Two-Tone Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42mm

The dust may have settled from all the recent events in Geneva, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with new releases. Girard-Perregaux is embracing the warmer weather to come with a sporty new release. The Laureato Chronograph 42mm is a familiar watch, but this is the first two-tone model we’ve seen. Plus, it adds a rubber strap for extreme comfort during warm-weather escapades. Let’s have a look.

It’s hard to believe, but the current Girard-Perregaux Laureato has been around since 2016. The range expanded mightily during the preceding decade and has become a popular choice for those who enjoy a dressy integrated-bracelet sports watch. With a large number of options and sizes available, it’s a great example of a luxury piece with an in-house movement and, importantly, no silly waiting lists or authorized dealer groveling. Today, the catalog gets another strong option with the two-tone Chronograph 42mm.

The two-tone Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42mm

The latest Laureato uses the brand’s familiar 42mm by 50.5mm case. Instead of using a solitary material, though, the watch has a 904L stainless steel case with 18K rose gold fittings. These include the bezel, crown, and chronograph pushers. Also, while we do enjoy Girard-Perregaux’s bracelet design, this watch is offered exclusively on a brown rubber strap with a signature Clou de Paris hobnail pattern. A stainless steel butterfly clasp completes the package. From a specification standpoint, this Laureato Chronograph has a 12.16mm profile and a 100m water resistance rating. All told, the capabilities back up the watch’s sporting intent.

A brown hobnail dial with rose gold details

The Laureato has a familiar dial design replicated in this latest addition. A brown hobnail pattern forms the foundation, surrounding three sub-dials adorned with concentric rings. These display the running seconds, a 30-minute counter, and a 12-hour totalizer. A white-on-brown date indicator looms stealthily at the 4:30 position. For the sake of consistency, the watch also has rose-gold-plated and applied baton markers with white Super-LumiNova and a large logo. The luminous hour and minute hands are paired with a slender central chronograph hand. It’s a clean design that punches well within this crowded class.

The in-house GP03300 automatic movement

Like other models in the range, the Laureato Chronograph 42mm uses an in-house caliber. The GP03300 is visible through a sapphire-equipped display back and contains finishing techniques such as perlagg, Côtes de Genève, anglage, mirror polishing, and various styles of brushing. Again, these are the types of features we’ve come to expect at this level, so it’s nice to see that Girard-Perreagux is delivering. Performance-wise, the 63-jewel movement has a frequency of 28,800 vph and provides 46 hours of power reserve.

Thoughts and availability

With this latest Chronograph 42mm, Girard-Perregaux has thoughtfully added a winner to the Laureato lineup. With the current price of gold, it makes sense to offer a watch on a rubber strap. Besides, the combination of rubber with a two-tone case design keeps it sporty and contemporary, while bicolor overload can often seem stodgy. At €26,800 / US$26,000 / £21,600, the watch does fall into the luxury category, but I think the pricing is well in line with its competition and the rest of the brand’s offerings. For starters, Girard-Perregaux will produce an initial run of 50 pieces. Honestly, a mix of gold and steel doesn’t always float my boat, but I’d be happy to wear this watch every day.

Watch specifications