Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm

written by YWH team 7 December 2017
Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm 99285-52-000-BA6A
Quick specs Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm
Price: $ 211,500 | approx. € 178.300 | approx. £ 157,000
Size: 40 mm
Reference: 99285-52-000-BA6A
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Girard-Perregaux will always be remembered for the iconic pocket watch with three bridges from 1860. They now present yet another version with more or less the same name. This is the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm.

An interesting mix between horological provenance and modern watchmaking. The origin lies in Constant Girard’s interest in the tourbillon. While his peers were content with merely adding it on to a given movement, the watchmaker devoted attention to the structure of the movement and the shape of its components. In the mid-1850s, he thus began developing a watch equipped with a tourbillon regulator on a caliber featuring three parallel bridges.

The lengthy creative process led to this principle being incorporated within a tourbillon pocket chronometer equipped with three nickel-plated parallel bridges. It won a first-class award from the Neuchâtel Observatory in 1867.

The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm keeps the spirit of the early pocket watches by GP

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Fast forward to now and several iterations later. The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm is still a sight to see. A 40-millimeter pink gold case with three gold bridges in their signature style and a tourbillon to finish it all off.

The 18-carat gold case provides a transparent frame for the legendary caliber and its iconic looks. The absence of a dial makes sure you can see the intricacies of the movement. Distinguished by its imposing lyre-shaped tourbillon carriage featuring three parallel arrow-type bridges. It comprises 257 parts entirely assembled and decorated by hand. The 79-part carriage, weighing barely 0.278 grams, is driven by a unidirectional micro-rotor automatic winding system Which is visible through an open-worked barrel.

So, if you find that Patek or Rolex are too ‘subtle’ with their creations and you want to show-off some horological complexity, the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm is a good bet. A bit showy? Yes, but with enough historical significance to justify it.

The marvelous details of the new GP and an example of a 1860s pocket watch from Girard-Perregaux

technical data Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm
Reference:
99285-52-000-BA6A
Movement:
Girard-Perregaux GP09600-0030 | Automatic | Diameter: 32 mm / 13¾ lignes | Thickness: 6.87 mm | Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz) | Jewels: 31 | Parts: 257 | Tourbillon | Hours, minutes, small seconds on the tourbillon | Power-reserve: 50 hours
Case & dial:
40 mm | Pink gold | Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment | Sapphire case back | Fluted bezel | No dial, just the movement with dauphine-type hands | Water-resistance: 3 ATM / 3 bar / 30 meters / 100 feet
Strap:
Black hand-stitched alligator leather | Pink gold triple folding buckle
Price Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Bridges 40 mm:
$ 211,500 | approx. € 178.300 | approx. £ 157,000
Website:
www.girard-perregaux.com

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