Often high-horology pieces, whilst exceptionally beautiful, are not always practical to be worn on a regular basis. Fortunately though, this does not necessarily have to be the case. Renowned for their superior skill and craftsmanship the ww.tc Tourbillon from Girard-Perregaux successfully combines two of the watchmaker’s most iconic hallmarks, the world time function and the emblematic Tourbillon with three gold Bridges.
This is, as the brand proudly proclaims, an expression of Girard-Perregaux’s savoir faire in crafting superb Haute Horlogerie timepieces. In our opinion, it is also a timepiece that has been designed to be worn.
Practical In Nature…
The ww.tc from Girard-Perregaux has become a much admired and cherished piece, with several variations of the original being made, including the infamous ww.tc Financial which indicates the global stock market trading times. With its established style and traditional design, the watch displays the practical world time function, which allows the wearer to easily read the time simultaneously in all 24 time zones with just a glance at the stunning dial.
The piece also features a Day and Night indicator so that you know whether its morning or afternoon in London as well as small second indicator at 6 o’clock.
Exceptional In Design
However, it is not just about practical usability. You see, the clean dial of the ww.tc Tourbillion hides a breathtakingly beautiful secret of its own. The unmistakably Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with its iconic gold bridges is only visible through the case back, making it a very personal and understated complication. This is almost a shame given the stunning visual appeal of this movement, but at the same time it makes this exceptional piece of high horology a very real and practical option for everyday wear.
The manual wound movement is simply spectacular, paying homage to its historical roots. In 1884, Constant Girard-Perregaux applied for a patent from the United States Patent Office to provide protection to the movement he had created, which was designed with three parallel arrow-like bridges. At this time this was a completely unheard of concept in the world of watch-making – the movement was considered to represent not simply a technical and functional part of a timepiece – it was also a design feature. In 1889, this Tourbillon with three Gold Bridges received a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition.
As such, the rich heritage of the piece is self-evident. The attention to detail required to construct a Tourbillon of this level of sophistication is almost unfathomable. In total it is assembled from 72 components, all of them required to fit into a diameter of just one centimeter. The trademark three bridges which adorn the movement are hollowed out and painstakingly hand-polished to achieve an incomparable finish. A task which takes Girard-Perregaux’s master watchmakers an astonishing seven days to complete!
The ww.tc Tourbillon from Girard-Perregaux represents the successful marriage of practicality with high-horology. Complex enough to delight even the most seasoned of enthusiast but at the same time sensible enough to be worn everyday this piece guarantees the proud owner illimitable satisfaction. As Girard-Perregaux’s marketing campaign suggests, it has certainly been worth the wait.
See the official Girard-Perregaux website here.
thewatchlounge.com
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