Girard Perregaux Serial Numbers

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We always try to have a good selection of vintage Girard-Perregaux watches for sale on this site. These were very expensive when new and remain costly as collector’s items today, but their build and finish quality is exceptionally high and they make excellent alternatives for anyone wanting a vintage watch that is a little less obvious than those by Rolex, Omega and Jaeger LeCoultre.

Founded in 1791, Girard-Perregaux is one of the oldest of the major Swiss houses and one of the few that was established in the Georgian rather than Victorian era.

Girard-Perregaux is a high-end Swiss watch manufacture with its origins dating back to 1791. It is situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland and is a part of the Sowind group, a subsidiary of Kering.

From the outset, it was primarily a producer of extremely high grade watches for a wealthy niche client base and over two centuries on, its position in the marketplace hasn’t really changed. Girard-Perregaux has never pursued the mass market and while it is held in very high regard by serious vintage watch aficionados, it remains largely unknown to the man in the street.

Queen Victoria was a Girard-Perregaux customer and by the mid-19th century, the brand was famous among the royal houses of Europe. Around 1880, a watch was supplied to King Victor Emmanuel of Italy. At this stage, production was limited to pocket watches, the wristwatch having not yet been invented.

Remarkably, Girard-Perregaux can lay credible claim to being the first ever serial producer of wristwatches. In 1879, Kaiser Wilhelm I placed an order with Girard-Perregaux for two thousand watches that could be worn on the wrists of officers in the German navy after discussing the possibilities of creating these items at the Berlin Exhibition of the same year, where Girard-Perregaux had a trade stand. These were duly delivered and, so the tale goes, the wristwatch for male use was born. This seems fairly easy to swallow. In nearly thirty years of daily involvement with vintage watches, in our business we’ve never encountered a man’s wristwatch that pre-dated this Girard-Perregaux batch and believe that we can pretty much accept at face value that this was the genesis of what we would regard today as the luxury wristwatch.

The majority of the vintage Girard-Perregaux watches for sale here were manufactured in the period running from the early 1920s through to the late 1960s. This was very much the golden age for Girard-Perregaux and indeed the high end Swiss mechanical watch industry in general. A well preserved, all original vintage watch from this period by any of the top tier makers will be outstanding and of a quality that has never been equalled since.

Situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Girard-Perregaux is one of the few remaining authentic Swiss manufactures. Expert craftsmen in the fields of design, prototyping, manufacture, movement, finishes, decorations, assembly, casing and quality checks all operate under the same roof to meticulously produce each luxury watch. Re: Girard Perregaux watch? Hi, thanks is there any possible indication as to what model it is? I have been trawling the net but cannot find any the same, what does the R mean on the case and is it unusual not to have a serial number? Thanks and much appriecated. I can't remember how long I've had this Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic. Maybe 20 years or so. Since I've been horse-trading a lot more vintage watches in the last year I dug out all of my old boxes of watches and was a little surprised to find this beauty in there.

Interestingly, Girard-Perregaux wasn’t an entirely autonomous movement manufacturer, but instead took the route of purchasing ebauches ( this is the Swiss term for a movement in its most basic, completely raw, form, without components or finishing) from a small number of highly respected sources and then using them as building blocks for its own creations. The extent to which these were re-worked is quite remarkable, to the degree that in the past, we have sometimes had the devil of a job here trying to identify the ebauche calibre that had been used when describing some of these watches prior to putting them up for sale. Vintage Girard-Perregaux movements are the perfect argument that can be used in favour of ebauche use. Girard-Perregaux realised that as a relatively small concern, its resources were better spent in refining and perfecting movements by other makers rather than trying to create these from scratch. The results are spectacular and we would defy anyone to examine one of these vintage Girard-Perregaux mechanisms and find any aspect of it that is inferior to that of an in-house built Rolex, Omega or Zenith movement from the same period.

