Girard Perregaux

blomman Mr Blue
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Girard-Perregaux 1966 Blue - a second look

Friends,

Nicolas has already posted a review on this watch. The Girard-Perregaux 1966 Blue in Pink Gold

Reference: 49525-52-432-BB4A

Just a FYI before we start – these blue dials are horrible to take in photos! It’s almost impossible to get a good shot with the dials actual color without getting a glare or relaxation in the crystal… The watch is much better in real!

OK, let’s start with the blue dial, the most eye catching about this watch!

As shown in the press pictures, the dial has a sunburst dark blue surface, slightly doomed in the edges. I love these kinds of details! Instead of making it easy for themselves with a flat one color surface, GP pays attention to all these small details that makes the difference.

The dial is a very clean dial, applied pink gold indexes at 12 / 3 / 6 and 9. Logo in white and matching middle index lines. If GP would have stopped here, I think the dial would have been perfect from an esthetic point of view!

But if I remove my “collector’s hat” for a moment and think of more inline of what the “common watch enthusiast” would like (read: people that don’t spend all day long admiring their watch).

So, what do they want? Maybe I am not the right person to guess…

B ut, I if I would it would be something like this: A watch that is easy to read, shows time correct, you don’t have to wind every day, except for time, be able to see date.

So, again I guess, that is why we find the date window at three o’clock and the word “AUTOMATIC” at six…

OK, now I put my “collector’s hat” back on: the hands. Beautiful pink gold leaf hands, not too wide, not too thin, perfectly shaped. And again, Girard-Perregaux has put their mind into it and catching the leaf shape also on the second’s hand. Not on the longer part that would be the obvious choice but on the shorter part which makes it more proportionally in sync with the hour and minute hands.

The case: pink gold. 38 mm in diameter and 8.62 mm thick. 38 mm hits my sweet spot for a dress watch and since GP haven’t jumped on the “Ultrathin” wave that runs thru Switzerland right now, the case has a nice and balanced volume.

Why I point this out is that for me, watches with a diameter of 38 mm and up often feels strange on the wrist if “Ultrathin”. Maybe it’s only in my head or my wrist has a strange shape… But for me, if UT then I rather go down to 36 – 37 mm.

I think the pink gold works very well together with the blue dial. Gives the watch a warm glow. Love it! But I can’t stop wondering how it would look like in white gold? Instead of a glow there would be a warmer tone, only a hint. Not as cold as steel, not as warm as pink gold… Hm, maybe something we will see next year?

The lugs are slightly curved and quite short which makes the watch sit perfect in the wrist! (I will add a few wrist shots to show you how the dial changes depending on angle and light.

Inside is the GP03300-0030, same base as the Vintage 1945, but with central second and date, instead of small second as on the Vintage 1945.

The blue alligator strap feels like a natural choice for this watch. Interesting trend change, only a few years back we never saw any dark blue straps, unless it was on a platinum watch.

On the 1966, GP when for the pin buckle, which for me is the better choice. I am having a hard time coping with these folding buckles… I never get them to sit correct on my wrist, pin buckle for me is much more comfortable.

What can I say, I love this watch!

Still struggling if I should go for a classic or a sports watch as my first modern GP…

This one is a very strong contender for sure!

Best

Blomman

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