Originating in the city of light
La Chaux-de-Fonds, August 31st 2024 (10AM CET) – Girard-Perregaux is pleased to unveil an additional version of La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition, a product of La Chaux-de-Fonds where the profusion of natural light imbues the Maison’s watches with a distinctive character. This latest addition to the Bridges collection is executed in rich honey tones and, along with its widespread use of pink gold, masterfully plays with light.
A product of La Chaux-de-Fonds
Since the 19th century, Girard-Perregaux has been a continuous presence in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The Swiss city was the birthplace of Constant Girard, the inventive watchmaker who later wed Marie Perregaux in 1854, a marriage of two names that has since become synonymous with Haute Horlogerie. While the blending of two surnames is not uncommon in this rarefied segment of the watch industry, Girard-Perregaux is the only firm to have a double-barrel name forged by love, not business.
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a city dedicated to watchmaking. The city’s tall buildings and the distinctive arrangement of streets are designed to optimise natural light, illuminating workshops where hand-eye coordination are of paramount importance. These characteristics form part of the terroir, imbuing each Girard-Perregaux timepiece with its distinctive character.
Framing the city are verdant vistas that assume warm golden tones on summer evenings. Moved by the beauty of this picturesque landscape, Girard-Perregaux has created an additional expression of its famous La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition, executed in rich honey-hued tones. L
While Girard-Perregaux is a Manufacture, making in-house movements, it does source components from local specialists, a tradition that harks back to the 18th century and the foundation of what has since become known as ‘the watchmaking town’. La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition, the Maison’s latest creation, is a collaborative effort drawing on the skills and expertise of local specialists. Indeed, 99% of the components that form this watch originate from La Chaux-de-Fonds.
La Esmeralda – a legendary chronometer
Unwavering in his quest for chronometric excellence, Constant Girard created several highly precise pocket watches. His achievements in this field led to his timepieces winning numerous prizes. In 1889, at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, Constant unveiled La Esmeralda, an exceptional pocket watch that was awarded a gold medal.
Unlike its forebears, La Esmeralda featured three bridges made of gold, subscribing to a more refined style. The savonette case of the pocket watch was also elaborately engraved and the dial was dressed in white Grand Feu enamel. Some 135 years later, the legend of La Esmeralda lives on in exquisite wristwatch form with La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition.
Bathed in honey-toned light
La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition is housed in a 43 mm pink gold case. It features Three Gold Bridges in a matching hue and is endowed with a honey colour Grand Feu dial. The case, lugs, bezel and buckle are intricately engraved and pay homage to the historic pocket watch of 1889. The dial is enlivened with a combination of sunray and circular guilloché, expertly imparted by hand using a traditional rose engine lathe.
At the heart of the watch sits the Signature Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, the Manufacture calibre GP09600. Equipped with a discreet white gold micro-rotor, located beneath the barrel, the movement offers the convenience of automatic winding and plays host to golden engravings, referencing the patent filed for the Tourbillon with Three Bridges movement in 1884. Enriched with a cornucopia of refined finishes, the Manufacture calibre GP09600 perpetuates the Maison’s reputation for crafting the finest expressions of watchmaking.
As well as the dial, the case is dressed in honey-toned Grand Feu enamel. This artisanal technique is executed at the Maison’s sister company, Donzé Cardrans. Employing a Champlevé technique imbues the surface with a fade-free allure. The rear of case is intricately engraved with a fluted pattern and adorned with three galloping horses found on the historic pocket watch. The significance of the equine scene is a secret never to be revealed.
This latest addition to the Bridges Collection pays tribute to Constant Girard’s exceptional pocket watch chronometer of 1889, showcasing the rare skills and talents of the Manufacture’s craftspeople. In addition, La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition Honey celebrates the rich hues that colour the landscape of La Chaux-de-Fonds, the home of Girard-Perregaux, a place where Haute Horlogerie is alive and well.
The La Esmeralda Tourbillon ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition Honey is available on request through all Girard-Perregaux authorized retailers worldwide and is limited to 18 pieces.