From the point of view of the collector looking for an epitomical model of Girard-Perregaux’s most innovative work, a good choice would be a Gyromatic from the late 1950s or early ‘60s. Launching its first automatic watch in 1956, Girard-Perregaux was a late adopter of self-winding, but came up with a brilliantly ingenious switching system that enabled motion of the rotor in both directions to be converted into mainspring tension. This switching was achieved by two so-called “Gyrotrones” and from a technical perspective, these movements are so different, and so beautifully executed, that they are an essential inclusion in any collection that aims to chart the progress of the automatic watch during its glorious post-war heyday.

Another must-have purchase for the purist collector would be any of the models that contain the Girard-Perregaux calibre 32A movement. Launched in 1965, it was the first commercially available fast beat movement and stands today as being of great historical importance. The technical teams at all the major Swiss houses had realised that, all else being equal, the faster the oscillation rate of its balance wheel, the more accurate a movement would be. Accordingly, in mid 1960s, there was a race to bring to market ever faster movements, these culminating in those units that ran at a lighting quick 36000 half beats per minute. The engineering skill required to design a reliable movement that could perform at this breakneck speed is staggering, and to this day, even more than forty years on, these are still some of the most remarkable watches that the Swiss factories have ever built. Fast beat watches are lovely things to own ( and to hold to one’s ear…), but they can be a minefield and it is very easy to purchase a worn example that will be troublesome and require constant attention. We always have a small selection of these models for sale in the best possible state of mechanical preservation, including the ground breaking vintage Girard-Perregaux version.

It is rather ironic that Girard-Perregaux, one of the most prestigious of the traditional luxury houses, should have been responsible, along with Jaeger LeCoultre, for the first commercially available Swiss battery powered quartz wristwatches. Launched in 1970, the calibre 352 movement, created as a collaborative project between these two grand old brands, started the quartz revolution of the 1970s that almost terminated the mechanical watch making industry. Today, these first generation Girard-Perregaux quartz watches are of great historical significance and while they can still be sourced in excellent order for as little as £500 or £600 pounds, it seems inevitable that they will rapidly appreciate in value in the near future. Again, we try to hold some stock of these but increasingly, replacing items sold without compromising our very high standards in relation to condition and authenticity is proving difficult.

Possibly because of the high cost of its watches and their sharp aesthetics, Girard-Perregaux has a very glamorous image. On the first page of the James Bond Novel “From Russia With Love”, author Ian Fleming wrote that a gold Girard-Perregaux on a brown crocodile strap was one of the “typical membership badges of the rich man’s club”. In more recent times, in 1996, Girard-Perregaux worked closely with Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari to release a range of watches that bore the signatures of both brands.

As investments, it seems almost certain that vintage Girard-Perregaux watches have a bright future. At no point since the company’s foundation has Girard-Perregaux’s superb quality ever lapsed and as a result, there are no weak eras of production that could have otherwise tarnished the firm’s reputation. Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams always include a selection of vintage Girard-Perregaux watches for sale in their specialist fine horological auctions and while these sell for substantial sums, they fail to attract the same level of interest as their Rolex equivalents, not because of any intrinsic inferiority but simply on account of the former concern being less widely known.

Importantly, Girard-Perregaux today appreciates how much can be gained by publicising its past glories. Both the firm’s website and its printed advertising material constantly references the excellence of its vintage watches and indeed, it uses these as a basis for a series of current re-issues, the most notable of which is the rectangular Girard-Perregaux Vintage 45, so named because of its stylistic similarity to a watch first offered by Girard-Perregaux at the end of World War II. Since 1999, a Girard-Perregaux factory museum has been open to the public in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland with an extensive collection of the company’s vintage pocket and wristwatches. A superb book “Girard-Perregaux” by Francois Chaille has recently appeared on the market specifically about the history of this important house, with the full co-operation of the management there. Following this policy is excellent news for the collector who owns, or is intending to purchase, a classic Girard-Perregaux. While the objective with this advertising is obviously to give a sense of history and credibility to brand new watches, it has the side effect of promoting the company’s vintage pieces at the same time. There is a clear correlation between the attitude of modern day watch brand owners and the values of that brand’s vintage watches. Girard-Perregaux today uses its past glories in a very positive way and as awareness of this remarkable institution grows and more buyers appreciate both the new and old watches of this venerable company, it seems almost inevitable that the worth of its vintage output will rise sharply over the next decade.

