La Chaux-de-Fonds, 4 February 2021 – Building on the success of its Quasar Light and Quasar Azure models, Girard-Perregaux releases a new timepiece housed in a clear sapphire crystal case paired with red accents. The Quasar Infrared pays homage to the Chinese New Year with its red tones, employing a colour that evokes energy, vitality and prosperity. Beyond the model’s vibrant hues, the watch wonderfully plays with shapes and harnesses the Manufacture’s vast watchmaking expertise. Moreover, the Quasar Infrared makes the invisible, visible, transforming bridges from a technical element to an integral part of the timepiece, a characteristic Girard-Perregaux pioneered in 1867 with its legendary Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges.
As China looks forward to celebrating the New Year, a sense of optimism is omnipresent. With the start of the new Chinese Zodiac comes the opportunity for loved ones to come together, celebrate and look forward to better times. Girard-Perregaux shares this positive outlook and, in order to mark the occasion, is releasing a special one-off timepiece, the Quasar Infrared. This model is housed in a sapphire crystal case, a horological genre which has become a speciality of the house.
A quasar is a massive, extremely luminous and remote celestial object which emits large amounts of energy. When viewed through a telescope it resembles a star-like point of light. The Manufacture chose this name for its Quasar creations as it encapsulates the model’s generous proportions, shapes, energy, its notable scarcity and its play with light. Inevitably, this provokes the question, ‘Why Infrared?’
Infrared light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and essentially invisible to the naked eye. However, with its distinctive red hues, Girard-Perregaux has made Infrared visible. In the 19th century, Girard-Perregaux viewed movement bridges as not merely functional components, but also as aesthetic elements. Over the years, the Manufacture has released a number of models sharing the same trait, namely, making the invisible, visible. Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, remarks, “We wanted to create a watch that exudes vitality and evokes thoughts of good fortune and positivity. In Chinese culture, the colour red conveys these sentiments. The Quasar Infrared combines red hues with transparency and iconic shapes as well as our signature Three Bridges. This creation is modern but employs Girard-Perregaux’s vast expertise amassed over its 230-year history.”
The clear case allows Girard-Perregaux to showcase the art of precision engineering with every element of the model’s composition refined to the nth degree.
The sapphire case is fashioned from a single sapphire disc. Thereafter, the disc is formed, milled and polished to create a smooth, homogenous surface, free of inclusions. This latter phase alone takes over 200 hours of work and hundreds of operations, employing techniques perfected over two centuries. Making the case, lugs and crown is protracted, but excellence is seldom achieved in haste.
A notable attribute of the Quasar Infrared relates to its breathtaking transparency. Components which are normally hidden from view are freely shown. It is therefore imperative that each part is presented in flawless form. However, with 230 years of experience, Girard-Perregaux is able to meet such technical challenges.
A tourbillon is positioned at the base of the dial, seemingly floating. Its cage is lyre-shaped, a historical design dating back to the 19th century. However, this contemporary creation indulges the wearer with aerial views of the Neo Bridges, a Girard-Perregaux signature inspired architectural structures. Formed of sapphire, these bridges appear futuristic, but continue to uphold the spirit of the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, Girard- Perregaux’s legendary pocket watch from 1867. Despite the modernity of this model, traditional hand-finishing is much in evidence.
The tourbillon cage is powered by a unidirectional automatic winding system featuring a micro-rotor made of white gold. Comprised of 79 components and weighing a mere 0.25 grams, the low mass of the tourbillon cage consumes only small amounts of energy, augmenting the movement’s available power-reserve. The micro-rotor is intentionally positioned behind the barrel, contributing to the pure, uncluttered appearance of the Quasar Infrared’s fully skeletonised movement. The Dauphine-type hour and minute hands feature red luminescent treatment. The strap is presented in the same ebullient hues, bestowing the composition with a harmonious visual aspect.
The Quasar Infrared is housed in a handblown floating glass sphere made in Switzerland, ensuring consistency with Girard-Perregaux’s origins. This unique piece is available in Girard-Perregaux’s Hong Kong boutique, located in K11 Musea.
About Girard-Perregaux
Founded in 1791, Girard-Perregaux is one of the oldest fine watchmaking manufactures still in operation and is appreciated by those in the know. This year the company celebrates its 230th anniversary, a fitting testament to the brand’s watchmaking expertise. Indeed, the firm’s history is dotted with exceptional creations that skillfully blend aesthetics and functionality. These models include the iconic Laureato, born in 1975, as well as the legendary Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges,’ a watch that made the invisible visible, transforming bridges from just a technical element to an integral part of the timepiece – a first in watchmaking. Girard-Perregaux’s place at the vanguard of horological innovation is confirmed by over one hundred recorded patents together with numerous prizes and distinctions. It remains one of the few watchmakers to retain Manufacture status for over two centuries by mastering all the required horological skills in-house and making watches infused with a notable degree of authenticity. While Girard-Perregaux respects its heritage, it continues to look ahead, embracing new technologies, state of the art materials, and fresh takes on iconic shapes.
Girard-Perregaux is part of the Kering Group, a world leader in luxury apparel.
Girard-Perregaux Press Contact:
meera.anand@girard-perregaux.com
+41 79 420 7789
Technical specification
QUASAR INFRARED
Reference: 99295-43-2004BAHA
Pièce unique
World Price: CHF 283,000
Case
Material: sapphire
Diameter: 46.00 mm
Height: 15.25 mm
Glass: sapphire anti-reflective ‘box’
Case-back: sapphire crystal ‘box’
Dial: no dial
Hands: skeletonised, white gold, ‘Dauphine’ type with luminescent material
Water resistance: 30 metres (3 ATM)
Movement
Reference: GP09400-1439
Self-winding mechanical movement
Diameter: 36.00 mm (16’’’)
Height: 9.54 mm
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h – (3 Hz)
Number of components: 260
Number of jewels: 27
Power reserve: min. 60 hours
Functions: Tourbillon, hours, minutes, small seconds on the tourbillon
Tourbillon
Tourbillon cage composed of 79 components weighing only 0.250 grams
The iconic Girard-Perregaux Bridges are made of sapphire
Strap
Material: high-gloss red calfskin strap featuring hand-stitching
Buckle: triple folding, white gold
The timepiece will be delivered with an additional complimentary red alligator strap
