Girard-Perregaux introduced the Tourbillon with Three Bridges, and with it, an iconic watch was born. The bridges, previously inconspicuously integrated functional elements, were brought to the forefront and became aesthetic elements. This decision made Girard-Perregaux known as a manufacture that made the invisible visible, an approach that was adopted in several subsequent Girard-Perregaux models. With the new Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges, Girard-Perregaux immortalizes this design philosophy, but with a fascinating twist.

This year marks the 230th anniversary of the founding of Girard-Perregaux. To celebrate, the Manufacture will be launching a number of contemporary new pieces, reinterpreting iconic models. The Three Flying Bridges Tourbillon features three Neo Bridges crafted from pink gold. This is the first time that all three Neo Bridges have been crafted from this material.

The three bridges not only support the gear train, barrel, and tourbillon, but also serve as the mainplate. As a result, the bridges appear to float in the air, seemingly untouched by gravity. This unique construction required the indexes to be attached to flanges, which in turn were attached to the case.

The top and bottom surfaces of the pink gold bridges are coated with black PVD. This is the opposite of ostentatious or flashy. Only the narrow sides of each bridge remain in pink gold, making the material immediately apparent. Indeed, the term "superbly understated luxury" applies to these bridges, making them a rare find only to those in the know. Each bridge is meticulously bevelled by hand with a small boxwood tool, a technique that has been employed for hundreds of years and takes a skilled artisan a full day to achieve perfection. Though the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges looks modern, it nonetheless incorporates many traditional techniques worthy of Fine Watchmaking.

Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux said: "We wanted to create a watch that would bridge the past while offering a vision for the future. A watch that combines traditional techniques with innovative technology, whilst drawing on the skills of our artisans and watchmakers. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges has a three-dimensional structure, revealing many components that are usually hidden at the back. From the very beginning, Girard-Perregaux has been making the invisible visible, and we hope to continue on this path for the next 230 years. However, our team added a slight twist: while the bridges are made of gold, they are covered in black PVD except on the sides. This is a feature that is synonymous with luxury and which would normally be overlooked."

One of the striking features of this watch is the three-dimensional shape, with different elements of the dial positioned at different heights, a feature shared by some of the world's most exquisite architecture. Despite its complexity, the dial is beautiful, clean, and easy to read, with the barrel, gear train, and tourbillon aligned along a north-south axis. The barrel is located at the top of the watch, while a white gold micro-rotor mounted below it harnesses the energy of wrist movement. The watch's model name is engraved on the rotor's vertical side, a subtle detail that perfectly demonstrates the Manufacture's attention to detail.

The tourbillon is located at the bottom of the watch. The tourbillon cage is shaped like a lyre, a traditional design dating back to the 19th century, but in this watch it is crafted from cutting-edge grade 5 titanium. The blued hand attached to the cage rotates 360° per minute and serves as the small seconds. Despite its 79 components, the tourbillon cage weighs just 0.25 grams. This incredibly low mass reduces energy consumption, giving the movement an impressive power reserve of over 60 hours.

The sapphire crystal that sits above the dial has gently sloping sides and curves down to the outer edge of the middle case, eliminating the need for a conventional bezel. To achieve this captivating aesthetic, four to five times more material is required than for a typical sapphire crystal. Furthermore, polishing the crystal box to perfection requires exceptional skill. Incredibly, to create the sapphire crystal that covers the top of this watch, skilled artisans had to put in extensive effort and practice to create a similar crystal box. The upper and lower crystal box sapphire crystals on the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges give this Girard-Perregaux model a harmonious symmetry. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges is available through authorized Girard-Perregaux retailers worldwide.



Reference: 99296-52-001-BA6A
Case material: Pink gold
Diameter: 44mm
Water resistance: 30m
Movement: Mechanical automatic movement
Power reserve: Approximately 60 hours
Functions: Tourbillon, hours, minutes, small seconds on the tourbillon cage
Strap material: Black alligator with rubber effect
Buckle: Pink gold triple folding buckle



Click here for company press release details