BaselWorld 2015: Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 – Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, 70th anniversary edition – Review and Live shots

Friends,

We all knew that Girard-Perregaux would release an Anniversary edition of the Vintage 1945 due to the 70 th anniversary this year!

And that GP choose a Three Golden Bridges movement for the celebration can’t have come as a big chock for anyone.

Precious metal XXL case – White Gold, 36,10 x 35,25 mm feels like a natural choice. Personally I think that the Three Golden Bridges looks even more balanced in a rectangular case than in a round case.

The option of monochrome case/dial makes the “pallet” for the Three Golden Bridges even more focused! Nothing to distract or disturb your eyes…

And the contrast of the Pink gold hands and bridges makes the purity and “simplicity” of the design stands out even more.

For me this IS Haute Horlogerie in its most beautiful art form!

One detail that differentiates the Three Golden Bridges version from the regular version of the Vintage 1945 is that the dial does not follow the curve of the case. As you can see the surface of the dial where the bridges are mounted on is flat.

The Art Deco case is still curved to follow your wrist in a beautiful arc and so are the crystal and case back.

Same as on the Vintage 1945 Small Second, 70th anniversary edition the case back is closed. Decorated with the 70 th anniversary logo.

Up until this point I am totally overboard with what Girard-Perregaux have made for the anniversary!

The third version in the series is an “iced” version of the Three Golden Bridges. I understand this was a natural evolution of the “plain” Three Golden Bridges version…

The strategy to create three different versions for the 70 th Anniversary is great move. Gives hope and possibility to us mere mortals to be a part of the celebration!

But, here I would have loved to see something else. I would have loved to see the ingenuity and playfulness that we all know GP possess!

When my thoughts drifts… I see a Jackpot II, an Opera Four, Equation of Time…. Imagine an Opera housed in the Vintage 1945 case?!

Back to the watch in play: Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, 70th Anniversary Edition with diamond settings.

The “only” difference here is the 120 baguette-cut diamonds on the case and buckle.

The visual effect is smashing! The whole watch is luminous and sparkling. The smallest light hitting the case lights it up like fire!

No doubt about it! The diamonds really adds another dimension to the watch.

But I can’t help thinking that I would have loved to see something different for the third Anniversary version.

I know the team has been working hard with all the novelties of this year (and there are more than we already saw here)…

With a limited edition of only 8 watches, why not add something you would never see anywhere else? Please don’t get me wrong, I think both versions are fantastic!

The ingenuity and playfulness of Girard-Perregaux we already saw several example of this year;

The Chamber of Wonders trilogy – who would have thought we would see a papyrus or jade dial?!

The Neo-tourbillon all black – a super feather light weight.

Three Golden Bridges Minute Repeater – full disclosure up front.

+ A few more still hidden…

So, maybe it is a good thing that the Anniversary models are more conservative.

Small Second; Special edition, Three Golden Bridges; Limited Edition of 18 pieces and the diamond cut version; Limited Edition of 8 pieces.

There will be 24 lucky guys (or girls) that will be able to wear one of these on regular basis…!

Best

Blomman