The Latest Laureato, and the Importance of Punching Your Weight

Courtesy of Girard-Perregaux

So to begin, I want to be very clear that I like Girard-Perregaux.  I desperately want them to succeed. Unfortunately Girard-Perregaux continues to drift, and continue to fail to recognize the realities of the world where we are living.  And I could well be misinformed, but my understanding is that the demand for GP is not exactly robust, and the fact that you can continue to pick up discontinued models through the soft grey market and current models through the regular grey market doesn't lend a lot of confidence to the consumer purchasing a new GP from an authorized retail source.  These grey market watches have to come from somewhere, don't they?

I really do love the new Laureato!  I really enjoyed seeing the pictures on other sites - apparently the PR firm handling North America decided that the rest of us could wait a week for images and details, but I guess that is my "media cross to bear".  And unlike Brutus I came to praise GP, not to bury it.  But it seems that the shot callers at HQ can't seem to get their heads around some basic concepts.  According to other outlets (so apologies if their info. is incorrect), the price of the new Laureato is a "more affordable $11,000 +..."
And this is where the head-shaking starts.

Girard-Perregaux makes beautiful watches.  They have an amazing facility, fantastic watchmakers and a true heritage.  And when Sofisti was in charge, it actually seemed as if they might finally realize their potential.  But as has been the case so often, the parent company got the fidgets.  Mr. Calce was brought in, loyal (and competent) staff were eviscerated, and a merry-go-round of PR/Marketing staff spun around at GP HQ, and here in North America we are now on yet another transplanted person trying to understand the culture, language, rhythm and realities of the North American market.  Unless of course that person has also left.  It is getting to the point where you need a score card to keep track of it.

So, back to the Laureato - it is a beautiful watch.  And I hope that I am wrong about it being incorrectly priced.  The market will let us know.  But you don't need to be a mystic, reading tea leaves to know, simply keep an eye on the grey market web stores.  If you see the new Laureato for sale in the next month or at deep discounts...


Here are the pertinents -

Laureato 42 mm

Case

Material: steel, or titanium and 18K pink gold

Diameter: 42 mm

Thickness: 10.88 mm

Glass: glare proofed sapphire crystal

Case-back: sapphire

Dial: silver-toned, or slate grey, or blue, with “Clous de Paris” hobnail motif

Hands: baton-type, enhanced with luminescent substance

Water resistance: 100 metres (10 ATM, 10 bar)

Movement

Reference: GP01800-0008, mechanical self-winding

Diameter: 30 mm (13 ¼ ’’’) 

Thickness: 3.97 mm

Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

Number of components: 191

Jewels: 28

Power reserve: 54 hours

Functions: hours, minutes, sweep-seconds hand, date

Straps/Bracelets

Leather strap:  black or anthracite grey alligator with topstitching

Metal bracelet: steel, or titanium and 18K pink gold, with alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces

Clasp: titanium triple folding clasp

References

Timepieces fitted with an alligator leather strap are delivered with an additional rubber strap.