amanico
[JLC Moderator]
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SIHH 2008 Report: Girard-Perregaux
SIHH 2008 Report: Girard-Perregaux
Text: Nicolas Fondaneche, Su JiaXian, Jerome Berder
Photos: Anthony Tsai, Nicolas Fondaneche, Jerome Berder
Amanico: I was always in love with GP, as it was one of the very first brands I discovered and introduced me to the real world of Horology. So, since maybe something like 10 years, I'm looking each year on their catalogue, the presentation of their new watches. Since, let's say 2004, I was a bit disappointed, while seeing that their watches didn't correspond to the idea I had of such a Manufacture. With some few, very few exceptions...
But this year, something changed, IMHO.
Technically, as Peter explained it perfectly, and aesthetically too.
I will only here give my impressions on 3 watches:
First, the 45mm Girard-Perregaux Bi-axial Tourbillon and will produced in a limited series of 33 pieces. The problem of this watch, let's say its major problem, is that it reminds the Iconic Tourbillon under 3 golden bridges. But if you forget it, you can only admire the work on this piece, technically totally different from the "3 golden bridges", as it's a tourbillon on 2 axis. This is simply pure magic!
Yes, this is really a big watch but also an elegant one. GP worked with Complitime, which is linked to Greubel Forsey, on this dual-axis tourbillon because of its capacity limitations, but the development is exclusive to GP both in function and in design.
SJX: The bi-axial Three Gold Bridges is the first major change to the iconic Three Gold Bridges tourbillon since it was reintroduced in wristwatch form. Weighing just 0.8 grams, two tourbillon cages rotate on two axis; a complete revolution of the entire tourbillon regulator takes 3 minutes 45 seconds - the cage containing the balance an escapement completes one revolution in 45 seconds, while the external cage takes 1 minute 15 seconds. While technically impressive, the bi-axial tourbillon measures in at a whopping 45 mm wide and 18.5 mm high.
Amanico: One of my very favourite this year, the Vintage 45 with the enamel dial...
Amanico: The shape of the case, the dimensions, the enamel dial, all these details, these elements give a strong character, a enormous elegance to this watch. Since the Vintage Chrono 45 in Gold ( year 2000 ), I was searching for my Vintage 45...And it seems that I just found it with this piece!
Cerise sur le gateeau, the blued hands. A Masterpiece of simplicity, beauty, elegance and class... Can't say more!
Even the case back is nicely executed...In the below picture, you can really admire the shape of the case and the work that it requires to make such a case.
SJX: It is worth noting that GP now has the capability to manufacture enamels dials itself, which is quite a significant development as most of the industry now relies on specialists like Donze Cadran for enamel dials. I am certain we will see more complex enamel dials from GP in the future.
Amanico:
1966 Full Date and Moonphase - This is a watch to see in the flesh to appreciate it as it deserves. Classic, elegant, beautiful, this watch is simply one of the nicest GP, for me.
SJX: Next is another remarkable grande complication, a tourbillon with split seconds chronograph and foudroyante, or 'lightning seconds', which enables the chronograph to record times of up to 1/6 of a second. This watch is also a mono-pusher chronograph, with the pusher at 4 o'clock to start, stop and reset the chronograph, while the pusher at 2 o'clock is for the split seconds hand. At 44 mm wide and 17.1 mm thick, this multi-complication is still smaller than the bi-axial tourbillon. Only 33 pieces will be made. Althought not revealed by GP, I would expect that the movement was developed with/by Christophe Claret.
SJX: Most notable about the new Vintage 1945 Square perpetual calendar is the fact that it is equipped with GP's new Microvar balance wheel, a free sprung balance with two adjustable weights.
SJX: GP has added another watch to its highly successful ww.tc line. In my opinion this model verges on the ridiculous, named the ww.tc 24 Hour Shopping, it has the names of famous shopping streets on the bezel, Bond Street, Ginza, Orchard Road and so on.
SJX: The new sports watch for 2008 is the Sea Hawk Pro 1000m, a 44 mm diver's watch.
SJX: Finally we come to the much discussed constant force escapement. Nicolas Dehon, the watchmaker who came up with the concept of this escapement, was inspired by a flexible paper train ticket.
Requiring 5 years of R&D, the new escapement makes use of a new deep etching process to fabricate its silicon 'blade'. Flexible, like the train ticket, this blade accumulates tiny amounts of energy, which it releases in constant amounts to the escapement, thus maintaing a constant amplitude of the balance, which is not possible with a conventional balance due to the fluctuations of the mainspring's power reserve.
GP now has 20 working prototypes of this escapement, and expects to have it available in production models in 2010.
Dje: As I understand it the new constant force escapement from Girard-Perregaux is so far close to a conventional swiss-lever escapement coupled with a constant force device that perfectly regulates the power flow in the traditional escapement.
Let me explain if I can! 
The regulator has a traditional balance wheel and a traditional balance spring. They work as they have always worked before. They are centered on the lowest jewel in the first picture.
They lock and unlock not one but two escape wheels as you can see them below on the upper left and right corners. These two escape wheels are both geared to the same wheel that begins the gear train. You can't see that wheel on my first pic but it is clearly visible in the second and third pics below, centered on the highest jewel and being the last wheel in the background.
The two pics below show the two "bi-stable" positions of the escapement and the constant force device.
The main specificity of this constant force escapement relies in the innovative anchor. This anchor "system" is made of two separate anchors. One is the traditional anchor that is moved traditionaly by the balance wheel movements. This first anchor is darker in the pic above, nearly black. When this first anchor moves, it "unlocks" the second anchor. The second anchor is below the first, with two little jewels on top and two large arms on its bottom part, fixed to the thin blade.
The second anchor is the constant force device. This second anchor has its movement perfectly powered and regulated by the fine silicium blade on which it is fixed. This thin blade is visible on my pics, going from left to right. It is just thicker than a human hair.
This thin blade is under permanent constraint and goes from one stable position to another, its stability being each time ended by the traditional anchor movement.
You can see above and below the two stable positions.
The secret, you may have understood, is that the traditional escapement puts an end to the stable position of the blade, but the action of the anchor on the escape wheels is always the same as the movement, speed and consequently energy of the constant force anchor is always the same, determined by its design and not by the amount of energy brought by the gear train or by the traditional escapement.
This device is here implemented in a traditional escapement but apparently it may be also implemented differently, in even more innovative ways. I don't know more!
I hope you followed me and even more I hope I explained it well.
