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Most Underrated High-End Brand - Girard Perregaux?

Out of TIME!
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guaranteed.rohu guaranteed.rohu
Wondering if there are any Girard Perregaux owners out there.

Investigating more into the brand, it is essentially of the same pedigree as Vacheron or AP (maybe even more so because GP made movements in house that were used by many other brands over the years, similar to JLC in this respect),

These days they make some ridiculous high end grand complications, that win many prizes and push the boundaries of watchmaking...

Yet they are significantly undervalued. Maybe arguably the movement finishing is a little bit below Vacheron/Lange/Patek nowadays, but the overall product is very very compelling.

Some examples below of the 1966 line which I love the aesthetics of. The enamel dial small seconds in the white gold is stunning!

Any GP owners, or people considering buying a GP , with thoughts on this?

Girard-Perregaux-1966-Large-Date-and-Moon-Phases-1.jpg

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girard-perregaux-1966-chronographe.jpg
 
Out of TIME!
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I had a GP Gryomatic from the sixties, ss w 14k bezzel.
I really liked that watch, it kept great time, fit my wrist & a joy to have owned.
Had no intention to sell it, but my friend & his buddy got into a squable over another watch.
I did not want a friendship destroyed over a watch.
So I took it off my wrist & sold it to the other guy to keep the peace.
Always regreted it, but sometimes, you gotts to bend over.
Anyway, if they are currently mfging movements in house the quality should be excellent.
If you like the watch, that is what counts more than anything else.
It also needs to be noted that if we don't support other manufactures, the doors close.
And one less choice becomes available. You don't have to follow the heard.
They did make marine chronometers and deck watches, and well respected in Europe.
 
Out of TIME!
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I would believe also like a Caddilac, everybody poo pooes them.
But if You offered to give them one they would gladly take it.
Looking at the 1966 chronogaph movenet, I would take it over a ETA 7730....
I forgot about their three bridge Tourbillion movements are 2nd to none.
 
Boojumhunter
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w154 w154
I’ve got a Gay Freres GP bracelet incoming, and wondered if anyone here knows the model on which it would have originally come ? I’ve tried googling vintage ads and catalogues, as well as early seventies watches, but not spotted one fitted onto anything. In fact the only other one I can find is in an old timezone sales post. Any ideas?

https://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg&th=2397732&rid=0

43CA8AB6-2D06-4749-BB76-E004411C4885.jpeg 253D76E2-1668-4CCA-AEA8-C05072B823D1.jpeg C6CC88C3-2596-4ADE-83AB-E8ABED1509D3.jpeg

I only just found this post, but I have one that looks almost identical, also Gay Freres-marked:
 
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Boojumhunter
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Responded to a previous poster on a bracelet question, so now feel obliged to share my trio of GPs. I think 50s, 60s, and 70s are covered. Love 'em, can't speak to value-for-money but my watch repairer suggested they were worth regular spa trips...
IMG_9237.jpeg IMG_2016.jpeg IMG_3607.jpeg
 
ikanbilisclub
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Have 2 GPs in the collection that are both very much appreciated 😀

Backstory to the GP Olimpico was that it was originally owned by a General Practitioner in Canada before passing it on to his son who kept it in a safe for many years before selling it off. Truly a GP for a GP!
Originally came with a unsightly chromed crown which I swapped out after finding a better one from a Gallet case and had to get the cracked crystal replaced.

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pumpernikiel
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to be honest, being relatively new to watches, i thought that GP is a daughter company from AP - it even made sense to me from the 2 letter abbreviation stand point. It was further amplified by comparing Laureato to Royal Oak... it really made sense to me and felt like Rolex / Tudor set up - you know... you can never buy a RO so, just go for a Laureato from our cheaper brand 🤦
Always good to learn more 😉
 
Yo32Leigh
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Let me just start by admitting I know very little about vintage watches in general. To be honest until the recent inheritance of a classic omega, they had passed me by. That said, I now find myself spending an inordinate amount of time browsing classifieds, admiring vintage time pieces. I don't have any allegiance to a particular brand, I tend to like the more visually unusual watches.
It is for that reason I find myself here. I recently came across this GP on a local classifieds site. The unusual case and dial finish intrigued me. Unfortunately I have been unable to find anything similar for comparison. It is listed with limited detail, stating it is a 1950's time piece, that's about it.
So I have the following questions:
Can anyone provide any detail on the model etc?
Are GP watches easy to repair/refurbish in terms of availability of spares and qualifed technicians?
Thanks for any input you can offer.
 
