Girard Perregaux

I have just aquired a 1945 case Ref 2597 watch.  It is in WG, is a 2 dial chronograph (small second at 9:00 and minutes at 3:00), two square pushers around a round crown, with black laquered dial, WG dauphine hands, no date, uses the (old reference numbering) Cal 3080 movement, has a display back (not screwed), and is marked as a limited edition of 50.  It is on a WG deployante buckle with black GP croc strap.  On the caseback, it contains the letters "No. XX/50 USA" above "Ref. 2597".   I purchased it from the USA.  Does anyone have any experience with Ref 2597, or can anyone tell me about this particular Reference series?   If I knew how to post pictures from my computer, I would. 

Hi Robert,

nice catch!!

As far as i recall, there´s a small number of special editions with special features, often to go with sub-references.
For the piece in question, technical specs and most of the features equal a "regular" reference 25990 Vintage45 chronograph.
The special feature (and main difference) apart from the limitation was the sapphire crystal back, something never available for regular Vintage45 chronos.
It´s a little recent; if not mistaken, i tend to recall it´s been released around 2001/2002.

Actually there´s a couple of lesser known variants.
The Vintage45 chronograph was introduced in a very very small number of Platinum units (i believe less than 30 ever made), a small edition with screw-on backs and some more feminine design variants such as this piece with gem-set bezel:

 

Most of these never made it into regular catalogues or public lists, even some undocumented special variants exists.
As so often, GP used to handle these more like "collector´s secrets"

So in short, it´s a special edition of a reference 25990 with transparent back!
And interesting in this, as it´s nice to see the movement and a feature i do miss a bit on my 2599´s.

Hope this helps a bit?

Cheers,
Peter

Peter, it does help, thank you.  The dial is different in printed layout from the one you have pictured, with printed squares around the sub-indexes (instead of circles), a large rectangle printed over the dial and red 60 at 12:00 and atop the sub-second dial, and red 30 at 6:00 and atop the minutes sub-dial.  The arrow-head tip of the centre-seconds hand is red as well.  There are WG applied numerals at all number positions 1-12 except 3 and 9.  It's quite an elegant dial, and a very chunky case.  113 grams with strap.   

Do you know anything about the reference to "USA" on the caseback?  Did GP do sub-references for geographic markets such as the USA?

Thank you for your help so far in any event.

Hi Robert,

as far as i recall, it´s basically the same dial as regular 2599´s

The case is the same too, apart from the sapphire crystal in the back which regular units didn´t have.

As far as the "USA" goes, 2597 has been available in the US only.
Actually GP made several regional editions of various models, including the WW.TC and even one-off or special tourbillons.
So it´s no surprise!

Cheers,

Peter

But how could I sell it???



Best,

Nicolas

Yes, Peter, the watch you pictured is what my 2597 looks like.  What about accuracy of the movement?  Right now its +10 seconds per day.   When I first got it, it was +3 hours a day, but it seems to have settled down to +10 seconds for now.