{"id":16318,"date":"2021-12-02T16:10:29","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T15:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watchinsanity.it\/?p=16318"},"modified":"2026-02-26T10:35:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T09:35:47","slug":"girard-perregaux-la-esmeralda-a-secret-eternity-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watchinsanity.it\/en\/girard-perregaux-la-esmeralda-a-secret-eternity-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Girard-Perregaux: La Esmeralda “A Secret” Eternity Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

La\u00a0Esmeralda is the famous prize-winning pocket watch made for the \u2018Exposition Universelle\u2019 in 1889. This legendary masterpiece\u00a0Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges housed in a sumptuous 56mm pink gold case,\u00a0blended extraordinary precision with several artistic crafts.\u00a0On the occasion of its 230th anniversary, the Manufacture presented at the Dubai Watch Week the new\u00a0La Esmeralda, “A Secret” Eternity Edition<\/strong>, a modern reinterpretation of the iconic 1889 model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Girard-Perregaux<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, remarks,\u00a0\u201cLa Esmeralda is unquestionably our most famous watch and as the current custodian of our Maison, I am always mindful that we should treat such a legend with due reverence. This year, the Manufacture is celebrating its 230th anniversary and we were keen to ensure this milestone did not pass by unnoticed. Already this year we have unveiled several fabulous watches, however, La Esmeralda “A Secret” Eternity Edition is without doubt the most ambitious creation we have released to date. It draws upon our vast knowledge of Haute Horlogerie, in particular tourbillons, embraces several types of artistic crafts and, at the same time, honours the history of La Esmeralda, a watch that continues to exhibit lasting appeal.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAMILIAR BUT DIFFERENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Three gold bridges span the dial, similar to those fitted to La Esmeralda of 1889. However, on this latest model,\u00a0Girard-Perregaux has once again made the invisible visible by bringing the horses engraved on the back case of the original pocket watch up to centre stage<\/strong>\u00a0of this new timepiece. Indeed,\u00a0two hand-engraved galloping horses form the right and left ends of the barrel bridge and tourbillon bridge<\/strong>. Each bridge is painstakingly finished and features concave bevelling, mirror-polishing, flanks with horizontal \u2018traits-tir\u00e9s\u2019 and rounded off arms. It requires 40 hours to finish all three bridges, while the additional engraving found on the barrel bridge and tourbillon takes an extra 50 hours to complete.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Girard-Perregaux<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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While the La Esmeralda Tourbillon “A Secret” Eternity Edition celebrates the Manufacture\u2019s history and upholds many of its historical techniques, it also incorporates cutting-edge technology. For example,\u00a0the elaborately formed mainplate is made using a CNC-machine and produced to infinitesimal tolerances\u00a0<\/strong>unimaginable back in the 19th century. However, once milled, the mainplate is finished to the exacting standards befitting the term \u2018Haute Horlogerie\u2019. This is just one example of how Girard-Perregaux has repeatedly juxtaposed modern-day know-how with traditional expertise.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The mainplate (caseback side) is embellished with a new form of finishing<\/strong>, an industry first exclusive to Girard- Perregaux. Where some high-end watches feature a bevelled edge, presented at 45\u00b0, spanning the surface and the flank, this model\u00a0encompasses concave bevelling. This involves creating a curved recess between the surface and flank, catching light wonderfully and transitioning from one shade to another<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE CALIBER AND ITS DECORATIONS<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As its name implies,\u00a0the watch is fitted with a secret cover. By pressing the crown pusher, the secret cover opens, revealing the self-winding movement, the Calibre GP09600-1506<\/strong>. Beneath the secret cover, the mainplate is fitted with a motion-work bridge and marking plate. Both are made from pink gold and incorporate traits-tir\u00e9s and hand-polished angles, thereby emulating the shape of the famous Gold Bridges.\u00a0The motion-work bridge is marked \u2018secret\u2019. The inside of the hinged secret cover is hand-engraved with various inscriptions, albeit these can be personalised on request.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Girard-Perregaux<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both the barrel and the mainplate (dial side) are enlivened with various guilloch\u00e9 patterns, performed using a traditional rose-engine lathe<\/strong>, operated by a time-served artisan. The rose-engine lathe is a manually operated machine, devoid of power or electronics. The expert places the dial in the machine and with one hand rotates it at a steady speed. He or she employs their other hand to press the chisel or cutter against the dial to remove material. The pattern is created by using various \u2018rosettes\u2019. This technique requires several years to master. Indeed, in order to create a beautifully defined pattern the artisan must ensure the rotational speed and the pressure they apply to the chisel remain constant at all times.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n