The last time we talked with you about a Girard-Perregaux release, it was one that flirted with the six-figure mark (you can see that here). This time, we’re going to go with something that is a quarter of the cost, and offers up a literal piece of space. Meet the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite.
The bridges
For the designs in this line, it is all about the architectural element that the bridges bring. The most obvious one is the one over the balance wheel, and is an iconic element that comes to mind for us when we think of G-P. You have another bridge hiding under the pivot where the hour and minute hand mount; the third is on top of where the mainspring barrel is mounted.
The space connection
On many watches with meteorite, the material is used for the whole of the dial. If that was done on the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite, though, you’d lose the view of the kinetic components. What they’ve done instead is to mount two slices, one on each side. These act as pillars, bringing variety to the design while still neatly fitting into the monochromatic theme. They should catch the light quite nicely – as will the rest of the dial-side components – given the light-catcher domed crystal they’ve topped things off with.
Wrapping things up
With as much as you see on the front side of the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite, around back, you don’t have a lot of the movement visible. You’ve got the rotor, and then some lovely finishing on the main plate. What’s hiding here is the usage of silicium for the escape wheel, pallet lever, and arms of the balance wheel. These are lightweight (more energy moves to the gear train), unaffected by temperature or magnetism (for greater accuracy), and are corrosion-resistant. So, yes, this movement has plenty of technical innovation in its own right.
While the idea of springing for “just” a two-hander watch might feel weird, the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite definitely makes the case that it could – and perhaps should – be done. It’s available now for the luxurious price of $25,700. For more details, and to see where you can purchase your own, head on over to girard-perregaux.com
Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite Tech Specs
- Reference 82000-11-3259-5CX
- Suggested retail price: CHF 24.600 / GBP 21.900 / USD 25.700 / EUR 27.100
- Case
- Material: steel
- Diameter: 44.00 mm
- Height: 12.20 mm
- Glass: anti-reflective sapphire crystal “box”
- Case-back: anti-reflective sapphire crystal
- Dial: ring displaying suspended indexes with luminescent material (white emission)
- Hands: ‘Dauphine’ type, skeletonized, rhodium-plated with luminescent material (white emission)
- Water resistance: 30 meters (3 ATM)
- Movement
- Reference: GP01800-2085
- Self-winding mechanical movement
- Hour wheel bridge adorned with Meteorite plates
- Diameter: 36.20 mm (16’’’)
- Height: 5.94 mm
- Frequency: 28,800 Vib/h – (4 Hz)
- Number of components: 185
- Number of jewels: 23
- Power reserve: min. 54 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Strap
- Material: black rubber strap with a fabric effect
- Buckle: triple folding, steel
