Review
crown comfort shares a personal owner's review of his Girard-Perregaux Carré Cambré Chronograph Ref. 2499, detailing its acquisition and his long-term appreciation for this distinctive timepiece. This article offers a unique perspective on a less common reference within the GP collection, highlighting its design nuances and the author's journey with the brand's square-cambered cases. It's an insightful look into a collector's passion for a specific aesthetic.
Friends,
Let’s have a closer look at one watch from my collection that holds a special place, the Chronograph Carré Cambré 2499. It came into my collection in October 2014, so it’s coming up for its 3rd anniversary.
However, the Carré Cambré has a longer history in my collection, in fact it was one of the early GPs that I added in my collection around 2010. First, the 2598 and then the 2498 with white dial.
While I was searching for a 2598, I came across in shops the 2498 quite often and immediately liked the case and bezel. Different character than the more bulky 2598 and the fine Guilloche dial adds a lot of interest when looking at it in different lights and at different angles.
After I had found a 2598 with black dial, I hunted the 2498 with white dial. At that time the similar 2499 was quite elusive, very rare and very hard to find. For many years I pursued finding a 2499 when I eventually in 2014 succeeded.
For me, the 2499 combines the best parts of the 2598 and 2498, it brings the Guilloche dial and superb bezel together with a 2 register, no date Chronograph.
So let’s look closer at the 2499:
The case:
How to best describe the case? Cushion I think comes closest, however, in real, the watch appears more round than square. The case is dimensioned 38 x 38mm without crown and pushers.
The lower case has a satin finish on all sides and lugs, but the chambered carré top is mirror polished as the pushers and the crown. The bezel sits very flat with a domed crystal and has a highly polished ring. The domed crystal provides real challenges for taking photos, but in real gives the watch a very classy look.
The lugs are 21mm apart and the standard strap would be 21/16 with rounded ends and a 16mm pin buckle. Alternatively, there was a bracelet available.
Case height is 13.5mm but a large part of that is due to the domed crystal, overall, I find the dimensions perfectly in harmony.
The case back is secured with 7 screws and provides for a 30m water resistance. The case back on my watch has an engraving and watch collectors will surely recognize that engraving. My 2499 comes from a series that was commissioned to the Sultan of Oman and hence carries the Sultans coat of arms on its back.
I have done some research with the help of the GP curator (many thanks!) and was able to obtain some production numbers:
The 2598 had 1904 watches produced from 1999 till 2006
Not a large number but still quite a bit. Now look at the 2498 and 2499:
2498: total of 711 watches of which 288 with white and 423 with black dial
2499: total of 313 pieces with 183 in white and 130 in black
So only 130 ever made with black dial of the Ref 2499, no wonder they are hard to find.
I assume even much less have the Sultan of Oman coat of arms. My watch was in a lot of 40 watches (20 on bracelet, 20 on strap) sold through Al Dorar in Saudi Arabia, but if all of them had been engraved with the Coat of Arms is not known.
The dial:
The most charming part of Ref 2499 is its dial. Not often has GP used a Guilloche pattern dial for its Chronographs, only the Vintage 45, Ref 2599 comes to mind.
The black dial is everything but just black. I’m not sure if it is because of the Guilloche pattern or if the dial actually is printed in a dark grey, but that’s how it appears. At some angles though it can be very black again. On top of the Guilloche pattern, you have an applied “12” and “6” which are highly polished and angled and polished indexes The minute track has small lume dots every 5 min. The hands are very visible in any light condition and also have lume.
Two subregisters with running seconds at 3 and a 30min counter at 9. As often seen, GP added a bit of red spice with a red print “automatic” and red top numbers on the subregisters.
The movement:
All Carré Cambré models sport a solid case back as inside you have an ETA-modified caliber. In the case of the 2499, the caliber name is GP 022C0-Q0VSS and has an ETA automatic caliber with 11.5”’ and a Dubois-Depraz Chronograph module sized 13’”. The modular design can be seen from the side view with the crown/stem sitting lower than the Chronograph pushers. Overall it has 45 jewels and a min 40h power reserve when fully wound.
