It takes courage to walk around in a large, all-gold sports watch with an integrated bracelet. This genre is not for the faint of heart. I consider myself a pretty energetic person, so I thought “let’s give it a go”. I contacted Girard-Perregaux and asked if I could try out their latest gold Laureato 42mm model. When a rather heavy box arrived, I knew it was time to take off my comfortably small and unassuming steel GADA watch and strap this big hunk of 18K pink gold to my forearm. I stared at my wrist and thought “what will it feel like after that initial mind-blowing experience”. Well, let’s find out!
In this review, I’m taking a slightly different approach. Rather than delving into the specs and history of the watch, I’m going to look at it and explore how it makes me feel. Why? Because that’s exactly what’s most interesting about this watch. It’s an oddity, and one I’m having a hard time pinning down. Work with me to find out who this watch is for, and if it’s any good.
The 18K Pink Gold Laureato is Unique
What I’m alluding to is the odd place the Girard-Perregaux Laureato occupies in the watch world’s public consciousness. Rarely does a single watch define an entire genre the way the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak defined the integrated bracelet sports watch. To some, it’s the only “real thing.” To others, it’s simply the standard-bearer for a broader genre of watches that followed.
But the Laureato was at the heart of it all in the mid-’70s. Widely believed to have been designed by Adolfo Natalini (though recent research suggests this is more likely), the original GP Laureato was born in 1975. Clearly, it’s one of the OGs. And yet, it’s not as widely embraced in pop culture as the Royal Oak or the similarly “not first” Patek Philippe Nautilus. At the same time, the Laureato shares an air of old-world chic with some of the genre’s later additions and certainly not the flashier iterations of the OGs.
And then there’s the 42mm Laureato in 18K pink gold. It’s flashy and bold enough to qualify as old-school chic, but it’s still a Girard-Perregaux watch. So what is it? A flashy status symbol for the nouveau riche who struggle to assert their individuality beyond material substitutes? Or the choice of a connoisseur who happens to be a bit “offbeat”? An unorthodox watch, to be sure.
First: Facts and figures
Before answering that question, let’s take a quick look at what the watch looks like on my wrist. As I write this article, I’m wearing a Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm in 18K pink gold with a sage green dial. On the desk in front of me is its sibling model in ultramarine blue. The watch is just over 49mm long, but the tonneau case and bracelet are one piece, so it’s not like a regular round watch with lugs. The watch is 10.7mm thick, which feels thin due to the rather large surface area on the top. It is water resistant to 50 meters.
Inside is the in-house caliber GP01800-0004, beating at 28,800 beats per hour. This automatic movement is made up of 191 components, 28 of which are jewels. The caliber has a power reserve of 54 hours. A sapphire window on the caseback offers plenty of exposure to the beautiful finishing. When not obscured by the rose gold rotor with Côtes de Genève finish, the main barrel features a beautiful sunburst. Keen observers will also notice the rather wide angles of the surroundings.
Aesthetically, the dial is a supporting role to the vibrant pink case and bracelet, both of which are finished to perfection. The horizontal brushing is not satiny like most watches. It’s more of a hairline that you can feel with your fingernail, and I like it. Still, the dial holds its own. The hobnail pattern contrasts very well with the rest of the watch. Color-wise, both the green and blue are spot on. From what I understand, the hands and indexes are plated, which surprised me. I can’t imagine it’s a cost-cutting measure, given the ample amount of gold used elsewhere.
Wearing a 42mm Laureato in 18K pink gold
The 18K pink gold Laureato feels fantastic in the hand, combining an exceptionally fine watch and bracelet with the weight of gold. The result is a supple yet weighty feel that is truly luxurious, as evidenced by the smooth screw-down crown and the precise click when the movement is manually wound.
The 42mm Laureato fits my 17.5cm wrist perfectly, hugging it without spilling out, but it feels a little uncomfortable. The problem, it turns out, is the watch-to-bracelet ratio; when adjusted to my wrist size, the bracelet just doesn’t have enough visual weight left to balance the watch itself. This balance makes it look good on larger wrists, rather than the wrist itself. I won’t seriously consider this watch until Girard-Perregaux offers it in 38mm. Maybe next year, when the Laureato celebrates its 50th anniversary…
The Laureato, unlike many of its competitors, has a very ergonomic shape, which means that even if the bracelet isn’t the perfect size, it will still fit snugly on your wrist in just the right position – which is a good thing, as the butterfly clasp doesn’t allow for fine adjustments beyond half a link.
So how did we get along?
This review started with some questions, but I think it’s time to summarize the answers. Let’s start with the vexing issue of integrated bracelet sports watches. I think we do this genre, and its flagship, the Laureato, an injustice. It’s as if we see this watch and immediately close our minds: “Oh, it’s trendy again.” Watches with integrated bracelets are criticized everywhere, when the same can be said about the new dive watches and chronographs. Instead of looking at whether the watch in hand is good and beautiful in itself, we just point out the similarities with other watches in the genre. Yes, the Laureato has an octagonal bezel. Never mind that.
For me, the bigger surprise was how the 18K pink gold disappeared from my wrist. The soft contrast between my skin tone and the gold made it look much more understated than if I had worn the gold alone. What remained was a beautiful watch with mesmerizing subtle details. This watch is therefore perfect for someone who appreciates these qualities and has a watch that suits their wrist and their budget. Any worries that it might be too flashy or showy disappeared the moment I stepped outside with this watch. I mentioned that the 38mm version is more balanced on the wrist, but I also think this watch is casually elegant, which is something I dare say about a full gold sports watch…
I was surprised by the Girard-Perregaux Laureato in 18K pink gold. Wearing it was a completely different experience than I had initially imagined. I had to stoke the fire to once again bring the footballer status symbol to the boil, but no more… it’s amazing.
What do you think of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm in 18K Pink Gold (Sage Green and Ultramarine Blue)? Let us know in the comments below.
