What do Susan and David Rockefeller Jr. do when they are not busy running their respective jewellery and investment companies? They sail, scuba dive or associate with a watch brand that shares their ideals: Girard-Perregaux. A keen conservationist, Susan Rockefeller has even created two watch models based on the theme of her latest documentary: Mission of Mermaids (2012). This poetic ode to the oceans inspired her creative work, as she shares with WorldTempus.
Mathilde Binetruy: What are your first watchmaking memories
Susan Rockfeller: My first real memories are of my Girard-Perregaux watches. Everything before that was just training!
What is the latest watch model you were unable to resist?
Girard-Perregaux’s Mission of Mermaids men's watch, which I designed. I love the green and black accents––any man wearing one will have major sex appeal! It’s masculine with a hip touch of mermaid.
One word to define the fine (watch) mechanics?
Poetry.
Which (watch) complication touches you?
Love the divers because I can explore the ocean with them.
Do you have something of a watchmaker in your personality?
Watches remind us that time is precious. Girard-Perregaux watches also remind us to find art and beauty in life. And, yes, embedded in my DNA is a sense of the preciousness of time and a desire for beauty.
What is definitely Swiss ?
Precision, design, integrity, perfection, proportion, and scale.
For which watch would you go crazy?
Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Large Date & Moon Phase. My Fave!!
Why have you chosen the brand Girard-Perregaux?
I love the philosophy of the company, the values the people involved, and the design and quality of the watches.
What are the values you share?
A shared commitment to sustainability. The recognition that artisan craftsmanship results in high quality, long lasting watches that can be passed on from generation to generation.
Which watchmaking masterpiece would you like to have invented?
The moon-phases watch mentioned above. Time is defined by the phases of the sun and moon––and this watch is a reminder of the nature’s intrinsic rhythm.
Which watch function is missing on your watch (ex: power reserve, alarm clock,…)?
An alarm, which could come in handy when I’m dozing!
A face to face meeting with a great watch master?
Constant Girard, one of the founders of Girard-Perregaux.
What will be the watch of tomorrow?
Two trends that are opposite. A digital watch with biometrics embedded and all the bells and whistles you can think of. Simultaneously, a return to a watch that keeps time and is passed down as an heirloom for generations to come.
