Elite Traveler Fall 2023

Below The Aston Martin logo can be seen on the see-through caseback

Right Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition

its origin, or its original date of release. It will be beautiful time immemorial, because it’s simply beautiful to the eye and to the mind.” Clémence Dubois, chief product o ffi cer at Girard-Perregaux, adds: “It is a design that is very true to our hearts and is a way for us to express how we’re able to scale our craftsmanship up. It is easy to do one piece of haute horlogerie, but to replicate that same level of craftsmanship, passion and dedication in every piece… that is the biggest di ffi culty.” That di ffi culty increased markedly with the latest collaboration, which features a ceramic case and bracelet in green. Ceramic is very di ffi cult to work with, particularly when harmonizing a certain color across the watch case and the bracelet. The ceramic arrives at Girard-Perregaux in the form of zirconium oxide microbeads that measure one micron (0.01mm) across. These are then cooked (sintered) at temperatures up to 2,800° Fahrenheit. The fi nal look and feel of the material are dictated by the temperature and the time spent in the oven. Even a slight variation in the time could change the complexion of the case, rendering it unusable. Making a handful would have been easy, but Girard-Perregaux challenged themselves to make 576 pieces shared between two di ff erent sizes (38mm and 42mm). Dubois says: “If we’ve done a good job, they should [all look the same]. But that’s where the di ffi culty comes in. Ceramic is similar to sapphire. You don’t know if the component you’re working on

is going to be usable until the very end. It’s only when you start the fi nishing that you see if the material is as homogeneous as you want it to be. We cannot bake all the cases at the same time. That is why the recipe must be perfect from the very beginning to end up with the perfect material.” Get it right, and the result is a material seven times stronger than steel, highly scratch-resistant anduna ff ected by UV light so the color doesn’t fade. It’s highly coveted by collectors because they can wear the watch day to day at little cost to its future value. This is also the fi rst-ever Laureato in green, but not just any green. It matches the British racing green of Aston Martin’s motor racing livery, including its current Formula 1 car. Other nods to Aston Martin include a British racing green dial in cross-hatch design (a diamond-like pattern, found on an early

iteration of its logo), and an Aston Martin logo on the see-through caseback — just in case you weren’t clear that this was a collaboration. Already, grander projects are on the horizon, with both sides alluding to a special version of the unanimously popular Casquette (haute horlogerie's answer to the humble Casio). Reichman says: “As Aston Martin moves into hybridization and electri fi cation, it becomes more of a digital journey. And one Girard-Perregaux watch is a beautiful mix of analog and digital, which is exactly what our cars will be in the future. You put those building blocks together, and… maybe.” Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition from $25,000. Available at Bucherer TimeMachine, 12 E 57th St, New York, +1 212 758 7300, girard-perregaux.com

Photo Max Earey