Girard-Perregaux’s 1966 collection, in which lives the most elegant and classic of their classic replica watches, now has two new automatic time zone pieces, the Dual Time, for those for whom the Traveller pieces don’t suit. Launched at Baselworld 2014, with thanks to Avstev Australia I had the opportunity to see these pieces in Sydney.
Both new models are 40mm pink gold, and differentiated only by their dial colours – white versus black. They are 40mm with a height of 11.70mm, their open case-backs revealing the GP03300-0094 automatic movement with a power reserve of 46 hours and a gold rotor to match the metal of the replica watch.
As as well as the red centre hand indicator for the second time zone, there is also a date sub dial at six o’clock. The use of a different coloured and shaped time zone indicator is good for quick-glance legibility, and the use of the smaller inner ring in a different colour for the second time zone indicator are an additional way of increasing the ease of time telling for the second zone. For those to whom continuity is important, the fact that Girard-Perregaux have not ‘cut off’ the inner ring in the white dialled version will no doubt be welcomed.
The time and date are set by the crown, and the two pushers are for the second time zone +/- hourly progressions/ regressions.
In terms of comfort and wearability, these 40mm cases sit solidly but not heavily on the wrist, and as the lugs are short and curved, this leads to a good snug fit, for those who generally like their replica watches smaller.
Both the light and dark dial models come on brown alligator straps with pink gold buckles and are priced at AUD33,650.