Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon Bi-axial White Gold

The recent presentation by Girard - Perregaux's Tourbillon bi-axial titanium DLC gave me  the will to write about the White Gold version which was unveiled in 2010. I regret not having done it earlier because it is one of the most fascinating watches in recent years.

The Tourbillon Bi-axial made its first appearance in the 2008 collection with a pink gold case and very quickly, it contributed a lot to give credibility to the Girard-Perregaux high horology approach. it perfectly symbolizes the strategy pursued in this segment by the Manufacture located at la Chaux-de-Fonds which is to find its inspiration on its rich history  while exploring new and innovative territories to pursue excellence and differentiate itself from the competition. Therefore, the close observation of this watch causes a very special feeling, to be in front of a piece at the same time classic and very contemporary. Girard-Perregaux plays a lot with contrasts, with paradoxes in the context of this Tourbillon Bi-axial and this is  one of the reasons why it has a very special charm.


A very quick first look gives the impression that the watch is extremely spare and simple. Girard-Perregaux has eliminated anything that could harm the purity of the dial: don't lose your time trying to find figures or unneccessary litterature. Indexes are discreetly positioned on the flange. Only at the end bridges screws and the "Girard-Perregaux" on the barrel adorns the dial which has a very geometric design.

Indeed, this dial loves to  mix shapes, playing on the contrast between the straight lines of the bridges and the disc-shaped barrel: it is so simple without being boring. In fact, it is full of subtleties that only a closer observation can detect. Thus, the barrel bridge and the center bridge, both  in rose gold, get satin finishes and perfect beveled edges. Their colour brings the slight touch of warmth that spices up the chromatic atmosphere of the watch, very smooth and very sober. The base of the dial, in two parts, is decorated with a circular guilloché pattern that contributes to the refine and modern design. But how not to evoke the ellipse which decorates the barrel? This motif already adorned the pocket watch from Constant Girard with a Tourbillon under 3 gold bridges and thus serves as a common thread on over 120 years of history of the Manufacture, between the gold medal obtained at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889 and the presence of the Tourbillon Bi-axial in the current collection.


The Constant Girard pocket watch is an obvious inspiration. However, only two bridges seem to be visible on the Tourbillon Bi-axial. It would be a mistake because the third bridge is actually present but due to the use of two concentric cages it is offered to our gaze for a few seconds per cycle.

You can see the ellipse on the barrel of this historical pocket watch:



The highlight of the show comes from by the hypnotizing character of the behaviour of the two cages. The design created by Girard-Perregaux makes sense in this context. The dial, the flange, the subtle details, they have all been designed to highlight the Tourbillon. Rarely a watch reaches such consistency between the Tourbillon and the stage that it is created for it. While providing great care to the finishings, Girard-Perregaux has worked so that the constituent elements of the dial fade behind the magic of the Tourbillon. Nothing disturbs its observation and it is a real joy for the eyes. This contrast between the extremely spare style and the incredible complexity of the ballet of the  regulating organ is indeed very surprising.

The hypnotizing behaviour of the two cages:



The Tourbillon is composed of two concentric cages. The inner cage containing the balance wheel rotates in 45 seconds. The outer cage that allows rotation around a second axis rotates every 75 seconds. Taking into account these parameters, 225 seconds are needed to make a full revolution. Even if the Tourbillon Bi-axial does not follow the traditional cycle of single Tourbillons that perform their rotations in one minute, Girard-Perregaux did not wish to add a second hand that would have ruined the view. It's a great idea that proves that the priority is the ability to take full advantage of the Tourbillon.

The choice of materials has not been left to chance either. The inner cage is made of steel to focus the weight and achieve a better balance. The outer cage uses titanium to reduce its weight and to optimize energy consumption. Gold is used for the screws of the balance wheel and for the chaton on the third bridge. Finally, the balance wheel is inclined in relation to the bridge to reduce the amplitude of variation between the horizontal and vertical positions, the objective behind such a choice is to avoid that the balance wheel  is found in an extreme position.


The Tourbillon is also visible at the back of the watch. The lay-out of the GPE0201 manual winding movement is faithful to the dial style:  refined and subtle. This does not prevent Girard-Perregaux to show imagination and to make it the most attractive possible. First, there is a effect of volume that takes advantage of the thickness of the case (18, 5 mm). Then, the bridges of the dial are evoked thanks to the name and movement number plates. But the barrel bridge is on this side of the watch very curved to be coherent with the shape of the two main median bridges . The backside of the Tourbillon Bi-axial is therefore consistent with the dial while having a less strict appearance.

I have repeatedly mentioned "the barrel". But to be fair, I should have talked instead about "the barrels". Indeed, the Tourbillon Bi-axial is equipped with two co-axial fast rotating barrels with two springs mounted in series each. They have very specific roles:  first one is dedicated to increase the power reserve (72 hours), while the other improves the regularity of the watch with a more constant energy flow. Please note that the frequency of the movement is of 3 Hz.


The Tourbillon Bi-axial  is a truly enjoyable experience when put on the wrist. The watch is without any doubt impressive (a case diameter of 45 mm) and thick. But its roundness, its pebble shape avoid him from been perceived  as heavy and  massive. And the delicacy of the Tourbillon does the rest: the curtain rises and it comes into play. At that precise moment, I have only felt its lightness, its ballet making me totally forget the case size... even perhaps including the gold bridges so typical of the brand! The lugs are quite long in order to get an aesthetic balance. Fortunately, they are strongly curved which makes the watch wearable.


Without any doubt , Girard-Perregaux has hit a great shot with the Tourbillon Bi-axial. It fulfils perfectly two important missions: it gave a more contemporary dimension to the aesthetic approach related to the three gold bridges and it gives another proof of the technical skills of the Manufacture. Thanks to its sobriety and to the way the Tourbillon is highlighted, the watch seduced by the delicacy of the execution and its hypnotizing character.
The WG version of the Tourbillon Bi-axial is sold in a LE of 33 pieces.

Thanks to the Girard-Perregaux UK team for the presentation during the Salon QP 2011.