Girard-Perregaux is one of the few authentic Swiss watch Manufactures. It designs, creates, develops and produces both the external components of a watch and its “heart”, the movement. This comprehensive approach enables it to offer a complete portfolio of top-of-the-range movements (over 100 variants) and prestigious mechanical watch collections. If you already owned it, do you know how to date a Girard-Perregaux watch? Know more in Girard-Perregaux watch review.
Who owned Girard-Perregaux watch?
What allows so many watch enthusiasts to glance past Girard-Perregaux when discussing watches in the luxury sports lifestyle watch category is simply related the brand’s quiet period when it comes to marketing. Owned by the Kering Group (which also owns Ulysse Nardin and Gucci), Girard-Perregaux is currently without a dedicated leader (the brand currently shares a CEO with Ulysse Nardin – the capable Mr. Patrick Pruniaux) and has not really invested in too many new products or marketing lately. The brand isn’t going anywhere, and they still make watches, but a lack of real marketing volume allows them to be a sleeper. That doesn’t mean they don’t make some nice watches; and the brand is worth a close look for sure.
How much is Girard-Perregaux watch worth?
Once you are ready to sell your watch, one of the first questions you may be wondering is: what is the value of my Girard-Perregaux watch? The value of your watch will be dependent on a few factors:
- Condition – The better the condition of your watch, the more valuable it will be on the secondhand market. Scuffs, blemishes, or damage to the watch will lower its value significantly.
- Model – The model of your watch can greatly affect its worth. A rare or limited edition watch will have a high worth, and certain models will be in higher demand depending on the conditions on the secondhand market at the time of sale.
- Material – The material of the bezel, dial, and bracelet can alter the piece’s worth. Valuable materials will generally correlate to a more valuable piece.
- Age – Vintage or antique pieces will be priced very differently than modern luxury watches.
- Diamonds/Gemstones – Any diamond or gemstones adorning your timepiece will add value to your watch.
- Box and Papers – Buyers will pay a premium for box and papers.
Girard-Perregaux watch review
The demand for a particular luxury timepiece is often more closely connected to current brand or model popularity, than, say sheer quality or value. It is dominated by models such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. One model family that is very much a modern and historic member of integrated bracelet sports lifestyle watches is Swiss Girard-Perregaux. Get more on Girard-Perregaux watch review and how to date a Girard-Perregaux watch?
Girard-Perregaux Laureato
This particular model is an exotic option, produced from titanium and 18k pink gold.
Who is this for?
Girard-Perregaux originally debuted the Laureato collection in the 1970s, when this product category arguably first took form. Luxury watch brands wanted to produce timepieces that rich men could safely wear while doing a number of sporting activities, such as swimming, boating, etc. In many ways, the watches were pinnacles of mechanical timepiece-making in an era in which the quartz watch movement was about to take over.
For a number of good (in addition to the trendy) reasons, watches like the Laureato — which are comfortable on the wrist, distinctive, and durable enough for light sport activities — have become very popular. To a large degree, watches like this are causal enough to go with today’s more popular casua-luxury lifestyle than yesterday’s more buttoned-up notion of luxury fashion (that was better suited to traditional dress watches). Reveal more in Girard-Perregaux watch review and how to date a Girard-Perregaux watch?
How much is Girard-Perregaux watch?
Integrated bracelet sports watches like this now come at all price points, but luxury seekers wanting something with high visibility, but also practicality, really don’t seek anything under $10,000 in price point. With these prices come very well-finished cases and bracelets, as well as attractive and thin in-house-made automatic movements. They also tend to be best represented by authentic and historic watch specialist brands that specialize in applying the artisanship of yesterday into the wearables of today.
Size
Girard-Perregaux makes the Laureato in a number of sizes, 42mm-wide being the second largest (the biggest being 44mm, but not as a basic three-hander). The next step down is 38mm-wide. I actually feel the collection might benefit from a 40mm-wide version, as well. The 42mm is very wearable and comfortable.
Case and bezel – Girard-Perregaux watch review
The actually curvaceous case is contrasted with an eight-sided angular bezel, and the masculinity of the dial, in my opinion, makes a bigger statement than what Genta came up with. (He never liked what dials, apparently.) For more than enough people, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato flavor will be what they prefer between the great icons of this model category. There is room for many watches in this category, but what is important is for collectors to ensure they know what they are paying for.
