Watches & Wonders: Girard-Perregaux Introduces Quasar, The Brand's First Fully Sapphire Cased Timepiece
The watch's crystal case guarantees an unobstructed view of the Neo-Tourbillon Three Bridges skeleton movement.
Just a year ago, Girard-Perregaux launched an epic new watch, the Neo-Tourbillon Three Bridges Skeleton. The skeletonized piece was a technical breakthrough, sending GP collectors into a frenzy. This year, Girard-Perregaux is allowing the beauty and precision of the mechanical masterpiece to be on full display. The new Quasar Neo-Tourbillon Three Bridges Skeleton is surrounded in a transparent sapphire crystal case, ensuring a full 360-degree view of the movement.
Encounters of the Tourbillon Kind
The smooth crystal case looks deceptively simple, but like most things in fine watchmaking, it's actually quite difficult to make. The case is carved from a single disc-shaped block of crystal, painstakingly hand-carved and polished for a full 200 hours. At 45mm, there is ample space for the movement to shine in all its glory.
To Infinity, and Beyond
The play of dark and light reflects Girard-Perregaux's Earth to Sky design theme for 2019. A Quasar is a super bright region at the center of a galaxy. Swirling gas fuels a Quasar's blinding light that flows into an uncommonly large black hole. The bright light contrasts sharply with the infinite darkness of the black hole.
Mysteries of the Cosmos
The crystal case provides the shining light symbolizing the Quasar, while the darker movement within evokes a black hole. Instead of gold, the watch's three bridges are carved of titanium and coated with black PVC. They're also arched, creating more advanced support for the movement.
Three is Girard-Perregaux's Magic Number
With this new watch, Girard-Perregaux has once again produced a watchmaking innovation. Three golden bridges have been a hallmark of the brand dating back to 1889 with the prize-winning Esmerelda pocket watch tourbillon. The three bridges are still clearly present in the new watch - but they're made of titanium.
Price: $194,000
On Display At Watches & Wonders
The Girard-Perregaux Quasar will be on display until February 17 at Miami’s Design District. For visiting information, visit Watches & Wonder’s website.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)