This Week in Watches: February 9, 2016

Girard-Perregaux reissues the Laureato, a movement with a 70-day power reserve, the world’s most affordable Swiss-made tourbillon chronograph and more.

On the Radar

Reveals, Launches and New Watches

Girard-Perregaux Reissues an Icon

In all its 225 years, if there’s been one watch from Girard-Perregaux’s collection that has resonated with modern collectors, it is the Laureato, launched in 1975 with one of the industry’s first integrated bracelet and case steel designs, an octagonal bezel and a quartz movement. The watch’s 2016 re-release will bring back the iconic looks in a 41mm package and will eschew the quartz movement in favor of the brand’s mechanical, 27-jewel self-winding caliber GP03300-0030. While it’s a well-designed and highly desirable take on one of the brand’s most iconic designs, it’ll be built in very small numbers — 225 examples of both the navy blue and white-gray dial designs will be produced.

The Escapement, Reimagined

Because of their traditional lever escapement, most mechanical watches only have a power reserve of about 48 to 72 hours. But Parmigiani has come up with a concept for a new escapement that is capable of a 70-day power reserve. The Senfine escapement uses a balance wheel like a standard lever escapement but swings at a lower arc (16 degrees versus 300 degrees) and swings at an incredibly fast 16Hz (this is about four times as fast as a traditional watch). This makes for a more precise movement that conserves energy. What’s more, by using “flexible, frictionless joints” made from silicon, Parmigiani has been able to cut down on energy lost through friction, too.

The Affordable All-American Timepiece

Two of America’s most iconic heritage brands, Red Wing Boots and Timex, have teamed up to put together a collection of limited-edition watches sold through END Clothing. The three watches in the line all feature vintage-inspired black dials, stainless steel cases and leather straps sourced from Red Wing’s S.B. Foot Tanning Company and are all available for under $135.

An “Affordable” Swiss Tourbillon Chronograph

At a confirmed price of $15,950, TAG Heuer’s Carrera Heuer-02T is the most affordable Swiss tourbillon chronograph on the market. TAG has based it on the abandoned CH80 chronograph movement it has been working on in house, which is enclosed in a grade 5 titanium case. We aren’t exactly sure how the company has been able to keep the price down; TAG Heuer says it did so with “the perfect mastery of industrial processes and manufacturing costs.”

A Radio Sync Seiko

Seiko’s new entry to its tool-oriented Prospex line is the SSG001, SSG003 and SSG005, a series of three GMT chronographs with radio synchronization. The series uses Seiko’s new quartz-powered, solar-charged 8B92 calibre which can read atomic clock signals broadcasted from Japan, USA, China and Germany, and recalibrate up to three times a day.

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Looking Ahead

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