GIRARD-PERREGAUX – BRIDGES “Quasar Azure” Tourbillon Sapphire Edition

GIRARD-PERREGAUX – BRIDGES “Quasar Light” Tourbillon Blue Sapphire 46 Limited Edition - 2020

Quasar Azure – Seduced by the Light

La Chaux-de-Fonds, 2020 - Girard-Perregaux is pleased to unveil the Quasar Azure, a new iteration of the original Quasar encased in azure blue sapphire crystal, recalling the Manufacture’s first Bridges timepieces created in 1867. This new model is a limited edition of eight pieces, conferring a notable degree of exclusivity.

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The ability to showcase the art of precision engineering is among Girard-Perregaux’s greatest achievements. For example, the Three Gold Bridges employed on La Esmeralda, the world-famous pocket watch of 1889, were both functional and aesthetically alluring. The Quasar Azure honours this legacy by engineering transparency to the extreme. Named after a luminous astronomical entity - the Quasar – its azure blue case is sculpted from a single sapphire disc. This case, with its sapphire crystal box, provides striking aerial views of the Manufacture’s skeletonised movement, the Calibre GP09400-1035.

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In the words of CEO Patrick Pruniaux, “When the tourbillon is bathed with light, the Quasar Azure shines like a star in the mysterious darkness of space. This model is testament to our mastery of Haute Horlogerie and is rooted in our design language, albeit in this instance, it is seen through a prism of cutting-edge technology. The Quasar Azure is a brilliantly bold expression of the company’s technical mastery, contemporary design and rich heritage. Indeed, the Quasar Azure embodies the very essence of Girard-Perregaux.”

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Sapphire is extremely difficult to craft because of its hardness. The case is formed, coloured, milled and polished by Girard-Perregaux artisans through a protracted process, taking over 200 hours. Once completed, the case must be a uniform shade and free of any inclusions. Making the case of the Quasar Azure, including its lugs and crown, necessitates exceptional craftsmanship, a strength synonymous with Girard-Perregaux.

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Set within the azure blue case, the tourbillion seemingly floats. Its cage is lyre-shaped, a historical design dating back to the 19th century. However, this contemporary creation indulges the wearer with aerial views of the Neo Bridges, a Girard-Perregaux signature inspired by architectural structures. While these bridges appear futuristic, they continue to uphold the styling of La Esmeralda. The Grade 5 titanium bridges are set against the NAC treated mainplate, revealing the smallest details of the mechanism. Despite the modernity of this model, traditional hand-finishing is much in evidence.

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The tourbillon cage is powered by a unidirectional automatic winding system featuring a micro-rotor made of white gold. Comprised of 80 components and weighing a mere 0.25 grams, the low mass of the tourbillon cage consumes only small quantities of energy, augmenting the movement’s available power-reserve. The micro-rotor is intentionally positioned behind the barrel, contributing to the pure, uncluttered appearance of the Quasar Azure’s fully skeletonised movement. Touches of blue luminescent material on the Dauphine-type hours and minutes hands, as well as the blue strap’s stitching, perfectly demonstrate the company’s fastidious attention to detail.

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The Quasar Azure is housed in a handblown floating glass sphere, made in Switzerland, just as any Girard-Perregaux timepiece since the Maison’s inception in 1791. It is immediately available by special order, sold exclusively via selected authorised Girard-Perregaux retailers. The Quasar Azure is a brilliantly bold expression of the technical mastery, contemporary design and rich heritage that exemplifies Girard-Perregaux. The 8 exclusive pieces are now luminous stars at the centre of an entirely new galaxy of watchmaking excellence.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model:  Quasar Azure

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Reference: 99295-43-002-UA2A

Movement
Reference: GP09400-1035
Winding: Self-winding mechanical
Power reserve: min. 60 hours
Number of components: 260, of which 27 jewels
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h – (3 Hz)
Diameter: 36.00 mm (16’’’)
Thickness: 9.54 mm
Functions: Tourbillon, hours, minutes, small seconds on the tourbillon
Tourbillon
Tourbillon carriage composed of 79 components weighing only 0.250 grams
The iconic Girard-Perregaux bridges are made out of sapphire
Case
Material: Blue sapphire
Diameter: 46 mm
Height: 15.25 mm
Glass: sapphire anti-reflective ‘box’
Case-back: sapphire crystal ‘box’
Water resistance: 30 meters (3 ATM)
Dial
No dial. Skeleton
Hands: skeletonised, white gold, ‘Dauphine’ type, with luminescent material
Strap
Material: shiny anthracite fabric with a metallic effect and hand-stitching
The timepiece will be delivered with a complimentary black alligator strap
Buckle: triple folding, white gold


Limited to Only 8 Pieces

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Press release - 2020
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Press Contact:
Manager: Ivanne Perrinjaquet, iperrinjaquet@girard-perregaux.ch

Girard-Perregaux,
International PR : christine.giotto@girard-perregaux.com

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Theo Auffret – SUBSCRIPTION “Tourbillon à Paris” Edition

Theo AuffreT – SUBSCRIPTION “Tourbillon à Paris” Platinium Limited Edition

THÉO AUFFRET

Theo Auffret, born in 1995, began his training as a restorative watchmaker, in parallel with his baccalaureate studies, at Dupont’s, in Pontoise. Then in 2012 he joined the professional programme as a restorative watchmaker apprentice in the workshops of Denis Corpechot, in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris.   

