What the brand unveils following a new movement\u2019s reveal is the much-awaited Girard-Perregaux Laureato\u00a0Fifty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n Following the likes of the 1972 Royal Oak and the Nautilus, the Laureato\u00a0is not a Gerald G\u00e9nta\u2019s brainchild; still, it ranks among the all-time greats<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And to prove the \u201chaters\u201d<\/em> wrong, GP has packed the commemorative edition with exquisite execution<\/strong>, let alone the design that was and still is subjective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I won\u2019t explore Girard-Perregaux\u2019s\u00a0history before moving on to the new Laureato, but the Swiss manufacture holds a special place in my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the first manufacturer I\u2019ve ever visited<\/strong> since the magazine went online. If there\u2019s one takeaway from visiting several workshops, it\u2019s that Girard-Perregaux has masterfully preserved a traditional approach to Haute Horlogerie while pushing technological innovation to new heights.<\/p>\n\n\n Back in the days, it was among the first brands to develop the tourbillon<\/strong> complication, which included multi-axial assemblies; it also managed the quartz revolution like no other Swiss brand has.<\/p>\n\n\n Every brand needs a sports watch on a bracelet as a pillar of its offering<\/strong>, and so does Girard-Perregaux, and did most Indie brands and microbrands with no legacy at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Laureato\u00a0sits among the most prestigious sports watches in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n When looking at the current Laureato, it feels outdated. Also, consider that most competitors joined the party with excellent propositions, such as Bvlgari\u00a0with the Octo Finissimo<\/strong>, Parmigiani with the Tonda PF<\/strong>, and H. Moser\u00a0& Cie. with the Streamliner<\/strong>, among the independent low-volume brands.<\/p>\n\n\n The development team at Girard-Perregaux, whose operations put it on par with boutique brands, tried to mimic the original 1975 model, in steel and gold, as faithfully as possible while improving the product\u2019s sophistication <\/strong>inside and out to offer a flawless, comfortable, and detailed product, and in brief, making it a statement piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case measures 39.0 mm by 9.8 mm<\/strong> thick, according to the press release, where Girard-Perregaux also claims the design has undergone extensive refinement via more edgy surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Case in point: water resistance is rated at 150 meters<\/strong>, and perceived quality has improved.<\/p>\n\n\n For example, the pictures highlight the bracelet\u2019s polished edges and corners<\/strong>, and how they pair with the yellow gold centre links\u2019 bevels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case back execution is flawless: the flat, brushed annular section welcomes carefully spaced inscriptions<\/strong>, and a bevelled, thin, polished edge with four mirror-polished fastening screws.<\/p>\n\n\n Sliding down the bracelet, whose polished profiles extend to the triple-butterfly folding clasp, you can appreciate how lovingly detailed the hidden clasp on the outside is: the GP logo<\/strong> is embossed and symmetrically split between the bracelet\u2019s halves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bracelet is released by two opening buttons arranged in an octagon; once the butterfly opens, \u201cGirard-Perregaux\u201d<\/em> appears on one blade<\/strong> (not both, unfortunately).<\/p>\n\n\n\n No headline news when looking at the dial\u2019s Clous de Paris pattern, but you won\u2019t want to change<\/strong> the recognisable 1975 Laureato\u00a0watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, complete refinement requires best-in-class engineering<\/strong>, and this is where Girard-Perregaux stands as a top-tier watch. Is the new GP 4800 up to the task?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Girard-Perregaux developed a new calibre\u00a0for the Laureato\u00a0Fifty, confirming its curated, boutique approach to watchmaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an almost entirely vertically integrated watch manufacturer (I believe the hairspring is sourced), the GP 4800 raises the bar<\/strong> while meeting strict assembly criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n In brief, its performance sheet is on par with the benchmark<\/strong>, loaded with every detail any enthusiast would expect, and it compares favourably when offered multiple buying options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Powered by a centrally mounted rotor, it winds unidirectionally<\/strong> and was possibly engineered to accommodate mechanical complications, such as the chronograph.<\/p>\n\n\n The hair spring, escapement, and pallet-to-fork assembly are all made of silicon, thus withstanding magnetic fields, reducing hysteresis<\/strong>, and reducing friction over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among the cons is the replacement cost if any part should occasionally break down. From a brand perspective, it covers the entire cycle from product to after-sales service,<\/strong> reducing labour times and costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It works on a free-sprung balance, like you\u2019d expect from a brand this refined.<\/p>\n\n\n Let alone the 55-hour power reserve, the execution and decoration showcase a Haute Horlogerie approach<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The skeletonized and polished two-fasten bridge adopts chamfered edges, as do the two rhodium-plated bridges with gold engravings inside and out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, mirror-polished screws<\/strong> stand out. I love the contrast between the polished and sandblasted areas on the oscillating weight and the balance cock. It encompasses what Haute Horlogerie<\/strong> stands for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the available pictures, technical specifications, and calibre breakdown, I can only confirm the Girard-Perregaux Laureato\u00a0Fifty is the best Laureato\u00a0since 1975<\/strong>, the most sophisticated ever.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-7.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFrom Laureato\u00a0to Laureato\u00a0Fifty\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-10.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-9.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-1.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-5.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nCase, bracelet, clasp: top-notch execution.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-8.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty-3.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Girard-Perregaux GP 4800 Movement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-calibre-GP4800-quattro.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-calibre-GP4800-cinque.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-calibre-GP4800-uno.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nInitial thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"girard-perregaux](\"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/girard-perregaux-laureato-fifty.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n