Light is the soul of La Chaux-de-Fonds, a Swiss town nestled in the Jura Massif and the historic cradle of Haute Horlogerie.
Here, an abundance of natural light filters through neat streets and meticulous workshops, forging the unique character of the watches that take shape within these walls. Girard-Perregaux, a Maison founded more than two centuries ago, continues to pay tribute to its homeland with an extraordinary creation: the new La Esmeralda Tourbillon 'A Secret' Eternity Edition Honey, a masterpiece that encompasses tradition, innovation and a look towards timeless beauty.
The city of light and savoir-faire
For more than two centuries, Girard-Perregaux has found its natural home in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It was in this city that Constant Girard, a watchmaker with crystal-clear vision, gave birth to the famous pocket chronometer La Esmeralda, which was awarded a gold medal at the 1889 Paris World's Fair. The watch, decorated with three gold bridges and elaborate engravings, embodied the pinnacle of craftsmanship of a Manufacture that, to this day, retains 99 percent of its production in this luminous valley.
The days in La Chaux-de-Fonds are tinged with golden hues, a phenomenon that has always inspired Girard-Perregaux's master craftsmen. This connection to the landscape finds expression in the La Esmeralda Tourbillon 'A Secret' Eternity Edition Honey: a watch that embodies the balance between aesthetics and precision, combining ancient savoir-faire with contemporary vision.
The Legend of the Esmeralda
The legacy of La Esmeralda lives again today in this new wristwatch interpretation, a faithful tribute to the historic watch. The 43 mm rose gold case, richly engraved, houses the beating heart of the Tourbillon GP09600 movement with Three Gold Bridges. The Grand Feu enameled dial, declined in a warm honey tone, recalls the golden atmospheres of summer evenings on the Jura Massif. Every detail, from the handcrafted guilloché soleil motif to the micro-rotor hidden beneath the barrel, celebrates the art of watchmaking in its purest form.
The case also reveals precious secrets. The Grand Feu enameled case back decorated with three galloping horses references the iconography of the historic La Esmeralda, harboring a meaning that remains deliberately shrouded in mystery.
A limited edition that defies time
Girard-Perregaux creates this new marvel in a limited edition of only 18 pieces for connoisseurs who appreciate the marriage of tradition and innovation. TheEsmeralda Tourbillon 'A Secret' Eternity Edition Honey is not just a watch, but a piece of history that celebrates La Chaux-de-Fonds and the craftsmanship excellence of an independent Manufacture.
For over two hundred years, Girard-Perregaux has been marking the rhythm of time with creations that make the invisible visible. Between cutting-edge materials and ancient skills handed down with care, the Maison continues to revolutionize watchmaking, keeping alive the link with its luminous cradle: La Chaux-de-Fonds, where light and time meet.
LA ESMERALDA TOURBILLON "A SECRET" ETERNITY EDITION HONEY
Reference: 99274-52-3423-5CC
Limited and numbered edition of 18 pieces
Suggested retail price: EUR 472,000
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Case
Material: rose gold, engraved and enameled
Diameter: 43.00 mm
Thickness: 15.10 mm
Glass: anti-reflective sapphire "box"
Honey-colored enameled rose gold case back, with opening revealing a sapphire crystal
Dial: hand-guilloched, honey-colored enamel with
soleil pattern
Hands: "dauphine" type, rose gold
Water resistant to: 30 meters (3 ATM)
Movement
Reference: GP09600-2083
Self-winding mechanical movement
Diameter: 141/4'' (32.00 mm)
Thickness: 7.68 mm
Frequency: 21,600 hr/hour - (3 Hz)
Number of components: 323
Number of jewels: 31
Power reserve: min. 50 hours
Functions: Tourbillon, hours, minutes, small
seconds on tourbillon
Strap
Material: hand-stitched brown calfskin strap
with alligator lining
Buckle: engraved rose gold triple folding clasp
