La Chaux-de-Fonds, September 30th, 2024 (10 AM CET) – In support of ELA, a charity dedicated to fighting leukodystrophies in children, Girard-Perregaux has created a unique piece based on its legendary Laureato model. Featuring a dial enriched with both a guilloché motif and Grand Feu enamel, the Laureato Eternity showcases the many talents of the craftspeople working at the Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds as well as the surrounding region. The watch will be on display as part of a travelling exhibition in New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong before being auctioned in Geneva.
ELA and leukodystrophies
ELA was founded in 1992 by two men in a hospital corridor, Guy Alba and Pascal Prin. Both men shared something in common; their children were suffering from leukodystrophies, a group of rare, genetic disorders that act on the central nervous system. Determined to seek new treatments through research, support affected families and heighten awareness of leukodystrophies, ELA has actively engaged with businesses and the public alike, raising vital funds. From its modest origins, ELA has funded 571 research programmes, becoming the world’s leading funder of medical research into leukodystrophies.
A unique charity watch
On 11 November 2024, Christie’s will host an auction at the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva where an array of watches will be sold in support of ELA.
Guy Alba, President of ELA International remarks, “Watches for ELA has been made possible due to the unparalleled support of Christie’s and its teams, the very generous contributions of renowned watchmakers, Zinédine Zidane, ELA’s longstanding Ambassador, and François-Henri Pinault’s exceptional commitment and friendship. Our only goal is to combine the talent of watchmakers, the passion of collectors with the hope generated by medical research, to save the lives of children who are just longing to grow up.”
Girard-Perregaux has produced a unique charity watch for the event, a sublime expression of its famous Laureato model, first released in 1975. Presented in stainless steel, the case of the Laureato Eternity is endowed with a harmonious arrangement of different shapes. The octagonal bezel sits atop a circular plinth which in turn sits above a tonneau-shaped case. Moreover, the case juxtaposes brushed and polished surfaces, conferring an alluring aesthetic where the various case facets continuously flit between brilliance and shade.
Métiers d’Art
The dial is enriched with a guilloché motif, comprising fine concentric rings that emanate from the centre, forming a nuanced sunray pattern. Thereafter, the dial is suffused with a lustrous layer of violet-coloured Grand Feu enamel, crafted internally by Donzé Cadrans, a Sowind-owned company and pre-eminent maker of enamel dials.
Grand Feu enamel is highly prized by watch aficionados. The enamel is a mixture of silica, minium, potash and soda, all ground into a paste and then blended with metal oxides to form a powder. This mixture is subsequently dusted on the dial and then fired in an oven with an operating temperature of 800°C. The dial is removed when the desired shade is achieved. It is then allowed to cool before the process is repeated, typically 5 – 10 times. Many dials made using this traditional process fail to make the grade and are discarded; only those that are considered flawless are used. The vibrant violet dial featured on the Laureato Eternity will never fade and promises a lifetime of ownership delight.
Distinctively Laureato
Silver-toned hands and indexes enunciate the prevailing time while allowing the beauty of the dial to shine. The date is shown at 3 o’clock with white numerals set against a violet-coloured disc, matching the hue of the dial as horological etiquette dictates.
At the heart of the Laureato Eternity sits a Manufacture movement, the GP01800 calibre. Made at the company’s production facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the self-winding movement features a pink gold oscillating weight adorned with circular Côtes de Genève motif. Additional movement refinements include straight Côtes de Genève on the bridges, bevelling, mirror-polished screws, circular graining on the main plate and engraved gilded text, all executed to the company’s no-compromise standards.
A travelling exhibition
Prior to the auction taking place on 11 November 2024 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva, the Laureato Eternity, along with other charity timepieces, will be exhibited in various cities around the globe.
• New York: 4 – 9 October
• Shanghai: 19 – 20 October
• Hong Kong: 23-27 October
• Geneva: 8 – 10 November