Girard-Perregaux gold 1968

From 1968, this gentleman’s Girard-Perregaux in gold is an extremely attractive watch that has survived in almost mint condition. Despite being the product of one of the most highly regarded watch makers in the world, it isn’t prohibitively expensive and offers quite remarkable value for money when compared to new timepieces in the high street.

Girard-Perregaux is the oldest of all the top tier Swiss houses and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1791, it set out to cater for a social elite made up of aristocrats, European Royalty and the wealthy business community. Queen Victoria was a customer, as was and. Interestingly, the relative position of the firm hasn’t changed a great deal and its image today is still one of a niche brand that is appreciated by horological connoisseurs but still largely unknown to the general public. In 1957, Ian Fleming wrote on the first page of his James Bond novel “From Russia with Love” that a gold Girard-Perregaux watch was “a typical membership badge of the rich man’s club” but even this exposure didn’t expand the audience for the brand beyond its cult following. Today, production remains at a much lower level than that of Rolex and Omega, and Girard-Perregaux watches are for sale new only a very limited number of prestigious specialist outlets.

This would have been a costly purchase when new, which may explain why it has clearly seen very little use. The large gold case is almost mint, with only the faintest imperfections that are almost invisible to the naked eye. A lot of the gold cases we have offered to us look fine upon casual examination, but inspection in greater detail, particularly with the movement removed, reveals that repair work, usually to the lugs, has been carried out at some stage. This case is virtually perfect and has not been near a soldering iron since the day it was made.

The weight of this housing is immediately noticeable when one first picks up the watch. The best case makers were far less cost conscious that they are today and were quite happy to create cases that were very thick walled, using far more gold than would be deemed viable now. In common with its competitors, Girard-Perregaux was not a case maker, but instead purchased its cases from a number of independent factories that specialised in this field.

This case was commissioned by Girard-Perregaux from Britton & Sons, based at 45 Vyse Street, Birmingham. Experienced collectors will be familiar with Britton & Sons as a case supplier to Rolex during the 1960s and ‘70s, but probably less aware of their relationship with Girard-Perregaux at the same time. Britton produced some exceptionally fine cases during this period, combining substantial build with superb finishing, both outside and in. The interior of this case is covered with an engine turned pearled pattern that under normal circumstances, the watch’s owner would never see. What we now regard as vintage watches by all the famous Swiss makers were built up to a remarkably high quality standard rather than down to a price as they would be today.

Girard

‘British Make, B & S’ is stamped inside this case, together with the serial number 423461. Also here are a full set of crisp British hallmarks, these telling us that this housing was assayed as solid 9 karat gold in Birmingham 1968.

On the outside of the case is the attractively executed dedication ‘Presented to Mr. D. Collier by Fletchers Sauce Co Ltd in appreciation of Loyal Service 1946-1971’. The giving of high quality Swiss watches to senior executives as retirement or long service awards was not uncommon in the past. We have a policy of always leaving engraving of this type in place on the basis that it adds a sense of character and provenance without adversely affecting commercial worth, though if a buyer wishes to have a smooth back, this can be created at any competent local jeweller with just a few minutes of polishing.

