Girard-Perregaux looks back to the 1970s with the return of the Casquette. The latest 2.0 version combines titanium and yellow gold. But it will be the final edition.
During the quartz revolution in the 1970s, even Girard-Perregaux adapted to the times. There were two main merits of his first battery-powered movementbeing the first calibre to introduce the frequency at 32,768 Hz. (as opposed to the 3 or 5 Hz. of a mechanical calibre), a standard still respected today by manufacturers all over the world; having been the first Swiss quartz calibre in regular industrial production. This movement then introduced the concept of modularity even in electronic watchmaking, allowing even watchmakers with little experience in this field to carry out repairs with sufficient precision and reliability.
Definitely interesting in that creative period was also the development of LED models, the most famous of which remains a model made by theThe Casquette. Presented in 1976, it was characterised by the Led display on the side of the case and the upper surface totally covered.
The innovation was also technological and proposed a calibre with very small dimensions, housed, among other versions, in a Macrolon case, a plastic material hitherto unknown in the watch industry.
The new 2.0 version in titanium and yellow gold of the Casquette
Girard-Perregaux launches the final edition of the avant-garde LED tube display watch from the 1970s.
An iconic watch in great demand among collectors, Girard-Perregaux decided in 2022, to the delight of many, to relaunch it. Adding, in this case, the term 2.0 to define a 21st century Casquette.
After the first version in black ceramic and titanium, very similar to the original in Macrolon, innow the company offers it in a grade 5 titanium case with GP logo and 2N yellow gold buttons, a nod to its other steel and gold-plated predecessors of the 1970s. The titanium bracelet, with its micro-adjustment system, has a rubber lining guaranteeing optimal comfort. Produced in 820 pieces, this version marks the final edition of the Casquette.
The Casquette of yesterday and that of today
A new generation calibre: Girard-Perregaux has introduced new features.
The quartz movement, the GP03980 calibre, is a new generation and has additional functions compared to the Casquette of the 1970sincluding month, year, chronograph, second time zone and secret date, which allows an important day to be stored and displayed every day at the time specified by the owner. Finally, it allows the time to be displayed on demand, thus increasing battery life.
The really interesting thing is that the GP03980 calibre is also compatible with the first generation models from 1976, which can be adapted to the new movement. This makes it perhaps the oldest usable quartz watch in circulation today.
Price5,200 euro.