 

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During these two years, he saw many high-end watches and clocks of the most beautiful periods of watchmaking history. During a discussion about the remanufacturing of a part for a pocket watch, he had the chance to meet the renowned watchmaker / manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Viot. The latter would later offer him the chance to continue his apprenticeship in his workshops located on the outskirts of Paris, with all the necessary tools for designing and creating unique watches.

HERITAGE

At this time, Jean-Baptiste Viot was devoting part of his time to restoring exceptional pieces for museums and merchants, and at the same time he built a series of eight chronometers in the purest tradition of luxury watchmaking. He decided to entrust his new apprentice with the secrets of machining chronometer components and with the technicalities of construction and prototyping.

In the workshop library Theo studied passionately precision watches and clocks, and in particular the history of pieces made in Paris for scientific purposes. Jean-Baptiste Viot allowed him to use the workshop’s machinery and tools for the making of his own watch, and these were made available to him in the evenings, weekends and school holidays.

THE FIRST WATCH

After his apprenticeship programme in the workshops of Jean-Baptiste Viot, Theo left Paris for the shores of Lake Neuchâtel (Switzerland) and joined, in the capacity of model-maker, an independent and discreet workshop, which acted as subcontractors for major companies and employed an international team of talented watchmakers.

The still-unfinished prototype of the “Tourbillon à Paris” would be acclaimed in 2018 when it participated in the “Young Talents” contest organised by the F.P. Journe Company.

Back in Paris, Theo went back to the workshops where he had completed his apprenticeship, working on clock-making projects and restoration of ancient watches, and he decided to set up his own workshop on the river Seine and to concentrate once more on construction.

"Tourbillon in Paris"

Inspired by precision timekeepers and chronometers from the second half of the 18th century, the “Tourbillon à Paris” watch was designed based a flat central plate, allowing simple and robust machining. German silver or steel bridges thus maintain the gear train on either side of the movement, making the mechanics visible on the front and back of the case.

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The movement is also made visible thanks to a “regulator” display made up of a central minute hand and a silver and gold hour dial. A twenty second sector dial can be manufactured as an option on customer request. The hands are turned and polished by hand just like every component finishing in the timepiece.

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The visible mechanical triptych is made up of a barrel containing a powerful spring, developed for chronometry, a large gear train allowing the best possible transmission of energy, and a 14mm tourbillon carriage wich carries a balance and a Breguet hairspring oscillating at 21,600 vibrations per hour.

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Tourbillon carriage Prototype was updated from 18,000 AH to 21,600 to increase precision. The new escapement wheel is riveted to a wood polished pinion. Two cylindrical masses inspired by old marine chronometers allow the poising of the tourbillon carriage assembly.

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The 38mm case can be made in platinum, gold, silver or steel. The artisanal manufacture of the watch allows each customer a wide choice of options that he or she is invited to choose, such as the material and finish of the dials, the color of the screws, the shape of the hands. Each particular request is carefully studied.

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If the customer wishes, the regulation of the watch is prepared for a chronometry test at the observatory of the University of Besancon.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model:   “Tourbillon à Paris” Edition

MOVEMENT
Manual winding
Side pallets escapement, balance with fine adjustment screws, spiral without regulator
– 21,600 alternations per hour 3 Hz
– 50 hours power reserve
Main plate and bridges decorated with coal
Signed and numbered movement
Functions   Hours, Minutes, Tourbillon
HANDS AND DIALS
Regulator display
Silver, gold or platinum dials
Hand turned hands
CASE
A choice of steel case
– 38.5mm diameter without crown
– 12 mm of thickness
Hand-molded mineral glasses or sapphire glasses
STRAP
Custom leather strap - DAVID COLIN
Engraved buckel

THE BOXES :
– bespoke wooden box, made of white ebony and pear tree
– travelling leather box with silver buckle and nubuck interior
– choice of wood species, ebony boards and compartments of the box
– choice of leather for the travelling « marmotte » and casing of the wooden one
– gold or silver stamping of the customer’s initials

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Limited Edition
limited series - 20 pieces


Price incl. VAT  114'000 CHF

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Press release – 2020
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