The Girard-Perregaux Laureato | family history
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato (1975) arrived three years after the Royal Oak and one year before the Nautilus. It shares the octagonal bezel, the integrated case-and-bracelet architecture, and the luxury sport positioning that defined that era. The modern revival (2016) brought the Laureato back into production and reintroduced the three-way comparison that the original era established. The Laureato is the least known of the three outside specialist circles, which means it trades at a fraction of the Royal Oak and Nautilus premiums for a watch with equal historical standing.
Girard-Perregaux's integrated-bracelet sport-elegance icon, launched in 1975 with an octagonal bezel that predated the Nautilus by a year. Discontinued for decades and revived in 2016, the Laureato now spans 34–42 mm in steel, titanium, and precious metal, all sharing the octagonal clous-de-Paris bezel and integrated brushed-and-polished bracelet. The in-house GP03300 automatic caliber, developed with 46-hour power reserve, serves across the family. The 38 mm steel is the entry and the benchmark: an alternative to the Royal Oak and Nautilus at a price that still reflects independent-brand value rather than pure name premium.
1975–1995 · The original Laureato
GP launched the Laureato in 1975 with an octagonal bezel and integrated steel bracelet. The design was not a Genta commission; it was developed in-house at GP, and the timing placed it squarely in the Royal Oak era of integrated-bracelet luxury sport. The original Laureato references had various dial configurations and caliber options through the 1970s and 1980s; they are collectible vintage pieces but trade in a narrower specialist market than the Royal Oak equivalents.
No references from this era in the catalog yet.
2016–present · The modern Laureato revival
GP relaunched the Laureato in 2016 in 38mm and 42mm cases with a family structure covering time-and-date automatics and chronograph variants. The modern references use GP in-house calibers: the GP03300 for the time-and-date versions and the GP03300-0130 for the chronograph. The 38mm is the correct vintage-proportion reference; the 42mm chronograph serves buyers who want the design at a larger scale with the full chronograph function. The Laureato 38 in steel is the collector entry; the chronograph variants are the sporting pieces.
How to read this family
Three honest questions for any Laureato buyer:
- Why does the Laureato trade at a discount to the Royal Oak and Nautilus for the same historical position? The Royal Oak and Nautilus have had continuous production, celebrity association, and sustained Rolex-level marketing investment in their narrative for fifty years. The Laureato had periods of discontinuation and less aggressive brand storytelling. For a collector who has done the research, the Laureato is a rational buy: the same 1975 integrated-bracelet heritage, genuine GP manufacture movement, at a retail and secondary-market price that does not carry the artificial scarcity premium of the other two.
- 38mm or 42mm? The 38mm is the historically accurate vintage proportion and the size closest to the original 1975 Laureato. It wears trim. The 42mm is the modern-proportion sport-watch size; it is available in chronograph variants that the 38mm does not cover. For a time-and-date piece, the 38mm is the recommendation. For buyers who specifically want a GP chronograph in an integrated bracelet case, the 42mm chrono is the answer.
- Laureato or GP 1966 for a first Girard-Perregaux? The 1966 is the dress watch; the Laureato is the sport watch. They serve different contexts. If you want a GP for daily versatile wear that works in both casual and professional settings, the Laureato 38 is the more flexible piece. If you want a slim dress watch for formal occasions, the 1966 is the answer.
Related families: GP 1966 · Royal Oak · Nautilus
References in this family
Which ref to buy
The Laureato predates the Nautilus and Royal Oak -- the integrated octagonal bezel/bracelet appeared in 1975. GP is chronically undervalued relative to the Royal Oak and Nautilus despite comparable design DNA and superior vertical integration. The market has begun to correct this.
- 1Open
Laureato 38mm in steel -- the correct configuration and the most compelling value in integrated bracelet watches.
- The case for it:
- Cal. GP01800-0004, in-house automatic, 38mm, integrated octagonal bezel, steel bracelet. The 38mm Laureato is the proportionally correct Laureato. The case finishing -- alternating polished and satin surfaces on the octagonal lugs -- is technically excellent. Priced well below the Nautilus and Royal Oak despite equivalent design heritage and better recent movement investment.
- Consider instead if:
- GP secondary market liquidity is thinner than Patek or AP. The value is real but the exit is slower.
- 2Open
Laureato 42mm Steel -- larger format for buyers who want more wrist presence.
- The case for it:
- Same caliber as the 38mm in a 42mm case. Strong presence; the integrated bracelet wears proportionally at this size too.
- Consider instead if:
- The 38mm is the historically correct Laureato proportion. The 42mm is a modern reinterpretation -- valid, but less connected to the original.
- 3Open
Laureato Chronograph 38mm -- adds a column-wheel chronograph to the integrated bracelet architecture.
- The case for it:
- GP in-house column-wheel chronograph at 38mm. The Laureato case suits a chronograph well -- the octagonal bezel has enough presence to hold the busier dial. An unusual combination (integrated bracelet sport watch with column-wheel chronograph) at this price.
- Consider instead if:
- The three-hand 38mm is the purer aesthetic statement. The chronograph is for buyers who will actually use the timing function.
- 4Open
Laureato Chronograph 42mm -- the largest and most demonstrative Laureato configuration.
- The case for it:
- The 42mm chronograph is the full statement -- large case, chronograph registers, integrated bracelet. Strong visual presence.
- Consider instead if:
- At 42mm with chronograph sub-dials the Laureato becomes a different type of watch from the spare 38mm. Choose based on intended use.
Rankings last reviewed 2026-06-06. Editorial perspective only. Not financial advice.