Girard-Perregaux Young Watchmakers Tour Paris

Paris / September 4th, 2012

THE NEW FACE OF TRADITION
Girard-Perregaux and Paris: a special story, over a century old.  It started in 1889, at the Universal Exhibition of Paris: the public presentation of one of the most striking watchmaking creations, combining high technology and design.  It was at this time that the “Tourbillon with three Gold Bridges” movement won a gold medal allowing Girard-Perregaux to make its mark on the 20th century and beyond.

Today, Girard-Perregaux celebrated young talent and its 221 year-history in the City of Light.  Paris was a key stage for the Young Watchmakers Tour that began last May in New York and passed through Beijing in June, showcasing the young and creative artisans of the Manufacture.





Christie’s was the setting for the “The Art of Making Time”, an exhibition of exceptional timepieces from the Girard-Perregaux Museum at La Chaux-de-Fonds. Original creations by the Brand “pioneers” Constant Girard and Jean-François Bautte and more contemporary timepieces invited the visitor to embark on a journey through the evolution of watchmaking across two centuries.

The exhibit included a Girard-Perregaux presentation of its young watchmakers, the contemporary heirs to a noble line of master craftsmen. Several young watchmakers are featured in this Tour, three of whom were in Paris. The passion that drives them in their workshops each day is combined with other more personal interests that they pursue with verve. They are flamenco dancers, rock guitarists and alphorn players; rich and diverse personalities who guarantee the brand’s creative dynamism. These young talents are supported by Dominique Loiseau, an icon of Haute Horlogerie, who has partnered with Girard-Perregaux on several upcoming projects.

Girard-Perregaux has installed at Christie’s its workbenches and young watchmakers to provide all guests with the exhilarating experience of crafting a mechanical watch.  François-Henri Pinault, CEO of the PPR Group, and Michele Sofisti, CEO of the Sowind Group (Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard) opened the exhibit to a crowd of over 300 VIPs.




Francois-Henri Pinault said: ‘Since 1791, Girard-Perregaux has continuously been reinventing itself while staying true to its tradition. The manufacture has written some of the most fascinating pages in the history of Swiss watchmaking, but behind its exceptional timepieces lives the passion of the Girard-Perregaux watchmakers. We wanted to showcase their talent, inventiveness and creativity. This is the meaning of the Young Watchmakers Tour.’

Michele Sofisti said: ‘Girard-Perregaux is an exceptional watchmaker and a company that believes deeply in nurturing and highlighting talent. Their diverse interests and backgrounds bring new ideas, energy and vision to the art of watchmaking.’




About Girard-Perregaux
Girard-Perregaux is a Swiss high-end watch manufacturer tracing its origins back to 1791. The history of the brand is marked by legendary watches that combine sharp design with innovative technology such as the renowned Tourbillon with three gold bridges presented by Constant Girard-Perregaux in 1889 at the Paris Universal exhibition where he was awarded a gold medal. Devoted to the creation of state-of-the-art Haute Horlogerie, Girard-Perregaux is one of the very few watchmakers to unite all the skills of design and manufacture under the same roof including the forging of the “heart” of the watch, the movement. With over 80 registered patents, Girard-Perregaux is fully committed to research and development to constantly fuse its unique heritage into modern watchmaking. Girard-Perregaux is majority owned by PPR, a worldwide leading Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle group.