Girard-Perregaux 1966 Château Latour Edition

Excellence and heritage are two characteristics synonymous with Château Latour and Girard-Perregaux. Moreover, both Maison’s products are defined by their place of origin. Indeed, it is the terroir that imbues their creations with a distinctive flavour. Now, these two prestigious names have come together and conceived a timepiece that unites both worlds, culminating in the release of a slim, elegant timepiece incorporating a dial formed of pebble that promises to bestow a lasting allure.

A history of elegance and excellence

Since it was established in 1791, Girard-Perregaux has crafted timepieces of the highest order, pursuing excellence with unwavering zeal. Furthermore, its history is punctuated with groundbreaking achievements, such as winning a first-class prize at the Neuchâtel Observatory (1867) and subsequently scooping a gold medal at the Universal exhibition in Paris (1889).

In 1966, Girard-Perregaux was awarded the Centenary prize of the Neuchâtel Observatory for the Gyromatic HF, the very first high frequency movement (36,000 vibrations/hour), a landmark the Manufacture celebrates with its 1966 collection. This range is defined by elegance, simplicity, svelteness and timeless styling.

Terroir – the unique influence of a place

‘Excellence’ and ‘ancestral know-how’ are terms that can be applied to Château Latour, situated close to the Gironde estuary. Founded in 1331, the estate is ranked since 1855 among the 5 ‘Premiers Crus Classés’ from the Médoc region of France. This culture of excellence is perpetuated by the men and women working in both the vineyard and the estate’s cellars.

Girard-Perregaux has been indelibly linked with the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds since 1847. Today, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its historical ties to watchmaking. The city’s architecture is influenced by its principal industry, with workshops orientated to harness natural light. Moreover, a network of specialist suppliers has emerged, supporting the various Maisons in the area. The terroir of La Chaux-de-Fonds imbues every Girard-Perregaux watch with a distinctive character.

The city has always been known for being a creative incubator where brilliant minds such as Le Corbusier, Blaise Cendrars, Louis Chevrolet, etc demonstrated their extraordinary vision. This resonates with Girard-Perregaux, a pioneer in the world of Haute Horlogerie with over 200 years of experience working at the vanguard of watchmaking know-how. Indeed, rooted in its heritage, the Manufacture is instinctively driven to always look ahead, embracing new technologies, utilising state-of-the-art materials and finding inventive ways to bring joy.

Château Latour’s terroir is unique courtesy of its mild climate, geological complexity and its proximity to the estuary. The ground beneath the vines is dressed in a thick blanket of pebbles. The palest pebbles reflect light, accelerating the photosynthesis process, while the darker pebbles harvest the daytime sun, releasing heat throughout the night. Recognising the beauty of the pebbles, Girard-Perregaux has created 18 exclusive timepieces featuring dials formed of light-coloured pebbles gathered from the Château Latour vineyard.

Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, remarks, “We share much in common with Château Latour. We both have a rich history, a know-how amassed over hundreds of years … an ancestral savoir-faire. We recognise the importance of our people, how their passion and skill is reflected in the products we create. And, lastly, we recognise that the terroir is key to product excellence. I am delighted to work with one of the most prestigious vineyards in the world.”

Each dial necessitates 30 hours of meticulous work

Each dial is painstakingly crafted with skilled hands. The artisan cuts and grinds each pebble, carefully reducing its thickness to a mere sliver, measuring 0.45mm in depth. This disc of pebble is mounted on a brass base, resulting in a total thickness of just 0.70mm. A function of using natural pebbles is that each piece varies in appearance and structure. Indeed, a closer look reveals subtle differences in shade, small fissures, hollows and inclusions. These variables make the fabrication of each dial challenging, resulting in some not passing muster or even breaking. Only the finest examples are used, the culmination of 30 hours of meticulous work. Due consideration is also given to the potential fragility of the pebbles, ensuring no dial is used which could impair the precision or reliability of the movement. The resultant appearance of each dial is unique, conferring a notable degree of exclusivity.

Frédéric Engerer, CEO of Artémis Domaines and Château Latour “Objects of beauty and works of art, surpass mere functionality. They harness beauty, patience, know-how and the passion imparted by those people who contribute to this excellence. With this collaboration, some of our most amazing pebbles have been united with exceptional Swiss watchmaking.”

A harmonious blend of ingredients

The case of the 1966 Château Latour Edition is designed to complement the dial’s bewitching complexion. Formed of pink gold, it accentuates the subtle yellow hues of the pebble dial. The golden leaf-shaped hour and minute hands are elegant and impart meaning clearly, working in concert with the slender indexes. A centre seconds hand and date display complete the inventory of functions. In the world of winemaking, time is hugely important and is a prerequisite to the making of the finest Bordeaux wines.

A sapphire crystal case-back, adorned with the Château Latour logo, affords sight of the Calibre GP03300. This self-winding movement features exemplary finishing, including chamfering, circular graining, circular and straight Côtes de Genève, engravings, mirror-polishing, satin finish, snailing and sunray finish. While the movement is made in-house, some parts of the watch are sourced locally. Indeed, 90% of the watch components are made within a 100km radius of La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The 1966 Château Latour Edition unites the terroir of the estate with the horological refinement practiced by Girard-Perregaux, the prestigious Manufacture based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The watch, limited and numbered to 18 pieces, will be exclusively and only available to the private guests of the Château Latour estate and the Villa Girard-Perregaux in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the ancestral home of the Manufacture.

About Château Latour

Château Latour is situated in the heart of the Médoc wine region, about 50 km north-west of Bordeaux, where the legend of the vineyards of Bordeaux began. The Château’s prime terroir, l’Enclos, overlooks the estuary of the Gironde river which, over the centuries, has given the vineyard its geological complexity and, on a daily basis, ensure a mild climate.

Most of Château Latour’s vines are planted on gravelly hilltops that stand 12 to 16 meters above the Gironde estuary. The fortunate combination of the Gironde, layers of gravel on the surface and clay subsoil gives Château Latour’s terroir advantages that few other vineyards can claim. It is the grapes from the 47 hectares that surround the Château, known as “l’Enclos” that may potentially be used in the production of the Grand Vin. The estate is planted with about 76% of Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% of Merlot and 2% of Petit Verdot.

In the years since 1993, under the leadership of François Pinault, the estate’s owner, significant changes have been made with a view to maintaining Château Latour’s pursuit of excellence in the wines that it produces.

The 95 hectares of the estate are managed by Frédéric Engerer and his team. All the men and women working at Château Latour in both the vineyard and the cellar are motivated by a search of perfection.

Technical specifications

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Château Latour Edition

Reference: 49555-52-3160-2GC

Limited edition of 18 pieces

Case

• Material: pink gold
• Diameter: 40.00 mm
• Height: 9.40 mm
• Glass: anti-reflective sapphire crystal
• Case-back: sapphire crystal case-back with Château Latour logo metallization
• Water-resistant to 30 meters (3 ATM)

Dial and hands

• Dial: pebble originating from Château Latour vineyards
• Hands: golden, leaf shaped

Movement

• Caliber: GP03300-2180
• Self-winding mechanical movement
• Diameter: 25.60 mm (111/2’’’)
• Height: 3.36 mm
• Frequency: 28,800 Vib/h – (4 Hz)
• Number of components: 218
• Number of jewels: 27
• Power reserve: min. 46 hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, central second, date

Strap and buckle

• Brown alligator strap
• Buckle: pink gold pin buckle

MSRP: CHF 36'000

For more information, please visit girard-perregaux.com