Girard Perregaux

Here?s a big one - GP?s patented Big Date/Moonphase caliber

 

Dear enthusiasts,

some very nice pictures came along, which i don?t want to hold back.

Counting in all models and variants, GP today offers a range of not less than 124 different movement variants. Be it the Three Gold Bridges Tourbillons, the chronographs, the power-reserve, big dates and time-only, it is quite a dazzling variety.

Here?s a partial impression of a very unique movement by GP, the Big Date/Moonphase caliber 3330 as in use for the Vintage45 Big date reference 25800. No, that?s not perfectly correct; as of 2005, GP introduced a new system of reference codes and this time the movement calibers are referenced as they are by GP Manufacture, which makes the previous GP 3330 now a GP 03330-6LM000.

GP caliber 03330-6LM000

This movement is a pretty special construction in it?s own rights and highly praised (the Vintage45 Big Date was voted Best Watch Of The Year two times). Since debuting in 2001, no other movement makes use of a sapphire crystal plate to bear the numerals. And that?s no surprise, because the sapphire plate is quite heavy and the fast acceleration results in significant inertia, which requires quite a good construction to make it work properly.



the sapphire crystal bearing the numerals

The construction allows for a very fast switch of the date, which is almost impossible to notice: only 15/1000 of a second are needed to do the jump.

Personally i regard it a very carefully crafted piece; one may argue about the decoration in certain aspects (which never had a high priority for GP), but the details are truly worth having a close look at.
So a crop of the original, much larger picture may visualize; the moon phase wheel with two moon discs laid out in gold with gold stars around:



moon phase wheel

To disclose a little secret (ok, not that much since it?s a part of a recent press release):
These days about 10 percent of the SOWIND Group turnover are invested in R&D departments and particularly into new movements. That may not sound impressive, but in a context the amount is sufficient to develop 4 brand new calibers from scratch, every year.
A lot of investments have been and still are being done in the facilities (such as GP?s new workshops as of 2003/2004) while other projects include the "special projects branch", where creative minds and artisans like Marko Makinen are let loose to let watch dreams come true.
The lately covered use of ceramics for GP?s ball bearings in automatic movements is just one outcome and others will follow (and word is, big things are to come).
Other efforts do not result in very visible improvements, but cater the quest to make the watches more accurate, long-lasting, easier to service and better in function.

But after all, for me the 25800 "Vintage45 Big Date" and the 27600 "Richeville" are simply two of the most beautiful watches in GP?s portfolio.

So maybe anyone to own a 25800 or 27600 and can help out with a picture of "the real thing"?

Greetings from germany,

Peter