Girard Perreguax must be riding on the crest of a wave at the moment. On November 16th 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland the prominent watchmaker was awarded the coveted Aiguille d’or prize for his magnificent Constant Escapement. Early this year I featured last year’s victor, which was the De-Bethune DB28. Both timepieces display outstanding beauty and in my opinion are worthy recipients of this incredible award. In receipt of this honour Michele Sofisti (CEO of the Sowind Group) made the following comment “This award acknowledges the innovative capacity and technical mastery of Girard Perregaux”.
Over the last few months I have written several editorials featuring a variety of Girard Perregaux timepieces including the Constant Escapement. I also wrote an article about their wonderful Three Bridge Tourbillon, which I feel is equally striking. To get access to these amazing timepieces is exceptionally difficult. Due to their price point and exclusivity they are also beyond the reach of most buyers. Fortunately I have been able to try on other watches from the brand including the fantastic Hawk Diver.
Back in July I wrote an in depth review featuring the Hawk Diver. Generally I thought it was a decent watch and found it enjoyable to wear. Although for a watch costing $12,590 I would have expected more than a stainless steel case. The new Chrono Hawk offers a wider variety of material choices. I tried on the black ceramic version, which felt lightweight and comfortable on the wrist. On the whole I try to avoid comparisons but in this instance I did find the watch easier to wear than the Hawk Diver. Nevertheless both of these timepieces would be suitable options for daily usage.
Currently the Chrono Hawk is available in steel, ceramic and opulent model called ‘Hollywoodland’. This creation is constructed from black ceramic with a luxurious 18-karat pink gold bezel. Visually the black ceramic version I tried on is my personal favourite. As I have previously mentioned, I have a penchant for black watches. The dial displays a lot of the successful characteristics of the Hawk Diver including the wave pattern background and large distinctive markers. I love the addition of two counters and chronograph pushers, which give the watch a more sporty appearance. Overall the design is sleek and the finishing is superlative.
Beneath the robust 44mm diameter case lies the highly accomplished Caliber GP03300-0073. This self-winding movement comprises 61 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz). Girard Perregaux have produced and developed this mechanism in house. It also can be viewed in its entire splendour through the watch’s sapphire crystal case back. Functionally the Chrono Hawk features hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date. It also delivers a power reserve of 46 hours and is water resistant to a depth of 100 metres.
The stylish Chrono Hawk comes with an integrated rubber strap and is priced at: $20,200.
http://www.girard-perregaux.com
