Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux have teamed up for the fifth time since 2021, and bring us the new Neo Bridges Aston Martin Edition
Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux seem to go together like bread and butter. Two iconic brands in each of their respective industries, they are driven by passion and to push the envelope of performance for both cars and watches. Originally teaming up in 2021 when Girard-Perregaux was announced as the official watch partner for the luxury British car maker, Aston Martin, the two have now including this latest release, brought out five collaborations in this short space of time.
Dropping at Dubai Watch Week, the latest is the Girard-Perregaux Neo Bridges Aston Martin Edition. A watch inspired by Aston Martin’s latest generation of sports cars, specifically the new Super Tourer DB12. And this is not just Girard-Perregaux putting the Aston Martin name on the watch. According to the two companies, this was a joint effort with teams from both brands coming together to build a watch that embodied both the Aston Martin DB12 as well as the design codes and finishing of Girard-Perregaux timepieces.
“This was not merely a case of putting Aston Martin’s name on one of our watches. They played an active role in the conception of this watch, looking at the materials employed and, interestingly the design of the movement. The Neo Bridges Aston Martin Edition is the impressive outcome of two companies synergistically working together.”
Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux
The ‘Bridges’ component in any Girard-Perregaux, now synonymous with the brand, all started in 1867 when Constant Girard sketched a pocket watch that had three parallel bridges. Normally mechanical and functional in nature as they are integral to the movement, Girard refined these, and rather than being just functional, were design elements, and one that Girard-Perregaux is known for today. And on the Neo Bridges, are most certainly front and center!
One of the clever aspects of the Neo Bridges is the dial design. Girard-Perregaux has fliped the movement over, showcasing movement components on the front that would otherwise be on the back of the watch. This allows the movement to come to life and the Aston Martin green-coloured bridges to be the star of the show. Taking further inspiration from Aston Martin and their performance cars, Girard-Perregaux has dispensed with the superfluous aesthetics and opted for a dial that eschews performance, including only what is needed and in this case, making it look good!
Girard-Perregaux designed the 45mm case from titanium in black DLC. The stark contrast of the black allows the important parts of the movement to shine, like the Neo-bridges, the baton-style hands with the green SuperLuminova, and the outer ring that comprises the hour markers and Aston Martin green minute track which seamlessly floats above the main dial.
The engine powering the Neo Bridges is the Girard-Perregaux calibre GP084000-2164. A self-winding mechanical movement that beats at 3Hz / 21,600 VpH and has a 48 hour power reserve coming from the single barrel positioned at 1:30. The micro-rotor which is visible from the dial side of the watch is engraved with the name of the British luxury marque, sharing equal status with the Manufacture’s name gracing the barrel. Interestingly, both these components get their design inspiration from the brake discs of the Aston Martin DB12.
Flipping the watch over, you can see the high finish on the back via the display caseback. Côtes de Genève can be seen across the baseplates with the silver barrel and coloured rubies popping out from the black. In another nod to the Luxury Car Manufacturer, the Aston Martin logo is etched on the sapphire, whilst the titanium caseback ring shows you this is one of just 250 made.
Final Thoughts
Having seen this piece in person and the chance to try it on, we must say it’s a very nice piece to have on the wrist. The green Neo-bridges are subtle indoors, but pop in brighter light, and being just over 12mm thick, it sits fairly well on the wrist. Being Girard-Perregaux, it is finished extremely well, and whilst not your typical high-polished steel and precious metals with Anglage, this is much more industrial being an automotive collaboration. That being said, the beveling, anglage and polishing are still there, but blending in nicely with the overall aesthetic of the watch.
It seems that the general consensus on our social pages is the same. (See our live video on the wrist here) A very nice, well-finished piece that evokes the spirit of Aston Martin. Or in less words – Amazing & beautiful! With a limited run of 250, it won’t be all that common in the wild and is something very different to most other sports watches out there. However, at $59,200 AUD, it’s not a cheap watch considering it’s a time only with 2 day power reserve and 30m water resistance. But you are getting stunning finishing, pedigree in the Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin brand, plus a cool talking point on your wrist!
Reference: 84000-21-3236-5CX
Specification
- Case: 45 mm, 12.18mm thick
- Case Material: Titanium with black DLC
- Dial: Skeletonised black dial with floating minute ring, baton hands, and hour markers with SuperLuminova
- Crystal: Domed Sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating.
- Case Back: Sapphire crystal with white Aston Martin logo decal
- Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
- Movement: Mechanical self-winding GP084000-2164. Beating at 21,600 VpH / 3 Hz
- Power reserve: 48 hours
- Strap: Black rubber strap with fabric effect and green stitches with titanium DLC triple folding buckle
Australian Recommended Retail Price: $59,200 AUD
Availability: Available from December 2023 from The Hour Glass. For more details, head to Girard-Perregaux.com
