The history of the Girard-Perregaux began in 1791, when Jean-Francois Bautte started to make watches in Geneva. This 19-year-old watchmaker soon showed his talent, and his watches became famous in several royal courts of Europe. Besides his talent in watchmaking, Jean-Francois was also a skilled bus... read more.
The history of the Girard-Perregaux began in 1791, when Jean-Francois Bautte started to make watches in Geneva. This 19-year-old watchmaker soon showed his talent, and his watches became famous in several royal courts of Europe. Besides his talent in watchmaking, Jean-Francois was also a skilled businessman and industrialist, and his company was blooming.
Unfortunately, Jean-Francois had no successors to take take over the company when it was time for him to retire. The problem was solved with a merger with another watchmaker. In 1854, Constantin Girard married Marie Perregaux, and as both came from familys with background in watchmaking, it seemed natural to start a label of their own. The Girard-Perregaux was founded in 1856.
Constantin Girard was a successful watchmaker, and his reputation soon spred in Europe and in the american colonies. One of his most famous timepieces is the Tourbillon Sous Trois Points d'Or, a pocketwatch that won two goldmedals in the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1867 and 1889.
In 1880, Girard-Perregaux was the first manufacturer in the world who started to massproduce wristwatches. Although a few pocket watches had already been modified to be worn on the wrist, Girard-Perregaux was the first watchmaker to produce this kind of timepieces in a series.
Girard-Perregaux has developed several unique movements, but is most famous for the Gyromatic, a high-frequency mechanical watch. Girard-Perregaux has also produced a quartz watch with 23.768 hertz frequency, which has been the universally accepted standard.
