Hands-On Debut: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition
Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin have collaborated on several watches over the past few years and the just-released Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition might be the best looking one yet. For the first time, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato will come in a green ceramic case and bracelet offered in both the 42mm and 38mm case size. The British racing green color is a natural choice considering the partnership with Aston Martin and has also been the color of choice with the previous releases. Naturally, this is a limited edition release with 388 pieces in 42mm and 188 pieces in 38mm.
The Laureato debuted back in 1975 and really does have the history to place it alongside the original handful of integrated bracelet sports watches. The recognizable octagonal bezel and sleek case proportions make for a highly comfortable and versatile sports watch that is a great value even if it isn’t the hidden gem it was a couple of years ago. There have been full ceramic iterations in the past with all-white and all-black models but the green is by far the most eye-catching.
Using a zirconium and metallic oxide to achieve the green ceramic, the end product is a deep rich green that is slightly more vibrant than forest green. The lightweight and scratch resistant properties of ceramic are well-known at this point but I still manage to get a kick out of it whenever I first try an all-ceramic watch on. There is still plenty of novelty and enjoyment to be had by the relative rarity but also ceramic just feels like a real luxury material.
The hardness of ceramic makes it far more difficult to work with when it comes to finishes but there are polished and brushed surfaces throughout this green ceramic Laureato. The H-shaped end links of the bracelet have mirrored beveling on the outer edges which flows over into the sides of the case as well. You can also appreciate the nice contrast between the brushed bezel and the polished lower bezel plate. It’s all very nicely done, though no surprise as Girard-Perregaux have gotten quite proficient at working with ceramic cases and bracelets.
On the dial you’ll see the cross-hatched diamond pattern which is inspired by the old Aston Martin logo from the 1920’s and has been a recurring theme across the watches released under this partnership. While the rhodium-framed hands aren’t the most legible against the dark green dial, the healthy application of white lume easily negates the issue. Finally, the date window indeed matches the green dial with the date done in nicely contrasting white.
I got my hands on the 42mm version which measures a very wearable 11.08mm thick, while the 38mm version comes in at 10.27 mm thick. Both are water resistant to 100 m and have anti-reflective coating. The 42mm is outfitted with the automatic GP01800-2165 movement that operates at 4 Hz and has a 54-hour power reserve, while the 38mm has the automatic GP03300-2166 movement which operates at 4 Hz with a slightly shorter power reserve of 46-hours. Both have the Aston Martin decal on the case back which fortunately doesn’t block too much of the movement as the finishes are really quite nice with circular graining and Geneva stripes throughout.
These watches demonstrate once again that the best collaboration watches are the ones that can stand alone on their design. The British racing green is an absolutely wonderful color choice to do a full ceramic Laureato which would be the case with or without the Aston Martin co-branding while the cross-hatched dial pattern is a perfectly balanced design inspiration from the carmaker. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition in 42mm (Ref. 81010-32-3081-1CX) is limited to 388 pieces and priced at $25,800 while the 38mm (Ref. 81005-32-3080-1CX) is limited to 188 pieces and priced at $25,000.