This year’s collection from GP is smaller than I recall in previous years, and it is generally staid, but there are a handful of gem within.
We start with the Vintage 1945, its case is now curved on two planes, along the length of the watch as well as across its diameter. In addition, the crown is recessed into the case. Both changes make for a very sleek watch, and it’s my favourite iteration of the Vintage 1945. It is a small watch by modern standards at 32 x 32 mm, and I am betting GP will unveil larger versions next year.
That new case has also been applied to the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges. Presented as a limited edition of 50 in pink gold, the straight gold bridges were inspired by the earliest version of the Three Gold Bridges pocket watch. Regardless of the shape of the bridges, the Three Gold Bridges tourbillion remains one of the most beautiful tourbillion wristwatches ever made, period. Dimensions of the case are 36.1 x 35.25 mm and the movement inside is the automatic version of the tourbillion movement.
GP’s successful ww.tc range has two new models for 2009. One is the ww.tc Shadow, a 43 mm watch in a black ceramic case with rubber coated crown and pushers.
My favourite ww.tc model was launched a few years ago, it is a plain dial with Three Gold Bridges visible from the rear. GP has finally made a watch with the same dial without the tourbillion. This is legible and easy to use, and by far the best looking of the ww.tc models.
One of the gems from GP this year is the Vintage 1966 Annual Calendar and Equation of Time. This is rose gold with the in-house Microvar balance wheel that has adjustable weights on the rim. This is a large, flat watch measuring 40 mm wide. Extremely elegant and legible just like its sibling the Vintage 1966 Full Calendar.
The Vintage 1966 collection now has a ladies’ watch, a 30 mm wristwatch in white or pink gold with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond markers. Many, many more interesting ladies’ watches presented at SIHH, including from GP itself like the Cat’s Eye below.
An addition to the successful Cat’s Eye range of ladies watches is the Annual and Zodiacal Calendar. It’s a small watch at 35.25 x 30.25 mm, but it contains an automatic calibre with annual and zodiac calendar. Some may remember GP made a quartz zodiacal calendar wristwatch 20 years back. Available in white or rose gold with white or dark mother-of-pearl dial. This is a beautiful petit complication for the ladies though I expect the indicators may be hard to read in some conditions.
Finally we have a perpetual calendar with chronograph and Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon. A limited edition of 33 pieces, it is cased in pink gold with a white enamel dial. While this is a technically impressive watch, it is very thick and not really new, GP has made similar watches before. What is notable is that the movement is not from Christophe Claret; in fact 2009 is one of the few years in which there is no movement from Claret in any new GP watch.
This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-02-02 22:46:34