Built materials – Girard-Perregaux watch review
The Laureato 42mm reference 81010-26-232-26A in titanium and 18k pink gold. The watch is designed to be light and rarefied in its combination of materials. It also expensive, costing double the price of the comparable watch in steel. I’m not here to comment on why the watch costs that much more, but you’ll certainly be among the few kids on the block who have one. So if you want rarity in an increasingly popular watch category area, get something in titanium and gold, as opposed to steel.
Dial
Remember that it wears large, given the wide lug structure. Over the dial of the watch is a typically excellent (in shape and AR-coating) for the GP brand, domed sapphire crystal. My only thought for Girard-Perregaux is to design a new crown that feels a bit less visually heavy. The crown is great for the fingers to operate, but it does look about 10% too large at times to my eyes.
Date position
The brand should have been more generous with the gold. For instance, the center links in the bracelet are wrapped with gold, as opposed to being entirely gold links. Again, this probably was done to save weight, but I can’t help but feel that most consumers would actually have preferred that the links be entirely solid gold. Other gold elements on the watch include the bezel and the crown. Girard-Perregaux makes this same Laureato 42mm titanium and pink gold watch with a blue dial, as opposed to this gray-colored dial.
How to date a Girard-Perregaux watch?
The Laureato dial is a favorite of mine, and it starts with the Clos du Paris pattern textured dial and bold applied hands and hour markers. I like the Nautilus face the least, but I also like the most modern Royal Oak dials where the hands and hour markers have been pleasantly modernized. I like how obvious it was that Girard-Perregaux made an entirely bespoke date wheel just for this watch and dial color.
Movement – Girard-Perregaux watch review
Inside the watch is the in-house-made Girard-Perregaux caliber GP01800-0012 automatic movement. This is an old-school watch in looks but contemporary in operation, with a self-winding movement that operates at 4Hz (28,800 bpm) with 54 hours of power reserve. I must commend Girard-Perregaux on the nicely domed caseback that offers an especially lovely view of the movement though the sapphire crystal. The movement offers the time and date as the complications.
Bracelet
The watch bracelet is a bit more simple in design than your average Genta bracelet, but it is satisfying, nonetheless. Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato bracelet is timeless but slightly less distinctive than a Gerald Genta. That is OK because the overall package with the case and dial are easy to recognize as a Girard-Perregaux. The bracelet is light and comfortable, being mostly in titanium, with a discreet and unremarkable folding butterfly-style deployant clasp.
Alternate
Compared to competition from the other Swiss luxury houses Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin (with the Overseas collection), Girard-Perregaux has the most affordable option — in steel. That makes it s a good choice for the value-conscious who want a quality timepiece in a “$10,000+ package.” To many people, the Laureato will be the best of them, but in a lot of ways that evaluation comes down to design preferences alone.
How to sell Girard-Perregaux watch?
Once you are ready to sell your piece, it is time to decide who your buyer will be. Some of the most popular selling options include:
| Selling Option | Pros | Cons |
| eBay/Craigslist | Websites like eBay/Craigslist are generally user-friendly, easy-to-use platforms. | It can be very difficult to price your watch accurately, and you may unknowingly undersell your item. Additionally, websites like eBay charge a fee for every sale. |
| Pawnshop | Pawnshops can be a convenient way to get quick money for your good. | Pawnshop owners are likely not experts on the luxury watch market and may undervalue your good. Furthermore, some pawn shops may just be looking to sell your watch to a watch dealer for a quick profit—profit you could have kept for yourself. |
| Online Auction House | Selling through an online auction house can seem like a convenient way to sell your watch. | Selling through an online auction house can be a lengthy process with high fees and no guarantee of sale. Additionally, the reserve may be set low and someone may purchase your watch at a bargain. |
| Jeweler on Consignment | With enough time, you may be able to fetch a good price for your watch. | Just like using an online auction house, selling to a jeweler on consignment can be a lengthy process with expensive fees and no ultimate guarantee of sale. |
| Online Specialist Watch Buyer | An online specialist buyer like WP Diamonds offers a free, quick service for selling your watch online. You have the option of mailing your watch in (free of charge and secure) or scheduling an appointment. The expertise and experience of a specialist buyer will ensure you receive a competitive price for your item. | Depending on the company, there may be limited appointment locations. |
