Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL Chronograph

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Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL Chronograph

Vintage 1945 XXL Chronograph

Measuring short periods of time is an art combining innovation and refinement
La Cote des Montres - November 27th, 2012

When Haute Horlogerie meets the decorative arts, time takes on another dimension. The sober lines of the new Vintage 1945 XXL Chronograph evoke the aesthetic heritage of the early twentieth century that Girard-Perregaux has so consistently espoused. At its heart, the GP03300 self-winding manufacture caliber happily measures short intervals of time with the precision you expect from the great.

In a vibrant tribute to Art Deco, the straight lines melt into curves and back again in perfect balance. Fashioned in pink gold or steel, the rectangular case places the Art Deco’s notion of geometry at the heart of its design. Its generous size is compensated by an ergonomically convex silhouette which makes it comfortable to wear. Alternately polished and satin-brushed, the subtle finish showcases the watch’s functions.

The two chronograph counters face each other and assert the piece’s symmetry. The blued steel hands match the central seconds hand, while the hours and minutes are measured by dauphine style hands. The applied Arabic numerals recall the refinement of classic watches, and the “railroad” minute track recalls the original Vintage 1945. The curved dial is an appropriate space for the measurement of time and a crowning touch for the style of the watch.

The sapphire case-back opens on to the cunning mechanism entirely designed, manufactured and assembled in-house by the Manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds. The caliber GP03300 reveals its Haute Horlogerie pedigree, hand finished as tradition demands, in between the sweeps of its gold oscillating weight. Evidently, elegance does not show its age. While the new Vintage 1945 XXL Chronograph is a resolutely modern watch, every aesthetic and technical detail points to the expertise of a brand that draws on a constantly renewed heritage going back over two centuries.