As part of its ongoing partnership with F1 marque and British automaker Aston Martin, this week Girard-Perregaux is launching its first fully ceramic Laureato – available in Australia exclusively through local retailer, The Hour Glass.
Following in the wake of both brands’ collaboratively designed Laureato chronograph, this latest release encompasses two time-only Laureatos, in brash 42mm and under-the-radar 38mm case sizes.
A love letter to Aston Martin and the British firm’s track record in innovative material engineering; both these green ceramic watches propose a similar fundamental design.
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The Laureato’s distinctive combination of angular tonneau case and octagonal bezel – first properly realised in 1975 – remains as classic as ever, yet here is imagined with hi-tech ceramic.
Utilised for the case and bracelet of both watches, the largely zirconium oxide material exhibits a “notably homogenous” shade of green, alternately satin-brushed and polished to a high sheen. As with titanium (that other space-age material favoured by watchmakers) the specific composition of ceramic that Girard-Perregaux has developed delivers a host of advantages over the more commonplace stainless steel.
Per the Mohs hardness scale, these green Aston Martin editions are around seven times more scratch resistance than your average steel sports watch; demonstrating superior colour fastness, ambient temperature properties and a remarkably smooth skin feel for good measure. A number of auto-inspired design cues on the dial (e.g. the cross-hatch motif mimicking the upholstery of the DB11) also abound.
To wrap up, a quick peak beneath the bonnet: although these 38mm and 42mm releases are technically powered by different movements, both employ a similar architecture (with a full rotor and escapement positioned at 12 o’clock). Beautifully decorated with circular and straight Geneva striping, both calibres put out at least two days of reserve power, with the 42mm Laureato possessing a upper limit of 54 hours.
