The origins of the Vintage 1945- aesthetic innovation meets high-level craftsmanship- the essence of Art Deco

Like the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, the Vintage 1945 collection is rooted in the rich history of Girard-Perregaux. It started back in 1945, a year that will remain etched in our memories.  At the time, watch design was inspired by Art Deco; major artistic movement that profoundly made its mark on architecture, interior design, fashion, painting and photography.  The movement is based on the fundamental concepts of simplicity, geometry and structural coherence.

As a result, the right angle became poetic and understated forms aimed for perfection. Inspired by this creative explosion, in 1945 Girard-Perregaux designed a watch illustrating these principles. The watch featured a very simple structure with a arectangular case extended by lugs, symmetric design and curved sides incorporating the crown. Similarly, the alternation of materials - gold and steel - was characteristic of the Art Deco period.

Exactly fifty years later, in 1995, an original model of this watch reappeared in the collections of the Girard-Perregaux Museum. This was the origin of the collection called "Vintage 1945".  Far from being a nostalgic reproduction, the new model was thoroughly redesigned to form a modern creation, firmly rooted in its time: its case was waterproof, the fragile hesalite crystal was replaced with scratchproof sapphire, the pressed dial gave way to a dial machined into a spherical shape and specially curved hands hugged its dome. However, its general appearance reflected the beautiful simplicity that characterized the original watch: rectangular angles highlighted by gadroons, elongated horns, curved case perfectly fitting the wrist and a discreetly integrated crown.

Also similar to the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, the Vintage 1945 has since been constantly adapted. In fact their two stories rapidly met... 

Like the 1945 original, the initial model of the contemporary series was fitted with a hand-winding mechanical movement, the GP 101 caliber. Several combinations of materials, between pink or yellow gold and steel, were proposed, as well as a wide range of dial variants. As of 1996, the GP 101 was replaced by the automatic calibers of the GP 3000 series. Able to change according to preference, they allowed the Vintage 1945 to display a multitude of functions, which are still available today. The ladies' models and a metal strap appeared the same year.

The year 1999 saw the presentation of a variant to this global success: the automatic chronograph. The small volume of its GP 30C0 movement with column-wheel allowed Girard-Perregaux to offer, for the first time, a rectangular chronograph with dimensions adapted to any wrist, even women's. It was manufactured in many versions in gold or steel. One of these was a special series dedicated to the Villa Marguerite, the Brand's museum.

Why not combine the pure and symmetrical shapes of two emblems of Girard-Perregaux?  The idea grew in the early 2000s and came to fruition in 2004: the Vintage 1945 Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges was born, which summarized all of the Brand's aesthetic and technical expertise. The watch was beautiful in every way, immediately recognizable, without the need to read the brand printed under the crystal. This foray into the field of Fine Watchmaking was not the only one: variants included a chronograph and perpetual calendar or perpetual calendar and equation of time, or split-second chronograph and jumping seconds.

In 2006 Girard-Perregaux presented what some consider the most amazing watch in recent years: the Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon. In addition to its impressive dimensions, its Tourbillon allows it to stand out mainly because its movement incorporated a slot machine mechanism, the famous "one-armed bandit" invented by Charles Fey in 1895. As with the original machine, the lever positioned on the side of the case could be pulled to rotate the drums. When they stopped randomly, a delicate jingling was heard. Disconcerting at first sight, it was nevertheless part of a long tradition, particularly strong in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when watch mechanisms used to entertain their owners.

Natives of La Chaux-de-Fonds include Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, one of the biggest names in modern architecture and design. In 2012, to celebrate the 125^th anniversary of his birth, Girard-Perregaux decided to dedicate a trilogy of versions of the Vintage 1945 symbolizing the three cities where he worked: La Chaux-de-Fonds, Paris and Marseille. The materials used to make these watches, of which only 5 copies of each were made, were dear to Le Corbusier: steel, engraved metal, mother-of-pearl, leather and even concrete.

We have mentioned many milestones in the history of the Vintage 1945, which we are now celebrating the 70^th anniversary of. However, the story of this magnificent watch is far from over. The watch remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration and continues to be the subject of numerous projects, which will no doubt yield some surprises.

