Girard-Perregaux’s New Calibre GP4800 Presents a New Milestone in Movement Mastery
When is a movement more than the sum of its parts? There are many answers to that but the most useful, if banal, is this: when it drives the hands to deliver the most steady rate possible, while encased within the protective shell of a case. Before this, a movement is just a rebel in search of a cause, if you will; we can manage a better metaphor here. With Formula 1 season well and truly upon us, and soon to take over the streets of Singapore, you might consider if you would prefer looking at the engine and studying its awesome structure as an exhibit, or if you would rather see it power a race car, as it should.
All this preamble is just a way of pointing out the obvious: watch brands have good reasons not to present movements independently, at least for the public’s eyes. With the new Calibre GP4800, Girard-Perregaux is scrapping that particular bit of the playbook. In fact, although the embargo broke this week, the brand has been talking about this movement and the watches it will power for some time now with select press, of which WOW Singapore is one.
Despite hundreds of years of manufacturing history, 80 patents, more than 30 active movements, with notable entries in 1998 (calibre 3300) and 2017 (calibre 1800), the La Chaux-des-Fonds brand wants to make an impact with the new Calibre GP4800. The manufacture thinks that the best way to navigate the chaos of our times is methodically, and we agree.
Read More: Reviewing the Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement
On that note, taking through this movement reveal is Girard-Perregaux Managing Director Marc Amadry, who was appointed to his role earlier this year. Also chiming in with specific market insights is Regional Brand Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Nguyen Vuong Thong. With that, let us introduce the momentous Calibre GP4800, which we will henceforth refer to as GP4800.
So, what actually is happening here with the new movement? It is certainly nothing like the debut of the Constant Escapement L.M. in 2013 because GP4800 is a Swiss lever automatic movement. Unlike a calibre that deploys radically different technical solutions, GP4800 is ready to go right from the start. It boasts compact dimensions, being just 25.6mm in diameter and 4.28mm thick and is envisioned as the base for future complications. Looking at the movement, there is a clear callback to the architecture of the brand’s iconic Three Gold Bridges design. Here is what the press release says about it, so you have it from the horse’s mouth. The veterinary review will come later.
“GP4800 is fitted with a silicium escapement, featuring an escape wheel, pallet lever and roller, all crafted from the lightweight material,” reads the presser and we can confirm that the only missing element not in silicon (known in French as silicium) is the hairspring. Clearly, there is a plan to fit such a spring here because the balance is adjusted via the telltale screws on the balance wheel, rather than by adjusting the spring itself (silicon hairsprings cannot be adjusted; they are manufactured as perfectly as possible). We are a little unclear on “roller” and an answer is forthcoming from the manufacture.
Amadry is excited about the potential of GP4800 when he confirms the structural nods in the movement to the aforementioned Three Gold Bridges. “I think what is interesting is that people will immediately recognise that, in terms of construction, we started from scratch versus what we have done so far with the other traditional Girard-Perregaux movements. (The GP4800) is built around three bridges from balance wheels to the gear train and barrels, and we introduced a lot of new functionalities.”
Looking at the movement, if you imagine it without the oscillating mass, you will see those three bridges – one for the balance, one for the gear train and one for the barrel – clearly. As for the functions Amadry mentioned, these are really features of the movement and include the new escapement and the power reserve of 55 hours, which Amadry says might go as high as 60 hours but Girard-Perregaux is being conservative, officially; for the record, most manufacture Girard-Perregaux movements have power reserves in the 40-plus hours range. “We have also achieved better chronometry of course with this new calibre. So, basically it’s an important improvement,” said Amadry.
The major improvement here is in the area of reliability, both according to the press materials and Amadry, who is extremely upbeat about the performance of GP4800 over time. It is definitely a fact that there are fewer components than in the standard 3000 series and having a reasonable power reserve, a double balance bridge and good chronometric performance is a big deal in a movement that is relatively compact.
It is also worth noting that the automatic winding system here represents the very latest and bestest in all things Swiss watchmaking. The skeletonised 18k gold oscillating mass is mounted on a ball bearing with ceramic balls and a shock absorption system, with both being necessary in any respectable and robust calibre. The latter might also reduce some of the noise from the rotor but that remains to be tested.
Beyond the structural matters, the calibre also looks great, with no less than 10 different types finishing evident. To be clear here, Girard-Perregaux does not claim that these are all done by hand – GP4800 is not an artisanal movement. That does not keep it from being easy on the eye though, with diamond bevelled edges on plates and bridges; vertical Côtes de Genève; mirror-polished screw heads; and sandblasting on the visible parts of the mainplate. Tellingly, GP4800 gives an indication of where it might be headed with this, and by the fact that even the surfaces that are not visible have been given the attention of the finneseurs – circular graining graces the underside of the mainplate, as seen in the images.
All this leaves one matter unattended to, and it is clearly on purpose – what will GP4800 be powering? Well, we obviously know but we are bound by our word to stay silent. On the other hand, simply consider what Girard-Perregaux models might be celebrating a significant milestone this year… We trust that our audience can easily work this out!
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