Too many Swiss watchmakers treat ladies’ watches as an afterthought, fobbing half the population off with little more than their men’s lines in slightly smaller cases decorated with gems.
Charles Girardier, which is presenting in the UK for the first time at WATCHPRO Salon in November, takes a different approach, and that has led to the Geneva watchmaker scoop first prize for a lady’s complication watch at the 2020 GPHG Awards for its Signature Mystérieuse masterpiece.
The brand has a fascinating past and, if the GPHG success is a marker, a very bright future as demand for artisan independent watchmakers soars.
Charles Girardier can trace its history back to the late 18th century when its eponymous owner was a respected pocket watch maker.
But like so many Swiss ateliers, it was dormant for decades before entrepreneur Patrick A. Ulm saw examples of vintage Charles Girardier timekeepers in museums and was inspired to resurrect the brand in 2019.
Mr Ulm was fascinated by the Charles Girardier pocket watches’ incredible handcrafted dials, some of them with animations, and has used them as inspiration for modern wristwatches.
Just a year after relaunching Charles Girardier, Mr Ulm was on stage at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2020 with its Signature Mystérieuse beating Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Piaget, Louis Vuitton and Jacob & Co. to the ladies’ complication watch prize.
That is not far off the equivalent of Emma Raducanu winning the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier.
At WATCHPRO SALON, Charles Girardier will show a range of watches from its Signature Mystérieuse line including a new flying tourbillon reference.
The 1809 Dark Grey 37mm is tapping into fast-rising interest in complicated mechanical ladies watches, but also appeals to women who want jewellery on their wrists by decorating the watch with 60 diamonds set into the bezel, the brand’s signature G and C presented in gold and diamonds at the top of the dial and additional stones used to draw attention to the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
The watch’s dark grey dial is created using paillonné enamelling, an almost forgotten craft that allows for an ornamental motif to be embedded into the surface of the enamel.
The Signature Mystérieuse 1809 Dark Grey comes in a 37mm rose gold case housing a decorated CG 1809/03 automatic movement with a peripheral oscillating weight.
It is priced at €84,000 (excl. VAT). A burgundy version is also available.
WATCHPRO Salon
Charles Girardier is one of the star brands at this year’s WATCHPRO Salon, a showcase of prestige watchmakers and a chance for brands, retailers and press to meet collectors and enthusiasts in 5-star luxury.
The two-day event takes place from November 12 to 13 at The Londoner, a brand new 5-star hotel on London’s Leicester Square.
WATCHPRO Salon 2021 confirmed exhibitors:
ALLEMANO | BALL WATCH | BA1110D | BIANCHET | BONHAMS | BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE | CHARLES GIRARDIER | CHRISTOPHER WARD | CYRUS | CZAPEK | DELMA | DOXA | DUCKWORTH PRESTEX | GRAHAM | GRAND SEIKO | IKEPOD | JUNGHANS | LAURENT FERRIER | MARATHON | MAURICE LACROIX | MECCHANICHE VELOCI | MICHEL HERBELIN | ORIS | PARMIGIANI FLEURIER | PEQUIGNET | PERRELET | QLOCKTWO | SCATOLA DEL TEMPO | SCHOFIELD | SIDEREUS | SINN | SPEAKE-MARIN | SWISS CAPSULE | SWISS KUBIK | THE SPLINED HUB | TRIBUS | U-BOAT | VICTORINOX | VOUTILAINEN | WOLF | WILLIAM WOOD WATCHES | ZEITWINKEL
Click here to book WATCHPRO Salon tickets.
