Introducing The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph, Now In Titanium (Live Pics)

Girard-Perregaux has introduced its latest Laureato, the Laureato Chronograph Ti49. For fans of the Laureato, it'll be a familiar form, just a little bit lighter since the case and bracelet are now made of Grade 5 titanium. 

The Laureato Chrono Ti49 measures 42mm and 12mm thick (50mm lug-to-lug), and the case and bracelet are made of Grade 5 titanium – an alloy that's also made of aluminum and vanadium that makes it harder than Grade 2 (the "49" refers to the fact that this year is the Lauteato's 49th anniversary). The case dimensions are well balanced, and while the lug-to-lug measurement is relatively long, you can see in these photos how the downward-sloping lugs make it wearable, even on my smaller wrist. The 12mm thickness is also manageable (only about 1mm thicker than the three-hand Laureato), especially considering the modular chronograph movement inside. 

Inside is the manufacture caliber GP03300, which uses an automatic base caliber and adds a chronograph module on top. It beats at 4Hz and has a relatively low 46-hour power reserve, and is a familiar movement to GP's chronograph family. 

The dial is a cool grey with a Clous de Paris pattern, snailed subdials, and a 4:30 date window. It seems the tone-on-tone grey dial is becoming the go-to choice for brands releasing titanium chronographs – Zenith opted for the same with its titanium Chronomaster Sport, introduced earlier this year. If it's becoming a bit of a cliche – "a cool grey dial to match the modern performance of the titanium case" – it's only because the combo seems to work. 

The Laureato Chronograph Ti49 has an MSRP of $19,400. For comparison, the steel Laureato chrono will set you back $18,600. 

Girard-Perregaux released the first Laureato in 1975, three years after the Royal Oak and one year before the Nautilus. Vacheron's 222 and the IWC Ingeniuer also came shortly after. The Laureato is part of the founding generation of integrated bracelet steel sports watches – of course, all these watches have a lot in common, but they all have their own character, too. 

The Laureato form works well as a 42mm chronograph, and the 10mm thickness makes for a well-proportioned case. While it's a larger watch, the lighter titanium case and bracelet make it wearable, and the slim profile and downward-angled lugs are shaped to fit the wrist nicely. The quality of the grade 5 titanium's fit and finish are apparent, with a mix of polished and brushed surfaces. The bracelet has polished center links and bevels that contrast with brushed links, while the bezel combines a number of finishes and surfaces for a distinct look. The bracelet also has a relatively dramatic taper to the double-trigger deployant clasp, making it comfortable on the wrist. Half links near the clasp means most people should be able to find a nice size for the bracelet.  

It's still a sports watch, with a screw-down crown and pushers that give the Laureato Chronograph Ti49 100 meters of water resistance. 

At $19,400, the titanium Laureato Chrono is a slight premium over its steel counterpart. There's really not a lot of competition at this price point for an integrated bracelet chronograph. I prefer the titanium over the steel because it makes the slightly larger size more wearable, and GP has managed to match the impressive finish of the steel on the titanium Laureato Chrono. 

This brings me to an ask for GP: Back in 2018, you released a line of 38mm chronographs alongside the 42mm versions. Six years later, is it too much to ask you to bring back a 38mm Laureato Chronograph, in any metal? 

Brand: Girard-Perregaux
Model: Laureato ChronographTi49
Reference Number: 81020-21-3263-1CM

Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 12mm
Case Material: Grade 5 titanium
Dial Color: Grey with Clous de Paris pattern
Indexes: Applied, PVD-treated indices with lume
Lume: White Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Titanium bracelet with double-trigger deployant clasp

Caliber: GP03300
Functions: Chronograph, date
Diameter: 25.95mm
Thickness: 6.5mm
Power Reserve: 46 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour
Jewels: 63 jewels
Additional Details: Automatic movement with chronograph module

Price: $19,400
Limited Edition: No

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