Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve


by Johnny McElherron

The Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye collection continues its celebratory 10th anniversary year with a new Power Reserve edition.

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve – Ten Years on the Wrist

A good indication of the advancement of mechanical ladies watch collections is the increased attention given to complex and technical pieces, and in this genre 2014 has been a particularly good year. This is great news for the growing number of female watch aficionados who have grown weary of the dated approach to designing watch collections for women.

Girard-Perregaux’s relationship with their female customers is, and always has been anything but patronizing and they have a watch portfolio which reflects this. Ten years ago their Cat’s Eye collection was unveiled, and it has remained a nurtured part of the company’s portfolio ever since.

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

In the decade since its inception, both the design department and also the Master Watchmakers at Girard-Perregaux have unleashed their talents upon the Cat’s Eye with aplomb, producing a wide assortment of exquisite editions, many with complications such as moonphase indications, retrograde displays and tourbillons – all beautifully finished and presented in a case shape which conforms with femininity like no other.

This has been a highly successful year for the collection so far. For its Tenth Anniversary edition which featured tricky gem-setting and also the Bloom model which showcased an embroidery-like peony motif, Girard-Perregaux concentrated on artisan techniques where timekeeping was secondary to the meticulous hand-crafting. For this latest Power Reserve model the focus is once again on time-telling indications and those voluptuous numerals are back.

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve – The Devil is in the Detail

For this model, careful consideration ensures that every indication reflects the gentle curve of the case. Using a guilloche finish, asymmetrical rays emanate from the small seconds at 9 o’clock heightening the pleasure of the soft oval form. Clever recessing of the small seconds and the deeply set date aperture at 3 o’clock adds interest, and the barely-there power reserve which rests just below and between them is surrounded by a charming cluster of little stars. The generous Arabic numerals 12, 6 and 9 are highly polished and as playful as ever. Diamond hour markers count off the remaining hours with just the right amount of panache with the added sparkle of 64 brilliant-cut diamonds set into the bezel.

Inside, the piece is powered by the automatic manufacture calibre GP03300-0070, visible though the sapphire caseback and of particular note is the oscillating weight which features a repeating pattern of the Girard-Perregaux logo.

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve

In many ways Girard-Perregaux were ahead of the others when they created their Cat’s Eye collection. The oval case is not just beautiful but is also a rather clever feature, which promises to wear comfortably while at the same time providing broad enough proportions to make a statement. Mother-of pearl dials in varying colours, high jewellery gem-set editions and compendiums of indications – the Cat’s Eye collection can take whatever the Girard-Perregaux design department decides to give it, proof if it were needed that good design will always endure.

    Author Bio

    Articles by Johnny McElherron

    CONTRIBUTOR

    Johnny McElherron was busy minding his own business as a successful company director, when one day he fell in love with watches. So deeply that soon after his eureka! moment he established The Watch Press as a vehicle where he could indulge his passion with gusto. What his eye beheld he would write about, in his own unique style, and in time his work penetrated through to numerous national and international mainstream and online publications. Today Johnny creates engaging content for watch industry clients, and in 2014 joined forces with the highly respected watch industry specialists Delos Communications, with whom he works to provide Delos clients with high quality content to ensure no part of their company message gets lost in translation.