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Girard-Perregaux Replica

Introducing the Replica Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

We can hear the critics shouting alrealdy… Yet another Girard-Perregaux 1966! Indeed, for 2015, GP has introduced a new edition of their bestseller, the 1966, now with a large date and moon phase indicator. Well, in truth, this replica watch doesn’t exactly feel terribly new when described in this way. In fact, beside its very classical look, this edition might just be one the best of the collection, if not the most balanced. GP have corrected a few of the faults we’ve noticed previously, now presenting a rather strong package. Here is the Swiss Cheap Replica Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases.

The 1966 from Girard-Perregaux is a replica watch that we’ve appreciated for several years now. We loved it for many reasons: its elegance, its plain but lively domed dial, the quality of its case and its nicely finished movement. However (and with all the sympathy we have for the brand), we also noticed several faults. The first one is the size of the movement (clearly too small for the case) that leads to a date that is too close from the center of the dial, whether it is the 38mm version or the 41mm edition. Then comes the issue of the design. Some might find this replica watch a bit shy, especially in the white / silver dial editions – an issue that is solved with the rose gold / blue dial combination. These messages might have been heard by GP and the new 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases could possibly be the best of them all.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

Don’t expect this replica watch to totally reinvent the 1966. All the original charm is still present in the finer details and in the overall balance achieved by GP. The case for example is 100% similar to the previous editions of the 1966 – to be precise, it features the same 41mm case as this time-and-date edition. It means that we found the same quite large bezel and the short and curved lugs, with a full mirror-polished finish. A beautiful case, well executed and very elegant once on the wrist. We have a preference here for the 38mm but we also understand men with a larger wrist. The changes are thus all located on the dial and on the displayed indications.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

The dial now features 3 complications. It feels a bit like the full calendar edition in the way the dial is arranged, with a circular sub-dial at 6 displaying the moon and a window at 12. However, on this Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases, we first have a big date at 6, utilizing GP’s famous mechanism. It uses a clever visual effect that makes you believe there’s only one disc. However, it is composed of two discs, the right one painted in white that displays the left digit with black numerals – located on the lower level – and a second one on the left that measures 0.10mm height and that is made of transparent folanorm with black numerals printed. This transparent disc overlaps the main white disc, thus creating the illusion to the eye of a single disc – elegant, efficient and clever. Another advantage of this “Large Date” complication is to correct one of the defaults of the previous 1966. Impossible now to complain now about the small date window lost in the middle of the dial.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

The second and third complications are located in the subsidiary dial at 6: a moon phases indicator and a small second. With this layout, we probably have the most balanced Girard-Perregaux 1966 ever. The large date gives echo to the moon and all the indications feel proportioned and aligned. The hands are also different here. They keep the same leaf design but in slightly large style, as filled with a thin line of luminous paint (also correcting the issue of night-time readability). All of this is powered by a modified version of the famous GP3300 calibre – meaning that one of our original faults with the 1966 will still be addressed.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

We have here the small 25.6mm movement in the large 41mm case. There’s nothing wrong with the movement itself (except maybe a power reserve that is a bit short at 46 hours) but a larger movement would have been better looking. Anyway, the view remains pleasant, with a nicely decorated 21k gold rotor and bridges adorned with Geneva stripes and bevelled angles.

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases

Apart from this small imperfection, the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Large Date and Moon Phases is clearly one of the most desirable editions of the collection. For sure, it remains a 1966 and thus, a very classical replica watch. However, in the context of a dress, elegant and visually balanced timepiece (which is the case for every 1966 replica watches), this edition brings an extra-pleasure with its interesting layout and the right amount of complication. Prices: 24.360 USD / 23.450 Euros in 18k Rose Gold and 26.060 USD / 25.100 Euros in 18k White Gold. More details on Girard-Perregaux.com.

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Swiss Replica

GIRARD-PERREGAUX : 1966 Tourbillon with Gold BridgeLE

GP1966TourbiwithGoldenBridge2

Girard-Perregaux’s modern ‘gold bridges’ haute horlogerie replica watches are manifestations of Constant Girard-Perregaux’s mid-19th century tourbillon with three bridges which garnered a ‘first class’ award from the Neuchatel Observatory and a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889. Those prize-winning timepieces used the tourbillons as both a technical achievement and as a design centrepiece, integrating the tourbillon in what was then a radically new manner.

