Girard-Perregaux first debuted the Laureato in 1975—sneaking in just ahead of integrated bracelet watches like IWCs Ingeneur and Patek Philippe’s Nautilus. The Laureato did resemble the Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet, however, with its octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet—but therein lies its charm. In the past four decades, we’ve seen GP adapt the model in countless iterations, from ones with tinted sapphire crystal cases to a green ceramic version designed in collaboration with the luxury sports car manufacturer Aston Martin. For 2024, GP launched the first titanium version of the Laureato chrono. The choice of the metal perfectly lends itself to the curvature of the Laureato with a juxtaposition of contrasting brushed and polished finishes. It’s also lightweight, which is often prefereable when there’s this much metal involved.
From the article by Allen Farmelo, Cait Bazemore
