girard-perregaux 8078

Since 1791 when J. F. Bautte created his first ultra-thin timepieces, this Geneva master watchmaker has produced exceptional timepieces. In 2004, when the watchmaker launched the Cat's Eye collection, it remained unerringly true to the Brand's quest for excellence in every detail. A refined and poetic expression of the manufacture's expertise, it combines the charms of a feminine watch with the merits of a self-winding mechanism. Girard-Perregaux now presents a new facet of this collection, with an elegant and beautifully balanced small second marking the time ticking by on the mother of pearl dial. Girard-Perregaux has unveiled a new model in the Small Second collection, marrying the brilliance of pink gold with the depth of a black dial. This exquisitely elegant interpretation emphasises the watch's clean lines while reinforcing the bold style which is the collection's signature.

The Girard-Perregaux marque presented their latest interpretations of the 1966 series at the SIHH exhibition, held recently in Geneva.The 1966 collection first appeared in 2006 and since it’s arrival has become an ever-more important element of the Girard-Perregaux portfolio, with it’s popularity growing in this ultra-competitive sector.Complimenting the new column-wheel Chronograph and the Full Calendar models, I particularly like the 1966 Small Seconds piece.The Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small SecondsHoused in a slim and elegant 38mm palladium case, the Small Seconds is an unfussy and understated work, but that classic minimalism is central to it’s appeal to me. A rarer member of the platinum group of metals, palladium is a naturally lustrous metal. More resistant to scratching than gold, it gives the watch a wonderfully bright and shining finish.The brushed metal dial is a demonstration of simplistic design and is beautifully legible. There are no features such as minutes markers, highlighted subdial or magnified date, no luminous hands or marks. The G-P branding, the hour markers along with the small seconds markers are imprinted onto the dial. Only the slender baton markers applied at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 and the square date window interupt the otherwise pebble-smooth su***ce.At the 9 o’clock position is the small seconds itself. Set onto the dial, the oxidised blue steel hand sweeps around it’s miniature kingdom.The watch features an in-house GP03300-0039 automatic movement, which can be observed through the sapphire crystal caseback. It is mounted on an alligator strap with tang buckle, emphasising it’s classic no-frills zeitgeist.Released in a very limited 199 pieces, this is one which is not going to be gathering dust in Girard-Perregaux’s dealers windows for long.Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small Seconds Technical specifications:CASEMaterial: palladiumDiameter: 38.00 mmHeight: 8.62 mmCrystal: antireflective sapphireCase-back: sapphire crystal, press-inWater resistance: 3 ATMMOVEMENTMovement: Girard-Perregaux GP03300-0039, automaticCalibre: 11?'''Frequency: 28,800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz)Power reserve: min. 46 hoursJewels: 28Functions: hour, minute, small second, dateSTRAPMaterial: alligatorStrap size: 20.00/16.00 mmStrap reference: BC2016-BK60-3BF-FBuckle: white gold pin buckleBuckle reference: B/A.1653A-A53A1Limited edition of 199 piecesPopularity: 10% [?]