chronograph watch with a dial inspired by the Aston Martin brand. This 42mm integrated stainless-steel chronograph is not fashioned in ordinary steel, rather 904L stainless steel – the very same corrosion-resistant grade Rolex uses in their timepieces. The “Aston Martin green” dial, achieved by meticulously painting the dial 21 times to achieve the exact shade, has a cross-hatched texture directly inspired by the carmaker’s ‘AM’ logo (used from 1921 – 1926) as well as the quilted seats found in many of their high-performance sports cars throughout the years.
Its faceted eight-sided bezel has received a concentric brushed finish, while the sides of each facet are mirror-polished. The circular ring one step below that serves as a platform for the bezel and mimics the pattern of finish, brushed on the top and mirror polished on its flanking circumference. Often we see cases in this category receive a vertical brush that continues from bezel to case. Here the concentric brushed finish of the bezel transitions into a rich horizontal brush as you reach the lugs, and it continues through the H-like links of the bracelet – the broad centre links mirror-polished. In short there is an elegant application of finishing throughout the watch.
Inside the 100 metre water-resistant case, visible beneath an Aston Martin branded exhibition caseback, is the automatic manufacture calibre GP03300-0141 – which, for the record, marks the first time a Laureato Chronograph features an open caseback. The perlaged, chamfered, and striped calibre is well-decorated, and offers the wearer 46 hours of power reserve.
The market analysis
According to the analysis performed by @watchanalytics, as of the middle of last month the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition is commanding a market value of €36,500 – 82% greater than its retail price of €20,000. While I cannot confirm whether or not all of the 188 pieces have sold out at retail, the surging market value suggests that it very likely has. For a watch to hold its value is already a strong indicator of demand, but for a watch to achieve nearly twice its retail on the secondary market, for better or worse, is an irrefutable indicator that Girard-Perregaux has a winner on their hands.
The takeaways
Earlier I referred to “other characteristics” in terms of its value retention potential. But, perhaps to an educated buyer there was a stronger sense of its value-potential. Why? To start, we have always touted the Laureato as a strong alternative to watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus. To be clear, the Laureato collection debuted one year before the Nautilus in 1975, but undeniably the Nautilus has become the gold-standard for value retention, demand and allure. So, with its stronger presence, the Laureato is the alternative contender rather than the champion. Nonetheless, in the wake of the farewell run of the Nautilus, with its in-trend olive green dial, there is a surging interest for integrated stainless-steel designs with green dials. We’ve seen how references with a common trait can get a boost from the heavyweights they are held up against – from the Gevril Tribeca and the Paul Newman Daytona to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Turquoise and Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-018 Tiffany Dial. With the 5711 now discontinued, compelling alternatives will become that much more desirable. Being limited in nature, green-dialled, and having a strong integrated stainless-steel design, it is not a mystery as to how the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition is performing so strongly on the secondary market.