There is a certain ragtag group of watch aficionados who regularly meet in a Manhattan bar to do some horological horse-trading, share their latest acquisitions and shoot the shit on industry gossip. When Girard-Perregaux’s New York boutique invited them to preview their new 2013 models, the revamped Sea Hawk dive watch ($11,350) was the biggest standout to these discerning (read: grizzled) veterans.
The new Sea Hawk replaces the previous generation with a bold case redesign that mixes brushed stainless steel and rubber accents — style upgrades that make the watch more competitive among the crowded field of high-end divers. Like all G-P watches, the Sea Hawk is fitted with an in-house movement, and we have a soft spot in our hearts for manufactures who eschew common (though still quality) ETA movements.
The Sea Hawk’s GP03300 movement most notably includes a power-reserve complication, useful for ensuring that the watch won’t stop while timing a dive, or just that it won’t run down and need to be reset while sitting in your watch box. Equally important, the feature adds visual interest to the dial, a plus for lovers of chronographs and complicated watches.
Sure, the Sea Hawk’s angular new design may be too radical for some, but if the opinions of the assembled collectors are anything to go by, this quality watch will soon be sported on many a wrist.