A few weeks ago, we got to attend an event with our friends at Girard-Perregaux and go hands-on with some incredible upcoming pieces. You’ll see them all in due time, but the first release of the bunch brings a small change to an existing platform: the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel . The Laureato 38mm is the midsize of the brand’s signature integrated bracelet model, currently only available with a copper dial or in the infinite green of the Aston Martin LE. New for 2024, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel sees the Copper model’s bezel carved out and set with an array of diamonds in different sizes.
The new diamond-set Laureato takes its cues from one of the early quartz chronometer Laureatos of the late 1970s, seen above. That two-tone model looks downright chintzy compared to the modern incarnation, but it serves as an excellent reference when the two are placed side by side. The new model is built on the Laureato 38mm Copper and is exactly the same except for the diamonds. With that in mind, I encourage you to head over to our hands-on review of the Copper model, as this review will only give a brief overview, instead focusing on what’s new (the diamonds). The case on the new model remains 38mm wide and 10mm thick. Water resistance is still 100m. You still get the octagon-on-circle bezel. The bracelet is still integrated and there’s still a combination of brushed and polished finishing. The dial is still that copper tone with the Clous de Paris pattern and the gold GP logo and seconds hand. That entire package worked well when it was first released, and it works well here, too. No surprises. Except for the diamonds! The octagonal layer of the bezel is now set with 56 diamonds totaling around .90ct. Unlike the original model, the diamonds continue all the way around the bezel instead of being interrupted by beading. It’s a far more refined use of gems than the original but still comes off a bit like a piece of vintage or even costume jewelry (perhaps baguette-cut gems are the way to my heart). To my eye, there’s always been something dated about pavé-set diamonds. There are other reasons I don’t think this implementation quite works. The texture created by the diamonds clashes a bit with that of the dial, and I wasn’t ever exactly sure which should be grabbing my attention. Looking the other way, the polishing of the lower bezel detracts from the diamonds’ sparkle, as you have two reflective surfaces competing for your attention, instead of the eye being drawn to just the diamonds. Perhaps brushing the top and leaving the side polished would have resolved the issue while still creating separation from the main case. The movement also remains the same: the in-house automatic caliber GP03300-2034. It gets a 46-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph and features basic finishing like striping, perlage, and blued screws, along with an 18k pink-gold rotor. Again, no surprises and no complaints.
I don’t think enough thought was given here. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel already have diamond-set bezels, and one wonders what the impetus was to add them to this model. This would’ve been a great opportunity to introduce a new dial that is attractive but lets the diamonds stand out, perhaps borrowing one of the sunray motifs from the Absolute or Eternity models. Or one could lean the other way and completely cover the dial with diamonds (and maybe even the center links on the bracelet). As it is, I was left a bit unsure about the execution, confused as to whether it needed more or less.