Today’s piece is a diamond bezelled version of the brand’s 1966 Tourbillon with Gold Bridge, created in a very limited edition of eighteen pieces. With its silvered dial, Breguet-style numerals and blued steel leaf-shaped hands, this version of the 1966 Tourbillon is the same, case and dial-wise, as Girard-Perregau’s 2011 release, celebrating their 220th birthday, of the 1966 Tourbillon with Gold Bridge Anniversary Edition, which was produced in a limited edition of fifty pieces. The regular haute horlogerie production model, REF : 99535-52-131-BKHA, uses indices instead of numerals, and has a pink gold hand instead of a blued one.

The tourbillon itself has 72 components, weighs 0.3g, and as well as being a tourbillon, also doubles as a small seconds indicator.

The 40mm case is pink gold and contains the GP09600-0014 automatic movement, with a power reserve of forty-eight hours. Although classified as a men’s replica watch, at this size it is pretty much unisex, working both for women who like larger replica watches and men who like a little bit of a shine on their tourbillons. It comes on a black alligator strap and the Australian RRP is $228,420. With only eighteen of these available, for those interested, its reference is 99535D52A111-BK6A.

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Swiss Replica

HANDS-ON : Replica GIRARD-PERREGAUX 1966 DUALTIME

GP1966DualTimePG2

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.

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Swiss Replica

HANDS-ON : GIRARD PERREGAUX Chrono Hawk PinkGold Replica Watch

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During Baselworld 2014 Girard-Perregaux introduced a new addition to their Chrono Hawk sports chronograph range, in pink gold. With thanks to Avstev, I recently had the opportunity to see this piece in Sydney.

The new sixty-two part case is 18K pink gold with black ceramic and rubber, a colour/ metal/ material combination popular for dressy high end sports replica watches amongst both brands and customers alike.

The case’s size and octagonal shape is not new, having been already seen in the other Chrono Hawk models, which have been in steel and ceramic.

This is a an angular bulky replica watch, even for a 44mm, in large part due to its thickness – 15.85mm. Fortunately, the integrated rubber strap (coated with black alligator) and curvature at the point of integration means that it can sit tightly on the wrist as well as giving it an attractive streamlined look.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the new Chrono Hawk RG is the black polychrome dial. The use of a motif inspired by the Girard-Perregaux tourbillon bridges, a design nod that may well escape those not familiar with Girard-Perregaux, gives the dial some texture, interest, and depth.

The use of black ceramic for the crown, crown guard and the pushers gives the piece a good overall balance between black and pink gold.

Hour markers are applied, and the nicely chunky and legible lumed indices and hands continue the black and pink gold theme. With a bi-compax layout, at three o’clock is a seconds sub-dial, with a minutes sub-dial at 9 o’clock. The eponymous chronograph counter functions are courtesy of a black white-tipped centre seconds hand that perhaps could be slightly more legible against the black dial.

Inside the Chrono Hawk Pink Gold is the automatic Calibre GP3300-0076 movement (base 3300 with a chronograph module) with 46 hours of power reserve, visible through the open caseback, which is secured by six screws. Water resistance is 100m.

These sorts of dressed-up luxury sports replica watches appear to be an ever growing portion of the market, with the use of contemporary materials such as ceramic and rubber seemingly de rigueur. The new Chrono Hawk Pink Gold has a strong presence both visually and on the wrist. As an addition to this segment of the market, this is a luxury replica watch that looks the part.

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Girard-Perregaux Replica

HANDS-ON : Replica Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Anniversarywatch

GPCatsEyeAnniversary4

At Baselworld 2014 Girard-Perregaux launched a number of new models to add to their successful Cat’s Eye women’s collection. One of these was an Anniversary model, marking a decade since its launch, and previously written about on Horologium here. You can also read its specs in this earlier post.

With thanks to Avstev, I had the opportunity to see this replica watch ‘in the metal’ recently in Sydney. So – how does the reality compare to the press photos?

For those who are not familiar with the Cat’s Eye case, it measures 35.44mm x 30.44mm, and has a nice sense of ‘largeness’ and wrist presence bigger than the dimensions might indicate.

