Girard Perregaux Watches
When forward-looking Geneva-born watchmaker Jean-François Bautte signed his first watches in 1791, the now well-known legacy of illustrious Swiss watch company Girard-Perregaux began to take shape. From there, Bautte worked to establish a watch manufacturing company in his native city, where he promoted putting all the aspects of watchmaking within one facility, a pioneering move for the era. The Maison Bautte, whose clients included Queen Victoria and Alexandre Dumas, would become part of a watchmaking empire that started with a marriage.
Watchmaker Constant Girard founded the Girard & Cie Firm in 1852, and after he married Marie Perregaux (part of a celebrated chronometer family), the Girard-Perregaux Manufacture was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1856. Like Bautte, Girard-Perregaux undertook all elements of the horological process in-house, a method that allowed the maison to produce watches that are recognized for their functional prowess as well as their decorative allure. Today's growing legions of watch collectors will find much to appreciate in vintage Girard-Perregaux watches, as the firm's timepieces often join form and function with designs that celebrate the mechanics of the watch. Girard was especially passionate about making the tourbillon into an aesthetic component of watchmaking as much as a functional element.
In 1906, the company — then under the leadership of the couple’s son, Constant Girard-Gallet — acquired Maison Bautte, joining its historic legacy with the company’s own. Girard-Perregaux continued to make technological advancements over the years, amassing nearly 80 horological patents and introducing innovations such as the 1965 Gyromatic HF, the first high-frequency, self-winding movement that ran at an incredible 36,000 vibrations an hour.
Standout designs in the company’s rich offerings over the years have included the 1884 Tourbillon with three gold bridges spanning the watch dial and framing the horological movement; the first quartz movement watch made in Switzerland in 1971, which set the global standard for quartz watches; the 2008 Constant Escapement L.M. that maintains constant energy on its escapement, solving a long-standing problem of mechanical watch precision; and the Girard-Perregaux 2020 Infinity made with precious onyx.
In 2011, the company became part of the Kering Group. Girard-Perregaux continues to operate out of its factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, making it one of the oldest watchmakers in Switzerland, with new watch models often riffing off iconic designs while advancing a 21st-century commitment to sustainability. Its current logo — a watch bridge — celebrates the company’s heritage while looking ahead to the future.
Find a collection of vintage and contemporary Girard-Perregaux wristwatches on 1stDibs.
1960s Swiss Retro Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Gold Plate
1990s Swiss Modern Girard Perregaux Watches
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Girard Perregaux Watches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Swiss Modern Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Swiss Modern Girard Perregaux Watches
18k Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Swiss Girard Perregaux Watches
1970s Unknown Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Girard Perregaux Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Girard Perregaux Watches
White Gold
1960s Swiss Contemporary Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Crystal, 10k Gold, 14k Gold
1970s Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Yellow Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Mid-20th Century Swiss Retro Girard Perregaux Watches
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Swiss Retro Girard Perregaux Watches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Swiss Retro Vintage Girard Perregaux Watches
Yellow Gold
Girard Perregaux watches for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Girard Perregaux
- Who owns Girard-Perregaux?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Today the Girard-Perregaux watchmaking company is owned by the French luxury group Kering. This purchase was made in 2011. Prior to that, the watchmaker had joined with the Sowind Group in the 1980s in an effort to combat the quartz crisis. Shop a collection of Girard-Perregaux watches from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Is Girard-Perregaux luxury?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, Girard-Perregaux is considered a luxury watch brand. This Swiss watchmaking brand is considered one of the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturers still in operation, with a grand history of exceptional watches and a dedication to excellence. Since 2011 the company has become a part of the French luxury group Kering. Shop a collection of Girard Perregaux watches from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.