Girard-Perregaux Paints The Laureato In Williams Blue To Mark Its New F1 Deal

Girard-Perregaux announced its partnership with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team last month, and the first watches have followed quickly: a Laureato 42mm and a Laureato Chronograph 42mm, both in Williams Edition trim. And of course it's the Laureato that's used for the collaboration. Not just because the Laureato is GP's sporty watch, but also because it was released in the mid 1970s, just as Williams was starting to enter Formula 1.

Both cases are 42mm wide, with the octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet the Laureato has worn since 1975. The time-and-date is 10.68mm thick. The chronograph moves to 904L steel, adds screw-down pushers and a crown guard, and still keeps to 12.16mm thick, which is reasonable for an integrated chronograph. Sapphire front and back on both, and 100 meters of water resistance.

The dials are Williams blue with embossed Clous de Paris, matched to the team's FW48 car. Hands and applied markers are rhodium-plated, red accents follow the car's highlight color, and a small Williams W sits above 12. On the chronograph the red is limited to the central seconds hand, which is exactly enough. The 42mm gets a blue date disc instead of a white one. A metallised Williams emblem goes on each caseback.

The 42mm uses the automatic calibre GP1800 beating at 4Hz with 54 hours of power reserve. The chronograph uses the calibre GP03300-2451, an automatic modular chronograph beating at 4Hz with 46 hours of reserve. At this price, a modular chronograph with under two days of reserve is a bit underwhelming. Both come on integrated steel bracelets with a triple folding clasp.

The Laureato Williams Edition 42mm (ref. 81010-11-3680-1GM) is priced at €15,900. The Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition (ref. 81020-11-3681-1GM) is €20,500. Neither is limited. See more on the Girard-Perregaux website.