Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges

In 1867, Girard-Perregaux unveiled the ‘Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges’ and an icon was born. Unusually, the bridges, three functional parts typically hidden from view, were made an aesthetic element. By taking this decision, the Manufacture became known for making the invisible visible. This approach has been employed on several subsequent Girard-Perregaux models. With the advent of the new Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges, the Maison perpetuates this design philosophy but with a few fascinating twists along the way.

The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges is endowed with three Neo Bridges formed of pink gold, the first time all three Neo bridges have been made from this noble metal. Only the slim, vertical flanks of each bridge are exposed, providing a clue to their noble composition. Each bridge is painstakingly chamfered by hand using a small piece of boxwood, a technique employed for hundreds of years. It takes a time-served artisan one full day to achieve a perfect finish. The three bridges not only support the geartrain, barrel and tourbillon, they also act as the mainplate. The result is that the bridges appear to float in mid-air, seemingly untouched by gravity. By equipping the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges with upper and lower crystal box sapphire crystals, the Manufacture has imbued the model with a harmonious degree of symmetry. While the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges appears contemporary, it still upholds many of the traditional techniques synonymous with Haute Horlogerie.