The lightly silvered French white dial cannot be faulted and qualifies as the best preserved example that could be found at any price. Dial condition and originality are fundamental in establishing value and vintage watches with pristine, untouched dials like this one are not often seen. This is the perfect representative specimen of the sort of dial that every collector would buy for investment purposes if they could. So many of the vintage wristwatches for sale, both online and in the physical marketplace, have dials that are either in poor condition or have been completely restored. Neither state is desirable and to be worth its theoretical maximum, a vintage watch must have its original dial in excellent, or better, condition. The difference in desirability between a classic timepiece with a superb, virgin dial and one with a restored or grubby dial is enormous and it is easy to unwittingly pay a high price for something that will always be regarded as second rate, however long it is kept. A piece with a dial like this one will always be pricey in the first instance, but will hold its relative position as the best available example of its type.

The dial format here could not be simpler. This clean, uncluttered look is timeless and non-dating. ‘Girard-Perregaux’ is signed in black above the dial centre point, with ‘Swiss’ along the outer edge. All three hands are original to this watch, their gilt surfaces matching perfectly those of the hour batons.

Girard-Perregaux movements are some of the finest to have ever been offered in vintage watches. The company forged its reputation offering some of the most sophisticated mechanisms in the market and has maintained a consistently high level of quality over more than two centuries. The movement here is calibre 30.6, a hand wound unit that was a reworking of the 1687 ebauche ( an ebauche is a movement in its raw, unfinished state, without jewels, gears or any other component parts) that Girard-Perregaux purchased from A. Schild of Grenchen and then heavily modified in its own factory. Founded in 1896, Schild is regarded today as something of a movement making legend, having sold its ebauches as building blocks to a whole multitude of household name brands, from Breitling to Rolex.

Consistent with the near mint state of the case and dial, this movement is immaculate throughout. Its rhodium plated finish is bright and not in the least bit tarnished. Every component in this mechanism is guaranteed to be entirely original and nothing whatsoever has been changed. Every aspect of this unit is authentic Girard-Perregaux and there has been no adulteration of this item with non-standard parts.

‘17 Jewels, Girard-Perregaux, Swiss’ is stated on the bridge, together with the serial number 303559. Certainly, this movement is original to the case that contains it. For a long time, we’ve had the idea of setting up a database on this website of the serial numbers on vintage Girard-Perregaux watches that have passed through our hands, in a similar fashion to our Rolex Case Backs pages in the Reference section. Particularly on watches in steel, which obviously don’t have a hallmark year letter from which they can be dated, it would be very useful to have an easily accessed table of serial numbers arranged in chronological order.

Free Software Serial Numbers

It is almost superfluous to confirm that this watch works perfectly. It sets, winds and runs extremely smoothly and its movement is not measurably worn. These vintage Girard-Perregaux movements are so brilliantly engineered that provided they are treated with care and sent for routine servicing every three or four years, they will last almost forever. There is no reason why a classic wristwatch of this quality cannot become an heirloom possession that is passed on to subsequent generations and many buyers now purchase with this intention in mind.

Girard Perregaux Serial Numbers

We have fitted a high quality crocodile skin type strap to this watch. This is not a genuine Girard-Perregaux strap, but is very similar to those shown in the company’s advertising of the period and it ideally suited to the piece.

Girard-Perregaux has recently released a model that has almost the exact appearance of the item here to much praise from the specialist press. Named the 1966, it has the same classically styled circular case, angled lugs and straight dial batons as the original vintage version. The quality of the cases and movements in the two watches is directly comparable, though a purist might successfully argue that the mechanism in the older piece is finished to a slighter higher grade.

Girard Perregaux Serial Number Dates

The new 1966 reissue in gold is available for around £9600 GB pounds, which makes this vintage example in almost mint condition seem remarkably good value for money at £690 GB pounds. If the general public actually appreciated just how well made vintage Girard-Perregaux watches are, then the price of this piece, and others like it, would be much higher. In a direct side by side comparison, classic Girard-Perregaux are the equals of anything by Rolex or Omega, but for no other reason than the brand having a low key profile, they can be purchased even now for relatively reasonable sums. This is a gorgeous watch that oozes quality and the fact that it was something of a bargain will be a source of much satisfaction to its next owner.

Price £690 GB Pounds