Girard-Perregaux: The Neo Tourbillon With Three Bridges Skeleton
Making light of gravity, mass and opacity, the Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton proudly asserts the relevance of the Girard-Perregaux approach to design, watchmaking and style.
The Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton is crisscrossed with slender black finely rounded bridges. Their curves and cut-outs define the structure of the visual effect and support an incredibly slim mechanical structure. The ethereal suspended masses appear truly improbable given the extreme transparency of this complex calibre. Stretched like cables over a precipice, the bridges of the skeleton calibre are a nod to the architecture of their monumental counterparts around the world. The Millau Viaduct in terms of its sheer scope; the Mohammed VI bridge in Rabat for the openworked and sensual shape of its pylons; and the Oversteek Bruk for the fine sense of balance it exudes.
Coursing between these bridges are the two life-flows of watchmaking: the exchange between energy and information, between the force stored in the barrel and the regulating effect of the tourbillon. The former is wound by a micro-rotor, which is placed concentrically with the barrel—a unique position for this organ. The high inertia of this hefty white gold micro-rotor ensures a minimum 60-hour power reserve. At the other end of the kinematic chain sits the Girard-Perregaux tourbillon. This 80-part component is made from titanium so as to safeguard operational autonomy and reduce friction. It spins on its axis once a minute, driven by a large-diameter balance wheel coupled with a hairspring featuring a Philllips terminal coil and a Swiss lever escapement. The entire fully assembled carriage weighs just 0.25 grams.
The supple, light and truly spectacular Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton is a modern expression of Girard-Perregaux’ structural and technical mastery. Its architectural inspiration is a nod to cable-stayed bridges, which are airy and spectacular manifestations of human genius. The Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton is a spick and span feat of engineering in terms of its horological significance. This is bridge-building between two worlds: Fine Watchmaking, of which Girard-Perregaux is one of the worthiest exponents; and contemporary design.
The Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton is retailing for SGD 204,900.