I don’t have a photo of the movement of the 2499 and I’m not going to open the case back, but our friend Nilomis shared some movement photos of his 2498, with a very similar movement. So photo credits Nilomis:
The pusher feel is rather stiff and requires a good forced push, but the winding by crown is smooth, of course, not to be compared with an integrated or even a manual wind design.
The wrist experience:
Presence, Coolness and Sparkle to sum it up.
Presence: like a perfect size for my taste, very comfortable, visibly bigger than 38mm, and always present.
Coolness: the all black dial and strap gives it its coolness along with the less common case shape. The rectangular pushers are a perfect match with the rest of the case.
Sparkle: the polished case top, the bezel ring and the indexes are the elements that catch even the smallest light and sparkle it back. Sometimes, you can sit there for minutes with very little movement and you get so many different light reflections. A detail I truly love.
And then there is the Guilloche dial. It does not jump at you, it is really subtle but it adds a level of sophistication to the dial that makes a large part of the wrist experience. It actually is a very traditional pattern with 12 segments and enlarging circle segments combined with a sports chronograph in a sporty case, but it works surprisingly well.
Lastly, the domed crystal, which I tried to capture here as best as possible. It adds even more sophistication and well thought-through design.
In summary, I think the Girard-Perregaux Carré Cambré 2499 manages to square the circle in a most convincing way. I’m sure it will become a sought-after classic in a few years, but in the end you will need to experience it on the wrist to truly come under its spell.
CC
The Patek Philippe Reference 2499 is a highly significant perpetual calendar chronograph, representing a pivotal model in the brand's history of complicated wristwatches. It succeeded the Reference 1518 and introduced a larger case diameter and updated aesthetic, establishing a design language that would influence subsequent perpetual calendar chronographs from Patek Philippe for decades. The reference was produced in four distinct series, each with subtle variations in dial layout, pusher style, and case construction.
This reference typically features a case crafted from precious metals, most commonly yellow gold, though examples in rose gold and platinum are known. The case diameter is generally 37.5mm, housing a manual-wind movement, specifically the caliber 13''' Q. This movement integrates a perpetual calendar mechanism with a chronograph function, offering indications for day, date, month, leap year, and moon phases. The crystal is typically acrylic for earlier series and sapphire for later iterations.
The 2499 is highly sought after by collectors due to its rarity, complexity, and historical importance. It is considered a benchmark for vintage complicated Patek Philippe watches and represents the evolution of the perpetual calendar chronograph from the mid-20th century. The variations between the four series provide distinct collecting opportunities, with each series possessing unique characteristics that appeal to different connoisseurs.
Thanks for the report
A stunning watch! (And a nightmare to take in photos). Interesting to see the production numbers - not high numbers for any of the watches. Guess it goes well with the GP slogan "Watches for the few"! Best Blomman
Yes, some quite low production numbers even by GP standards. Taking photos of it is really hard, but once in a while, some come out quite well, but they cannot do the watch justice when seen in the metal.
I must say that I like a lot this cushion shape case so these 2 tick this box perfectly . On top of that I am biaised as ref 2499 rings a (Patek) bell in my mind as being a mythic iconic fantastic reference, so these digits 2 4 9 9 do sound like magic in my mind but obviously the GP 2499 is much more affordable than the PP 2499 !!! LOL Thanks my friend for this beautiful review, Mike
Then, between these both timepieces, I have a soft spot for the 2498 and its white dial even if the 2499 has a "purer" dial (no date and sub dial at 6). I like when you conclude by saying "square the circle". The perfect definition for this unusual case 😉 Thanks for this interesting report dear CC. Best wishes Alkiro
a magic number. Hmm, I wonder if there is a GP with Ref 3448 as well.
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