Vintage 1945 Small Second  70^th  anniversary edition

To celebrate the 70^th  anniversary of the Vintage 1945 collection, Girard-Perregaux offers a modern reinterpretation of the personality of the original model. Its two-toned pink gold and steel case, the applied numerals on its dial and hands are a throwback to the 1945 model, echoing the Brand's tradition. A mechanism in tune with time

Girard-Perregaux celebrates its iconic Vintage 1945 with a gold and steel sculpted re-edition - a tribute to the original watch and the combination of materials so characteristic of Art Deco. Its elegant rectangular case with generous dimensions is faithful to the identity codes of the collection. The straight lines and curves are a vibrant tribute to the aesthetic heritage of the early twentieth century. Arched in both directions, it reduces its presence on the wrist while also perfecting the fit. The crown integrated in the middle fades to better enhance the watch profile.  On its back, the engraving of the limited edition and commemorative logo of the anniversary highlights the Art Deco-inspired collection and recalls the famous arrow shape of Girard-Perregaux Bridges.

Like the case, the dial presents a doubly-curved shape and is indicative of the skills needed to create such a piece. The hours are marked as on the original model by Arabic numerals. The applied numerals take the pink gold color of the bezel while the small second indication at 6 o'clock underscores its symmetry and balance. The dauphine-shaped minute and hour hands are faceted and delicately curved by hand to follow the shape of the dial.

This aesthetic sophistication is completed by a Manufacture movement with automatic winding, the GP03300-0051 indicating hours and minutes with the small second at 6 o'clock.  Born in the Girard-Perregaux workshops in compliance with the Brand's watchmaking tradition, it ensures reliability and precision. Equipped with a minimum 46-hour power reserve, its frequency is 4 Hz, or 28,800 vibrations per hour. With a 25.60 mm diameter and a height of 4.20 mm, it consists of 213 components. Its decoration opts for a traditional combination of côtes de Genève and circular graining on the bridges, main plate and oscillating weight. 

To complete this tribute edition, Girard-Perregaux has opted for an elegant brown alligator strap mounted on a folding clasp.

Vintage 1945 – Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges 70^th  anniversary edition

The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges celebrates the 70^th  anniversary of the Vintage 1945 collection. Two limited editions create an exceptional link between eras, with the legendary Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon in the iconic Art Deco-inspired casing of the Vintage 1945 collection.

What better than the iconic movement of the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon and its symmetrical architecture to celebrate the anniversary of the Art Deco-inspired casing of the Vintage 1945? Few watchmaking designs have the rich history of the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges. In the nineteenth century, Constant Girard-Perregaux devoted many years to studying and building various escapement systems, in particular with tourbillon. His developments guided him towards majestic architecture: he redesigned three arrow-shaped bridges to hold the mobile parts of the movement and arranged them in parallel fashion, aligning the barrel, the gears and tourbillon on the same axis. He thus embodied a totally innovative concept: the movement was no longer just a technical and functional element, but a full-fledged design element. The perseverance and ingenuity of the La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaker were rewarded in 1889 when the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges won a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition. 

Several decades later, this movement continues to drive the Girard-Perregaux timepieces with the same requirements. The Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges imposes its iconic architecture and continues a tradition based on exceptional manufacturing and finishing criteria. The three parallel arrow-shaped Bridges create a perfect balance on the movement whose shape is adapted to the Vintage 1945 case. The combination of favourite Art Deco materials highlights the strength and character of this timepiece. 

Entirely handmade, the finishing requires such dexterity that it can only be carried out by a few artisans at the top of their art. The pink gold Bridges are rounded-off: their chamfering gives them a rounded shape, over their entire length, a perfect curve. The light glides over and is reflected on their "mirror polished" finish, offering a fascinating contrast with the matte finish of the main plate. The Tourbillon is also the subject of particular attention, its 80 component parts being assembled within a space only 10 mm in diameter. To maintain its oscillations, Girard-Perregaux has chosen automatic winding with a platinum micro-rotor positioned under the barrel. It is an ingenious solution that leaves the architectural majesty of the movement intact.

Two limited editions are available. One of 18 watches in white gold and the other consisting of 8 watches, also in white gold and set with 112 baguette-cut diamonds whose geometry radiantly highlights the lines of the elegant rectangular case. Girard-Perregaux has chosen an invisible setting, one of the most complex techniques in the production of jewelled watches, juxtaposing the gems side by side in such a way that no metal is visible. The back is satin-finished and engraved with the commemorative logo of the 70^th anniversary of the collection. Both models are available with a black alligator strap with a white gold folding clasp, set with 8 baguette diamonds for the jewelled version.