Girard-Perregaux for Bol d’Or Mirabaud

Girard-Perregaux for Bol d’Or Mirabaud

Patience, talent, craftsmanship, all these qualities associated with Haute Horlogerie, which Girard-Perregaux is very well known for, are very similar to those needed in various nautical activities.

Girard-Perregaux is proud to enter into a partnership with the Societe Nautique de Genève (SNG) for the famous international yachting event: the Bol d’Or. Having been involved into yachting for many years now, Girard-Perregaux shares its core values with the Bol d’Or Mirabaud in this long term partnership:

- A major motivation to invest in R&D, which gives its products all their uniqueness and personality

- The aptitude and will to face new challenges, never being satisfied with the results achieved and always willing to progress

- A true team spirit, result of the diversity of competences and addition of know- how allowing to steadily increase the quality of the products

- A strong will to enter a competition in which all available resources have been invested, be they technical, strategic or human.

To celebrate this 69th edition of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, Girard-Perregaux dedicates a unique sportive and nautical watch: the Sea Hawk Pro 1000m – Bol d’Or Mirabaud issued in a strictly limited edition of 69 pieces.

Girard-Perregaux is the “Presenting Sponsor” of the 69th edition of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud yachting race.

The Bol d’Or Mirabaud is the largest regatta in Europe on a closed basin. It is one of the major and most prestigious classics on the international racing calendar.

It consists of a race from Geneva to Le Bouveret and back, ie. once around the whole Geneva lake. The record is being hold by P.M. Leuenberger’s Triga IV in 5h01’51’ since 1994. For the 2006 edition, over 600 participants took part in the race.

The Bol d’Or Mirabaud 2007, presented by Girard-Perregaux, will be a very special event, as much for the competitors as for their guests and spectators.

Technical information

Steel case
Diameter: 44.00 mm
Height: 15.42 mm
Screw-down crown
Antireflective sapphire crystal
Screw-down back, helium relief valve
Unidirectional rotating bezel
Water resistant to 1,000 metres

Movement Girard-Perregaux GP 033R0
mechanical with automatic winding

Calibre: 11 ½ ’’’
Frequency: 28.800 vib./h. (4Hz)
Power reserve: min. 46 hours
Jewels: 27
Functions: hour, minute, small second, date, power reserve indication

Vulcanized rubber strap with adjustable safety folding buckle

Reference: 49950-11-451-FK6A

Limited and numbered edition of 69 pieces for the 69th edition of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud

The case back is engraved with the porpoise snake logo.

The porpoise snake, anchor and trident engraving was first attached to a patent Girard-Perregaux had in 1898 and has become the logo of the whole line. It was accompanied by the motto “Do nothing without advice”.

Case construction

The Sea Hawk Pro 1000m case was entirely developed and is manufactured in-house.

True to Girard-Perregaux’s authentic Manufacture approach, this development demonstrates again the know-how in crafting technical cases:
- Water resistance to 1,000m
- Unidirectional rotating bezel
- Helium relief valve

A particular attention has been given to the development of the rotating bezel. The adjustment of the sound was a great challenge: it took as long as 3 months to obtain a perfect “clic”.

Helium relief valve

The helium relief valve allows the surplus of pressurized helium that has seeped into the watch to escape.

Below a depth of 70 meters, the air becomes toxic due to changes caused by the increasing pressure. Divers who descend to these depths use diving bells, diving suits or a submarine, the air being saturated with helium to prevent any risk of inert gas narcosis.

Helium is one of the smallest elements, so particles of it will penetrate a watch in this sort of environment. In cases of prolonged dives, the pressure inside the watch (initially that at the surface) becomes the pressure of the diving depth.

Depressurization poses a problem when the diver ascends. The helium, which has gradually built up in the watch over several hours, only seeps out very slowly. Without a helium decompression valve, which allows the surplus pressure to escape as soon as it reaches a certain level, the pressure would cause the watch crystal to pop out. (TimeZone)