The Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition

Admittedly, I didn’t have a retro diver from Girard-Perrergaux on my checklist of predictions for 2025. But, only a month in the past, I visited our website, and a vivid blue and orange watch was beaming again at me. The Deep Diver Legacy Version proves that the Swiss model can nonetheless get funky, even when which means partnering with London-based Bamford to assist make it occur. As we speak, we’ll take a hands-on take a look at this twin-crowned, limited-edition piece and share our ideas.

Girard-Perregaux is a type of manufacturers that can all the time keep on with me. My dad bought a beautiful, very ’70s Excessive-Frequency mannequin throughout my mother and father’ honeymoon. Really, there’s greater than a kissing cousin’s price of shared DNA in his watch and in the present day’s Deep Diver. In any case, I like the corporate’s present choices, however I’m all the time up for one thing totally different to supply a further spark to the lineup. Let’s see if this throwback hits the mark.

The Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Version

Earlier than we transfer on to the impressions, let’s do a fast run-down of the specs. The watch has a 38mm by 40.3mm Grade 5 titanium case with sharp edges and a mixture of brushed and polished surfaces. Dimension-wise, it’s very a lot on pattern with the 1969 authentic.

Whereas the watch is kind of squat, it has an affordable 13.91mm thickness. Naturally, it makes use of a sapphire crystal. For many who might think about using this as a correct dive watch, it provides a 200m depth score. Fittingly, a blue pure rubber strap and titanium tang buckle include this diver. Girard-Perregaux additionally contains an orange strap with a further titanium buckle.

The automated GP03300 works away inside

The Deep Diver has a neat occasion trick in retailer with its blue sapphire lens inside its chunky titanium screw-in case again. At an angle, it reminds us of the unique model, full with the mannequin identify and trident. But, it nonetheless permits for a slight view of the automated GP03300 caliber beneath. This motion beats at 28,800vph and has 46 hours of energy reserve. Whereas it’s troublesome to see, the in-house GP03300 additionally has Côtes de Genève ending, anglage, sprucing, and snailing.

A vivid, funky dial

The dial on the Deep Diver is most undoubtedly this watch’s calling card. It’s vivid and even fairly distinctive amongst a throng of accessible orange divers. The angled, roulette wheel-like inside rotating bezel creates an imposing look with a robust retro really feel. An inside white monitor incorporates myriad particulars, together with navy-blue trapezoids, printed luminous orange hour markers, and blue minute strains. A conventional date window at 3 o’clock has a blue-on-white date wheel and a beveled orange body. That final element is an extension of the orange central portion. Other than the Girard-Perregaux identify in a decidedly throwback font, a shadowy reminder of Bamford’s contribution can also be on show.

The Deep Diver incorporates an fascinating handset. Its brushed shapes are on level with the unique, however they now comprise orange-tinted Tremendous-LumiNova. We obtained some questions on our preliminary article about whether or not the palms are seen sufficient towards the orange dial. They’re, however there’s actually a slight sacrifice in legibility to the style gods. The brushed metallic helps draw the eyes to the palms, with the longer minute hand qualifying because the extra eye-catching element. After all, that’s an excellent factor contemplating that this can be a dive watch.

At midnight, the Deep Diver places on a light-weight present. All of the wild colours give solution to a smooth greenish-blue glow from the utilized Tremendous-LumiNova. Of notice is the daring double line of lume on the bezel to point the beginning time of a dive. Its design ensures that it isn’t confused with the hour indexes.

On the wrist

The Deep Diver is a humorous watch. Its dimensions make it sound small, but it surely wears massive. The nugget-like design and twin crowns add mass, however the lack of outer bezel contributes most closely to this watch’s bigger appears to be like. That mentioned, somebody with a small wrist can put on it. A watch that involves thoughts with a considerably comparable case design is the Aquastar Benthos H2.

The distinction and enchancment right here, for some, is the light-weight titanium development. It really works properly for a watch of this type and helps the general stability whereas on the wrist. Equally, the versatile rubber strap makes it really feel, at occasions, as if nothing is on.

The elephant within the room

Girard-Perregaux is making simply 350 of the Deep Diver Legacy Version and has priced it at €16,000 / £12,900 / US$15,100. This makes it fairly costly and places it in league with some huge hitters inside the dive-watch style. I feel most would settle for the watch gladly if the value had been nearer to the €10,000 mark. Plus, the bezel-setting crown at 2 o’clock and the screw-down time-setting crown at 4 comprise cross-hatched engravings. Those that know classic watches will immediately acknowledge these as a signature of EPSA Tremendous Compressor circumstances. So, what’s the issue? The Deep Diver isn’t a Tremendous Compressor.

Ultimate ideas on the Deep Diver

Total, the Deep Diver is a really cool-looking watch with a particular dial design courtesy of Bamford. Plus, the titanium case is superbly completed with its sturdy angles and mixture of surfaces. Maybe one of the best ways to have a look at it’s as a limited-production area of interest product. On that foundation, I can think about that it’ll show profitable and discover favor with 350 collectors. Let’s hope that Girard-Perregaux expands the lineup with extra references in titanium and metal.

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