The model here is one of the two dial versions, both with the same dial design with teadrop gemstone rays. This is the opaline version, the bejewelled rays of seventy-three pink/ red sapphires on a hand-polished white mother of pearl dial.

This white gold cased piece is very elegant and the dial is unexpectedly ‘soft’ in tone. I say ‘unexpectedly’ because I did not expect the presence of so many glittering stones to be as such – the ‘ray’ design gives the dial delicacy as well as beauty. The replica watch sits lightly on the wrist and with the gorgeously rich matching red strap, it is a beautiful looking fake piece that does actually reflect what it looks like in the press material. It is dressy but not overly so, and with the right outfits (and a degree of confidence), is sufficiently versatile to be worn from day through to night.

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Swiss Replica

A look at some ‘jump hour’ replica watches

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Inspired by conversations online with English replica watch and clock collector AlanL and Sydney enthusiast Danny, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a Jaeger-LeCoultre SIHH 2013 novelties dinner (about which I will cover in a separate post), this post is to share with you some examples, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to the haute horology, of luxury replica watches that use ‘direct read’ and ‘jump hour’ methods of time display.

The term ‘jump hour’ is actually quite specific in definition, referring exactly to that, an hour indicator that jumps from one hour to the next, but popular horological nomenclature seems to also include, as ‘jump hours’, those replica watches where the hour slides (on a rotating disc) rather than jumps, so to be inclusive, I shall include some of these ‘direct’ read’ pieces as well.

I have a particular fondness for this type of time display. This post is not intended to be a representative example of these types of replica watches, nor am I going to go into the technical details about each piece. They are here simply to be shared, enjoyed, and for those of you who haven’t ever considered replica watches with time displayed via anything other than hands, to perhaps provide you with some inspiration for your next purchase.

As I have a particular fondness for these replica watches, some of them are my own. Others belong to friends, and there are a few which I have featured in previous posts.

We start off in the 1970s, a rich period for inexpensive and simply designed direct read replica watches, many of which looked similar to this Lucerne model.

Also from the 1970s, from a brand known more for its ‘Cricket Replica Watch’, is this unusual specimen.

The pair in this next photo are from different periods, and I’ve previously written about them here. They are, from left to right, the MB&F HM5 with its bi-directional jumping hours with inverted indications, and the popular-in-niche-1970s-jump-hour-circles Amida Digitrend that inspired the HM5.

HM5w

The source of many beautiful jump hours during its history, this one is from the maison of Vacheron Constantin and one of my favourite jump hours. It is incredibly elegant and contains the renowned calibre 1120. Although directly inspired by a 1929 pocket replica watch, if you look at examples of Vacheron’s 19th century jump hour pocket replica watches, you can see the lineage of this 1994 replica watch.

This next replica watch is another one of my favourite jump hour replica watches (one of my favourite replica watches in general), and one that I can’t get enough of. I am fortunate to know someone with one, and it is every bit as drop dead gorgeous ‘in the metal’ as it is in photos.

Goldpfeil, which some of you, like myself, may know more as a leather goods brand, had a very interesting collaboration with independent replica watchmakers called the ‘Seven Masters’ collection, of which this was a part. This Vianney Halter jump hour moon phase is one of the two Goldpfeils on my ‘dream list’. The hour is indicated by the large number, the minutes and seconds on the large dial, and the moonphase indicator in the circle. Winding the crown forwards advances the time; winding it backwards adjusts the moon phase hand. The case is polished, satin brushed, matte and the small hammered marks which, it is rumoured, were all hand-hammered by Vianney Halter himself.

Gerald Genta has been a brand that has enjoyed using jump hour displays in a playful way, such as in this trio of examples.

One of the famous Genta Mickey Mouse models.

The next direct read is Montblanc’s Nicholas Rieussec Rising Hours, a SIHH 2013 launch about which I have previously written here.

NicolasRieussec5

To end with is something modern, cheap, and cheerful. This direct read originally came on a white rubber strap, but I think the orange FOSSIL NATO is a more interesting combination.

If you ever find yourself in Geneva and visiting the Patek Philippe Museum, look out for the collection of old Vacheron Constantin jump pocket replica watches there. They really are a joy to behold.

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Girard-Perregaux Replica

HANDS-ON : Replica Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Gold BridgesDiamond-Set

GP3BridgesTourbi7

It started with a pocket replica watch.

