The history of Girard-Perregaux dates back well over two hundred years to 1791. In 1856 Constant Girard married Marie Perregaux and the manufacturer was formed. Over the years they have been responsible for many concepts including the first ever commercial wristwatch designed for German naval officers in 1880. In 1965 they presented the Gyromatic HF, which operates at a high frequency of 36,000 vibrations/hour. During the 1970’s the company introduced the world’s first timepiece to be equipped with a quartz movement. All these many innovations have made them a leading light in the prestigious world of fine watchmaking.
Presently the company is owned by the Sowind Groups whose headquarters are based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. With the dynamic CEO Michele Sofisti at the helm the company recently unveiled its phenomenal Constant Escapement. I recently profiled this amazing watch and am a huge admirer of the Girard-Perregaux. On that basis I was delighted to get the opportunity to test drive the superb new Hawk Diver.
On first inspection the timepiece looks really well made and exudes masculinity. With dimensions of 44mm x 17.90mm the Hawk Diver is certainly not the largest diver watch on the market. Due to the asymmetric case and oversized crown the watch appears chunkier than the measurements suggest. I felt the piece was comfortable to wear and could definitely envisage wearing it on a daily basis. The only thing that surprises me a little is the choice of stainless steel used in construction instead of lightweight titanium, especially at this price point. That is just my opinion and I can’t imagine this will deter potential buyers. I feel this watch could be worn casually or with formal attire.
The styling on the Hawk Diver is highly distinctive and marks it out from its numerous competitors. Visually the large three-dimensional markers punctuate the contrasting black patterned background of the dial. This bold theme is continued with the design of the imposing orange and white hands. I love the rugged bezel with elements of black rubber and brushed steel. This gives the watch a sporty façade and is also designed to improve legibility. Other effective features include a cool retrograde power reserve indicator and cleverly positioned date window located at 1.30 o’clock. Overall I would say the composition is highly successful and very original.
Girard-Perregaux has equipped the watch with an in house manufactured Calibre GP3300. This sophisticated automatic mechanical movement comprises 27 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz). Functionally the watch features hours, minutes, date, small seconds and power reserve indicator. This fantastic timepiece also is water resistant to a staggering depth of 1,000 meters and incorporates a helium valve. Ultimately as well as being a beautiful watch the Hawk Diver is also a robust and durable professional instrument.
The stunning Hawk Diver comes with an integrated rubber strap and is priced at: $12,590.
http://www.girard-perregaux.com
