While we have long been fans of the watches that Girard-Perregaux produces, they’re not a brand that we’ve had the opportunity to go hands-on with. That is, until now. Recently, we’ve had a few different Girard-Perregaux loaners come in, and today we’ll be talking about the first one, the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0.
Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0: what it is
When you picture a Girard-Perregaux watch in your mind, you’re probably thinking a classically round case, something high-end going on with the movement, and the like, right? Well, the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 upends all of that. It’s a digital watch.
Yup, just like the clock on your bedside table. For me, the display calls to mind the red LEDs that were in a calculator we had. Though not quite as efficient as today’s LEDs, they were bright, and looked unlike any other digital display we had in the house.
The original Girard-Perregaux Casquette started back in 1976, and the design we’re seeing now is basically unchanged. You’ve got an elongated wedge that rests comfortably along your wrist, with an opening that faces you. Using the button on the side, you can engage the display, and have it show you the time. Additional presses cycle you through various elements:
- Current time (hours and minutes)
- Seconds
- GMT
- The time of the second time zone
- Day and Date
- Month and Year
There’s also a “hidden” date feature, as well as a built-in chronograph (you can see all the details here). So, despite what might feel like a primitive display (compared to what we’re used to these days), you really can do a whole lot with the watch.
Wearing the watch
When you see a wedge-shaped case like we have on this watch, the first thought is going to be wondering just how comfortable the watch is. Secondly, how much is it going to want to move around on your wrist? On the first point, the watch is rather comfortable. The case back is curved to fit on to your wrist, and the titanium certainly helps it from being too heavy.
Now, that titanium also helps it from being top-heavy. However, if the watch was tempted to move around, the construction of the bracelet helps. While the exterior is titanium, each link also has a rubber inner portion, which helps the watch stay in place.
The movement
Inside the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 is the GP3980, a quartz-driven (and battery-powered) movement. The design of this caliber is faithful to the original. How faithful? Well, if you’ve got the original 1976 version of the Casquette, this new movement can be fit into it, extending the life of your watch.
Wrapping things up
The version of the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 that we reviewed is a limited-edition, with only 820 pieces having been made, with a price tag of $4,960. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to buy one new, they are sold out. However, if the design intrigues you, my guess is you can find this (or a prior iteration) on the secondary market.
What we like about the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 is just how faithful it is to the original. Sure, it’s updated with modern materials (and movement), but it’s still much like it was 49 years ago. And even with that, it’s still quite a functional watch. I had handled other watches with similar LED displays, and they can be difficult to read in bright light. This watch, on the other hand, has the display hooded back in that wedge, keeping things quite legible.
Is the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 a watch I would wear every day? No, not likely. That said, it would be a fun refresher, and I kind of like the history that it started the same year I did. And I can’t wait to see what the 50th anniversary edition is going to bring to the table. You can check out the details of the entire collection here, and the specific model we reviewed at girard-perregaux.com
Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Tech Specs
- Reference: 39800-21-3199-6CM
- Suggested retail price: $4,960
- Limited edition of 820 pieces
- Case
- Case material : Titanium and Yellow Gold GP logo and pushers
- Dimensions: 42.40 x 33.60 mm
- Height: 14.64 mm
- Glass: sapphire crystal
- Case-back: titanium, secured by 4 screws
- Dial: tubular LED display
- Water resistance: 50 meters (5 ATM)
- Movement
- Reference: GP3980-1474
- Quartz movement
- Dimensions: 26.24 x 27.60 mm
- Height: 6.40 mm
- Frequency: 32’768 Hz
- Number of components: 45
- Number of jewels: no jewels
- Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, month, year, chronograph, 2nd time zone, secret date
- Bracelet
- Material: titanium with rubber lining
- Buckle: titanium, folding with micro adjustment system