The three gold bridges movement has been an enduring feature of Girard-Perregaux’s high-end replica timepieces since Constant Girard’s obsession with the tourbillon lead to the production of his ‘tourbillon with three nickel bridges’ pocket replica watch. It was presented to the Neuchâtel Observatory in 1867 but his final three bridges design was not patented until 1884. In 1889 his decades of work lead to his receipt of a gold medal for his tourbillon with three bridges at the Paris Universal Exhibition.

The modern ‘three bridges’ replica watches have continued to form a core part of Girard-Perregaux’s “Haute Horlogerie” collection. Last year they presented a jewellery replica watch version, the diamond-set Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges (Ref. 99193B52H001-BA6A).

In a limited number of a mere 18 pieces of which only a few are left, with two more pieces to be produced this year, I recently had the opportunity to handle one of the eighteen in Sydney.

The jewelled Three Bridges is a pink 5N18 gold 41mm case with a thickness of 11.10mm. It is a mid-sized replica watch, but the thickness means that there is a certain physical heft to it. Nonetheless, it is surprisingly light, though perhaps this a relative term. In this instance, by ‘light’ I mean that the physical presence may be pronounced, but the weight when on the wrist, is comfortable and not heavy.

Although this is a pink gold cased replica watch there are in fact two metals used. The eponymous three bridges are made from pink gold but against a contrasting rhodium-plated hand-applied guillochéd backdrop base plate. The 72-piece hand polished tourbillon (which doubles as a small seconds indicator) is also pink gold, as are the polished hour and minute hands. The bezel is set with 88 baguette-cut diamonds with a total of 11.7cts, and this is picked up also in the strap, whose pink gold buckle is set with 18 diamonds with a total of 0.20cts.

Inside is Girard-Perregaux’’s automatic Cal. GP9600 consisting of 258 components with a platinum oscillating weight and rhodium-plated hand decorated movement decoration. It is 32mm in diameter and 6.26mm in height with a frequency of 21,600VPH and a power reserve of 48 hours.

This is ‘statement piece’ replica watch, both because it is an example of Girard-Perregaux’s emblematic ‘three bridges’ design and because with 88 baguette diamonds, it’s hard not to be. It’s not a replica watch for a shrinking violet, but haute horlogerie timepieces often aren’t. As I was taking these photos under artificial rather than natural light unfortunately I haven’t done full justice to the warm pink gold case of this piece.

The price? In Australia, the RRP is AUD470,660. If this is a bit of a strain on your wallet there is a version without diamonds which is also in a limited edition, of fifty.

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Girard-Perregaux Replica

HANDS-ON : Girard-Perregaux’s 1966Jewellery

GP1966Jewellery1

Bejewelled replica watches don’t often make an appearance at Horologium, so today’s post will be of particular interest to those who like a a precious stone or two on their replica watches. Or in this case, 807 diamonds, to be precise.

Meet Girard-Perragux’s 1966 Jewellery, released in 2012 and containing almost more diamonds than you can count. It forms part of the 1966 collection, which is known for classically thin cases and importance placed on movements.

In this instance, the movement is the time-only Calibre GP-3300-0066. It measures 25.60mm, is 3.20mm thick, has a frequency of 28,800 vibrations (4Hz) and a power reserve of 46 hours.

The 1966 Jewellery replica watch is 38mm and comes in white or pink gold. The sizing means that it’s arguably unisex, for all those with the chutzpah to wear a diamond covered replica watch. In the case of this particular piece, the owner is a woman who requested that the strap on which it originally came with be changed to a red one. The alligator-skin strap that comes with the replica watch has a gem-set ardillon buckle.

The diamond-set bezel and slightly curved dial are entirely covered with ‘brilliant’ cut stones painstakingly arranged concentrically. The ‘leaf’ style hour and minute hands and four applied hour markers are slim and very much secondary to the diamond-pavé dial. What is really interesting is that if you look carefully, you will see that the Girard-Perregaux name is printed on the inside of the convex sapphire crystal.

Whether sparkling replica watches are your particular weakness or not, there’s something really quite mesmerising about the dial of the 1966 Jewellery quite apart from the dazzling number of stones – it’s just so wonderfully neat and precise…