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marco
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I supect GP has been "discovered " by the new breed of watch guys. Maybe the people discerning enough to ignore the Rolex hype ?
These watches are ( were) affordable, eminently presentable.
I recently sold a GP 4945 for over asking price on C24 !
I noticed this model and the 4946 have jumped in value.
4946 pic below.
Edited:
 
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Charger_Vital
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If you believe that GPs are undervalued, then you should buy it. I have also noticed that they have been moving up in price on the used/grey market.
 
M
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Since the move of Kering selling off GP & UN to the management, the price of the laureatos went up massively to a point they are commanding a premium in the secondary market while just a few months back you can easily knock one off with at least 30-40% off. Is the hype being artificially generated by the grey dealers or is there really true enthusiast that are willing to buy up these pieces with a premium price
 
ikanbilisclub
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M mojomojo
Since the move of Kering selling off GP & UN to the management, the price of the laureatos went up massively to a point they are commanding a premium in the secondary market while just a few months back you can easily knock one off with at least 30-40% off. Is the hype being artificially generated by the grey dealers or is there really true enthusiast that are willing to buy up these pieces with a premium price

Don't know but I'd still stick with my vintage GPs all day every day!

upload_2022-4-24_11-0-56.png upload_2022-4-24_11-1-9.png
 
arcadelt
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M mojomojo
Since the move of Kering selling off GP & UN to the management, the price of the laureatos went up massively to a point they are commanding a premium in the secondary market while just a few months back you can easily knock one off with at least 30-40% off. Is the hype being artificially generated by the grey dealers or is there really true enthusiast that are willing to buy up these pieces with a premium price

I don’t think it is because of the sale to management, but more coincidental. What I do think is that there is a general rise in interest in watches fuelled by social media and with that comes "investors" looking for the next opportunity to make money. GP is simply being swept up in the wash, especially the Laureato because integrated bracelet sports watches are hot at the moment.
 
bmpennington
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many many
That makes a lot of sense.

For me resale value is an important consideration if only because my taste in watches outstrips my abilty to afford them.
I only buy used to be able to resell without loosing money.
 
ghce
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Had to send my Girard-Perregaux in for service this week as it stopped running ( lubricant dried out I guess) lucky I did send it in as some previous WM had seemed to loose the dial screws!! and glued it back in, took a fair while for my WM to sought it as he had to remove glue from some of the threads that attach the dial.

But all back to proper original condition now.

My photos don't do this watch justice, so hard to get the photo right with the way the lens is shaped, looks spectacular in the flesh, not so much in my photo lol


IMG_20220630_174458.jpg Screenshot_2022-06-30-15-53-16-317_com.watchaccuracymeter.app.jpg
Edited:
 
norb1967
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ghce ghce
Had to send my Girard-Perregaux in for service this week as it stopped running ( lubricant dried out I guess) lucky I did send it in as some previous WM had seemed to loose the dial screws!! and glued it back in, took a fair while for my WM to sought it as he had to remove glue from some of the threads that attach the dial.

But all back to proper original condition now.

My photos don't do this watch justice, so hard to get the photo right with the way the lens is shaped, looks spectacular in the flesh, not so much in my photo lol


IMG_20220630_174458.jpg Screenshot_2022-06-30-15-53-16-317_com.watchaccuracymeter.app.jpg
That contrasting subdial is very striking
 
DeathandTaxes
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Possibly the greatest "under the radar" watch in my collection. I don't think anyone has ever commented upon it on my wrist, but a truly remarkable piece in rarity and quality: early Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk in original condition (no redial, no relume, no polishing).
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