For a long time, watch collectors have viewed Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato line as being the little brother to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak. While there are some similarities, the Laureato undoubtedly is its own watch with a unique character. The watch that exemplifies that the most is GP’s fairly recent addition of a black ceramic Laureato to their lineup. While the lines may look somewhat similar to a Royal Oak when shown in steel, everything changes once the Laureato is seen in its black ceramic case. With so many black ceramic watches going overly sporty, this one has a certain level of elegance to it that allows it to be much more versatile. The great lines combine with a dark grey, almost black Clous de Paris dial to create a look that no other watch has been able to do nearly as well.
The ceramic version of the watch wears incredibly light, and is very, very comfortable. It can easily slip under a cuff for when wanting to pair it with a suit. Additionally, for the colours of the watch being so dark, the dial really is very legible for what could easily have otherwise been a dark mass of blacks and greys. The Clous de Paris dial helps to give some contrast between black and grey, and the silver tone of the hands, indices, and font give a good distinction to easily be able to tell the time and see the full “character” of the dial.
I wasn’t expecting to like this watch as much as I do, but I’ve now been able to wear it on three separate occasions and each time I can’t stop smiling. It really is just a very well-executed watch that finds a great balance between sporty and elegant.
The 42mm Girard-Perregaux Laureato in black ceramic is priced at 16,700 USD.
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