Introducing The Girard-Perregaux 1945 Infinity Edition

While Girard-Perregaux is known for its mastery of technical horology, the introduction of the 2020 Infinity Editions shows a side of the manufacturer that eschews high complications and next-generation materials in favor of restraint and simplicity. The Infinity Editions include interpretations of historic Girard-Perregaux references from 1945 and 1966. We'll be taking a look at the Vintage 1945 Infinity Edition, a watch inspired by a reference from, you guessed it, 1945.

Not only did 1945 mark the end of the Second World War, but it was also a particularly interesting time in horological design.  Precision chronographs had become quite popular, with Longines 13ZN-based watches and a bevy of Gallet models as prime examples that are popular among vintage collectors today. But for many time-only timepieces, the Art Deco style remained popular in the 1940s. It was in 1945 that Girard-Perregaux produced a reference that combined gold and steel in a svelte, rectangular, symmetrical case accentuated by curved lugs. 

That single reference gave rise to the entire 1945 family, and Girard-Perregaux has been producing watches in this family with regular frequency, starting with the first iteration in 1995. The family includes the Vintage 1945 Le Corbusier trilogy, the Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon, and the Vintage 1945 Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges. 

The latest Infinity Edition includes a black onyx dial, of which Girard-Perregaux's Chief Product Marketing Officer, Clémence Dubois, says, "Delicately shaping the black onyx dials into their respective rectangular and round shapes requires an inordinate amount of skill. It involves no less than 15 meticulous operations spread over a number of months within our Manufacture, endowing each piece with exceptional value."

On top of the Onyx dial, the major focus of the watch is on two complications: The "grande date" display, as Girard-Perregaux calls it, and a moon-phase placed on the top half of the small seconds register.  The display utilizes two date discs spaced an impressive  0.1mm apart. The GP03300-1405 caliber inside is wound by a pink-gold rotor that's matched by pink-gold indices.

Visually, there's an interesting detail that recalls the original watch from 1945 that inspired this model. While the indices are pink gold, the hour and minutes hands are rhodium-plated, and the small seconds hand is gold. This interplay of disparate materials was present on the reference that spawned the 1945 family, and it carries through to this new model. 

2020 also saw the release of the Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light, which looks and feels like it could only exist in theory. Seeing it "in the sapphire" means taking a minute to accept that it's a fully functioning watch that's made with modern manufacturing technology – and not technology from decades in the future. This sort of watchmaking is very much in Girard-Perregaux's wheelhouse. They're a maison that's responsible for many firsts, like the Gyromatic HF caliber from the '60s that beats at 36,000 vph all the way to the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges patented in 1884. 

The Vintage 1945 Infinity Edition stands on the opposite end of the range of expertise Girard-Perregaux has cultivated over its history. With restrained aesthetics, modest complications, and roots from the beginning of the post-war era, it's a Girard-Perregaux that can fill the role of an everyday wearer. And there's comfort in knowing that it's coming from the same maison that made the Quasar Light. How you do anything isn't necessarily how you do everything in this case, and that's a good thing, because there's something charming about the clean and simple execution of the 1945 Infinity Edition.

Brand: Girard-Perregaux
Model: Vintage 1945 Infinity Edition
Reference Number: 25882-11-631-BB6B

Diameter: 36.10mm x 35.25mm
Thickness: 11.74mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Onyx black
Indexes: Baton-style, pink gold
Lume: None present
Water Resistance: 30M
Strap/Bracelet: Black alligator with black and pink gold-colored stitching

Caliber: GP03300-1405
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, large date, moon-phase
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 4.9mm
Power Reserve: 46 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800vph
Jewels: 32
 

Price: CHF 15,690
Availability: Authorized Dealers
Limited Edition: Limited edition of 88 pieces

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