In 2026, Girard Perregaux will be able to make only eight pieces of the Minute Repeater Flying Bridges in its La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture. It is easy to understand why: Its 475 movement parts has a total of 1340 polished angles in an open-worked design (including 295 inside angles which are extremely delicate to make). Last but not least, this not only a minute repeater – it is also a tourbillon coupled with a small second hand. Which is why the finishing and assembly requires at least 450 hours.
“It is extremely complicated. We have two watchmakers that are able to make this watch,” said Girard Perregaux managing director Marc-Michel Amadry about the 530’000 CHF watch when I met him at Watches and Wonders.
As we sat down for lunch, he pondered on the historical role of Girard-Perregaux. “Girard-Perregaux is one of the historical maisôns when it comes to expertise in movements, innovation and métiers d’art,” he said, mentioning Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Jaeger-LeCoultre as other players in this arena.
Mr. Michel-Amadry could also have added “expertise in movement design,” as the three bridges – in use since 1867 when first applied to a tourbillon pocket watch – was arguably the first to transform a functional movement component into a design object. The three bridges, a signature of the brand ever since, was also patented a few years after its introduction. When it comes to innovation, the first high frequency movement (1965), the Quartz standard frequency (1975), and the Constant Escapement (2008) are three strong innovations from the catalogue of the brand founded in 1856 by Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux.
The pink gold case of the automatic Minute Repeater Flying Briges, powered by a white gold micro rotor, measures 43.55 in diameter and has a thickness of 17.9 mm. Pink gold is also the material for the inner bezel ring which warrants a good legibility of time in a somewhat busy open-worked environment. The movement offers 60 hours of power reserve, and the skeletonization creates an optimized audio chamber where the sound of the minute repeater reverberates. I have not made a scientific test of the volume, but I listened to it at Watches and Wonders in between the booths during lunch time. If you have been to the show, you know that this is an extremely busy sound environment. It could compare with a giant rattle snake caught up in a traffic jam inside Studio 54. Ok, I may exaggerate a bit – but despite the noisy environment I could hear the pure tones of the minute repeater loud and clear.
The Minute Repeater Flying Briges has two bridges visible from the front. In its contemporary iterations the boxy arrow-tips of the 19th century have been drawn out and curved into what resembles infinite signs. So, what happened to the third bridge so famously introduced in 1867? On the Minute Repeater Flying Briges the third bridge is visible through the crystal back, as it anchors the tourbillon. To Marc Michel-Amadry,
Said Mr. Michel-Amadry: “This is a great example of pure architecture on the wrist. And it shows that we express our heritage with modernity. Heritage is great when it can be used as one of several references in your identity. But if you are stuck in the past, it doesn’t make sense.”
Quick facts Girard-Perregaux Minute Repeater Flying Briges
Case: Rose gold
Measurement: 46 millimeters
Functions: Self-winding with hours, minutes, minute repeater, and tourbillon with small seconds.
Power reserve: 60 hours
Frequency: 21’600 vph (3 Hz)
Price: 530’000 CHF
