Sponsored post presented on aBlogtoWatch for advertiser
Among the list of fun psychological phenomena, “nominative determinism” is near the top. The theory holds that humans have a built-in predilection to pursue hobbies, interests, and even careers that match our names. From Scott Speed (racecar driver), to Page Turner (author), to Rich Nephew (Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption at the U.S. State Department), we’re surrounded by people who’ve ended up right where they ought to be. So perhaps it’s no accident that Girard-Perregaux’s latest release, the Neo Constant Escapement is both a pinnacle achievement in watchmaking and a salute to the founder’s name: Constant Girard.
The story of the Neo Constant Escapement starts like so many tales of innovation: with a problem. As anyone with the misfortune to own an at-home timegrapher knows, the accuracy of our watches isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Place a fully wound watch on the machine, and it’s likely to show a faster than normal trend. Measure the same watch toward the end of its power reserve, when the energy in the barrel is almost fully diminished, and the readout will show the watch running slow. Such deviations can give even the most blissfully ignorant watch owners pause. Depending on the time of day, is my watch accurate at all?
This uncertainty has led watchmakers like Girard-Perregaux on a quest to develop movements immune to these vagaries. Methods abound, including fusée and chain, Geneva stopworks, and remontoir d’égalité. While each is ingenious in its own way, GP’s approach is particularly novel. Between the two oversized barrels fully visible on the Neo Constant Escapement’s skeletonized dial sits a space-age silicium blade. Six times thinner than a human hair, this little component represents the decade-plus research that has gone into the timepiece’s development. Manufactured in conjunction with GP’s partner, Sigatec, these tiny elements are produced in a laboratory using advanced techniques more akin to growing and harvesting than to pressing or forging. Installed in the hand-wound movement, each blade absorbs the alternating motion of its large-barrel neighbors, bending and flexing in a controlled manner in order to move the variable energy to the balance wheel. Finally, the hands begin to turn in a perfectly predictable fashion made possible by the silicium blade’s constant force.
The COSC-certified Neo Constant Escapement is more than a pretty skeleton. From the dial fonts printed at 3 and 9 o’clock to the use of color against monochrome, it’s decidedly futuristic. The boxy sapphire crystal plunges down toward the Grade 5 titanium case, making for a greenhouse effect (the good kind) that lets the eye see every cranny of the watch. The power reserve indication — cleverly color-matched to the tip of the seconds hand — is more of a health bar than a traditional complication. And with juice for seven full days, this watch is in the stratosphere of long-lasting timepieces. Actual time-telling is achieved by the luminescent hands and toothy hour markers, unobtrusively positioned around the perimeter. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Girard-Perregaux without the three bridges, shown here at the bottom of the dial. Two smaller bridges support the twin escape wheels while a larger yet still symmetrical bridge below supports the balance wheel.
Turn the case over, and it reveals more secrets. Sharply downturned lugs help compensate for the 45mm diameter, and an expansive sapphire crystal gives a clear view of the satisfyingly linear gear train. It’s all brought together by a curved black rubber strap whose titanium triple-fold buckle offers on-the-go adjustment thanks to a simple pusher.
It’s anyone’s guess what Constant Girard would make of the Neo Constant Escapement were he alive to see it — 120 years after his death, watchmaking has become nearly unrecognizable from its 19th-century form because of engineers like those at Girard-Perregaux pushing the boundaries. In fact, the development of the Constant Escapement led to 13 new patents, each in the service of making the most precise timepiece possible. When it comes to watchmaking, it seems there is always room for constant innovation. Due to it’s complexity, production of the the Neo Constant Escapement is very limited. Price is $99,600 USD. Learn more at the brand’s website.
Sponsored Posts are a form of advertising that allows sponsors to share useful news, messages, and offers to aBlogtoWatch readers in a way traditional display advertising is often not best suited to. All Sponsored Posts are subject to editorial guidelines with the intent that they offer readers useful news, promotions, or stories. The viewpoints and opinions expressed in Sponsored Posts are those of the advertiser and not necessarily those of aBlogtoWatch or its writers.
Specifications:
Brand: Girard-Perregaux
Model: Neo Constant Escapement
Reference: 93510-21-1930-5CX
Dimensions: 45mm diameter, 14.8mm height
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Case Material: Grade 5 Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire: Sapphire
Movement: GP09200-1153 Hand-wound mechanical movement (hours, minutes, central seconds, power reserve indicator)
Frequency: 3Hz
Power Reserve: 7 days
Strap: Black rubber strap with fabric effect; titanium triple folding buckle with micro-adjustment system
Price & Availability: $99,600 USD. Available in January 2024 at authorized Girard-Perregaux retailers.
