Girard-Perregaux revisits the Laureato chronograph with a quietly assertive two-tone 42 mm edition, limited to 50 pieces. Steel in 904L for the case, rose gold for the octagonal bezel, crown and pushers, a brown Clou de Paris dial and a matching rubber strap. The recipe is 1970s in spirit yet measured in execution, water resistant to 100 m and kept slim at 12.16 mm for real daily wear.
The Laureato’s familiar geometry remains intact – tonneau-shaped case and circular satin-finished octagon set on a polished ring – a vocabulary the maison has honed since 1975. Here the warm gold accents sharpen the architecture rather than shout over it. The ergonomics are sensible at 42.00 mm by 12.16 mm, helped by the supple strap.
That strap is a deliberate pivot away from the integrated bracelet. Brown rubber with a Clou de Paris motif mirrors the dial’s texture and keeps the watch firmly in the casual chic camp. Rose-gilt baton markers and hands carry luminescent material with a white glow, while a rose-gilt GP logo plate anchors the dial. It reads refined, not glossy.
Behind a sapphire back beats the manufacture calibre GP03300-2761, a self-winding column of competence at 4 Hz with a minimum 46-hour reserve. The spec sheet is dense – 419 components, 63 jewels – yet the interest lies in the finishing: circular graining, Côtes de Genève, bevelling, mirror polishing, satin brushing, engraving, sunburst finishing and snailing. Functions are classical and complete for a daily chronograph: central chronograph seconds, 30-minute and 12-hour counters, small seconds, plus date.
As a tribute to the 1970s two-tone vogue, this Laureato steers clear of nostalgia syrup. The steel and rose gold feel purposeful, the rubber choice pragmatic. Purists may wish for a bracelet option, but as presented the watch is coherent, wearable and honest about its brief. A touch of gold, a great dial texture, a serious movement – and no need to shout about any of it.
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