Girard-Perregaux The Casquette - Only Watch Edition - piece unique rebooted by Bamford Watch Department for a good cause

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Girard-Perregaux, a loyal supporter of Only Watch, has dedicated a unique piece for the now-legendary biennial auction. The Manufacture, currently celebrating its 230^thanniversary, has reimagined a 70s icon, the ground-breaking Casquette. Created in partnership with Bamford Watch Department, the Casquette Only Watch revisits the original but adds a notably modern twist.

Every two years, the watch industry comes together in support of Only Watch. This charity was formed in 2005 and draws upon the generosity of the watch industry to fund research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Girard-Perregaux has been a loyal supporter of Only Watch from the outset, creating several unique versions of the Manufacture’s iconic timepieces over the years.

On this occasion, the 9^thedition of Only Watch, Girard-Perregaux has returned to the 70s and reinterpreted the Casquette, a model first unveiled in 1976.

At the time of its launch, the Casquette looked futuristic. Indeed, its avant-garde styling tapped into the zeitgeist of the era, a time when traditional watchmaking was temporarily set aside in favour of quartz movements. The Casquette’s space-themed design language was unequivocally on-trend. The LED digital display presented information in an unambiguous form in vivid red numerals. When viewing the case from the side, the observer was able to appreciate the Casquette’s unusual tapered profile, its sleek shape seemingly honed in a wind tunnel.

For this year’s Only Watch, Girard-Perregaux has collaborated with Bamford Watch Department. The two companies have worked together before, recently collaborating on the Laureato Ghost. In this instance, the two firms decided to reinterpret the 1976 Casquette with an interesting twist.

George Bamford, Founder of Bamford Watch Department, remarks: “Back in the 1970s, the Casquette was produced in a choice of steel, yellow gold-plated metal or Makrolon. This new model is housed in cutting-edge forged carbon, while the caseback and push buttons are made of Grade 5 titanium. The caseback is engraved with ‘Only Watch’, a respectful nod to the biennial auction. Although some observers may describe the 70s design of this watch as retro, I would argue that the shape of the case and the use of forged carbon make it look decidedly futuristic. Working on this project reignited my affection for the Casquette. In fact, it has been a fascinating journey and a labour of love. It is always interesting working with Girard-Perregaux, bouncing ideas of each other and creating something special.”

Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, adds, “This year, as Girard-Perregaux celebrates its 230^thanniversary, both the Manufacture and Bamford Watch Department have enjoyed revisiting the Casquette, a much-loved gem that remains an important chapter in our history. I am delighted with the look of the Casquette Only Watch. In fact, it does make me wonder why we ever stopped making such a distinctive timepiece, much loved by legions of watch collectors. Its new upgraded movement delivers additional functionality that will certainly enhance the ownership experience. It shows the wisdom in sometimes looking to the past, rediscovering a former design and distilling it into something exciting and applicable to the future. Most of all, I am proud that Girard-Perregaux and some of our competitors actively support Only Watch, a charity that has done much for a worthwhile cause.”

While the sapphire glass and LED display share the same look as the 1976 original, the Casquette Only Watch Edition is equipped with a new quartz movement, proffering additional functionality. The inventory of functions includes hours, minutes, seconds and date as found on the 1976 model; however, it also includes a second time zone, a chronograph and a ‘secret date’. This latter feature allows the wearer to program the watch to display a significant date on a daily basis, at a time of their choosing.

The watch is presented on a calf leather strap embossed with an alligator effect. A black ceramic buckle featuring titanium blades secures the timepiece to the wearer’s wrist. The Casquette – Only Watch Edition is presented in a Casquette-inspired presentation case, designed and produced by Bamford Watch Department.

The Casquette – Only Watch Edition, a piece unique donated jointly by Girard-Perregaux and Bamford Watch Department, will be auctioned on 6 ^thNovember 2021 as part of the Only Watch auction taking place at the Four Seasons Hötel des Bergues in Geneva.