The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges - Aston Martin Edition combines Girard-Perregaux's watchmaking know-how with Aston Martin's expertise in luxury and performance. The two brands have collaborated by sharing their expertise in design, materials and technology. This new Girard-Perregaux model celebrates the iconic 19th century Three Bridges pocket watch in a contemporary key down to the smallest detail, including the strap. And the latter represents a world first: offered in black calfskin, it features Girard- Perregaux's 'Rubber Alloy', an innovative rubber insert with white gold injection (the watch is also delivered with a black crocodile strap with rubber effect). The very design of the strap is reminiscent of Aston Martin racing cars of the past. The 44-mm case of the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges - Aston Martin Edition is made of grade 5 titanium with a black DLC coating, a durable and hypoallergenic alloy selected for its lightweight characteristics. Both the dial (visible on the movement) and the caseback are protected by a box-type sapphire crystal. The movement itself, placed between the two panels of sapphire crystal, has no plate and appears to float in mid-air. The three bridges, an iconic Girard-Perregaux signature, cross the dial and are made of titanium with a black PVD treatment and have polished edges. This particular design gives the watch lightness and offers a breathtaking view of the movement components normally hidden from view. The end result is very eye-catching: the movement appears to levitate inside the case. This visual effect is achieved by resizing the movement and making the plate disappear from view, thus creating the illusion that the movement is "flying" inside the case. It is from this particular characteristic that the name "Flying Bridges" derives. The movement used is the GP09400-1683 calibre (260 components, 27 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour, power reserve of at least 60 hours), a self-winding mechanical movement with a white gold micro-rotor. The tourbillon cage (comprising 79 components and weighing a mere 0.250 grams), positioned at 6 o'clock, is lyre-shaped, a feature that has been found on all of the company's tourbillons since the 19th century. Speaking about this new collaboration with Aston Martin, Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, said: "We are delighted to collaborate with Aston Martin and to entrust their team with probably our most iconic watch, which offers a new perspective on Haute Horlogerie. We rarely collaborate with others to revisit the Three Bridges but on this occasion we made an exception because we appreciate Aston Martin's design masterpieces. Looking at the design of an Aston Martin, one notices the brand's characteristic front grille, which first appeared on the DB Mark III in the late 1950s. Similarly, the air intakes and side stripes found on the company's modern models are functional elements designed to improve airflow while enriching the style of each car. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges - Aston Martin Edition, produced in a limited edition of 18, is available from authorised Girard-Perregaux retailers.
Price: 149,000 euro.
