Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges
Girard-Perregaux introduces the updated Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges, featuring new index designs, curved sapphire crystals, and improved case ergonomics. Share
The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges emerges from the horological heart of La Chaux-de-Fonds, drawing on the talents of the Maison’s watchmakers. This creation exemplifies Haute Horlogerie, with a design influenced by light, showcasing an intricate skeletonized architecture that reveals the three gold bridges floating within a luminous case.
La Chaux-de-Fonds has been a center of watchmaking since the 18th century and is recognized today as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 1856, Girard-Perregaux established its Manufacture in this storied city. The location was ideal for watchmaking, with its grid of wide streets and tall buildings designed to maximize sunlight, essential for the detailed craftsmanship involved in horology. It is this light, streaming through large windows and illuminating the workbenches, that continues to inspire the distinctive character of each Girard-Perregaux timepiece.
During the 1860s, Constant Girard sketched a revolutionary design for a pocket watch that incorporated three bridges. His innovation transformed these bridges from structural components into key aesthetic features. In 1867, he introduced a pocket tourbillon watch with three parallel nickel silver bridges, setting a new precedent in watch design that emphasized both form and function. By 1889, this design had evolved into the famous Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, a milestone in the history of mechanical watchmaking.
In 2021, Girard-Perregaux revisited this iconic design with the release of the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges, a timepiece that embraced both tradition and innovation. Crafted in the Grand Complications Atelier, this model took inspiration from the 1889 pocket watch but incorporated contemporary elements, including a movement design that utilized natural light to dramatic effect.
The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges breaks away from traditional movement design by eliminating the conventional mainplate. Instead, the three bridges support key components such as the geartrain, barrel, and tourbillon and provide the structural foundation for the entire movement. These bridges appear to float within the case, supported by openworked plinths extending from the case walls. With no conventional dial, the watch maintains its ethereal, open appearance, while the indexes are affixed directly to the case, preserving both functionality and aesthetic integrity.
In 2024, Girard-Perregaux made several updates to the original 2021 design, refining the watch’s technical and aesthetic features. One of the key updates includes a redesigned set of indexes, featuring twin batons at the twelve o’clock position. The front and rear sapphire crystals retain their “box” style but now curve more symmetrically for a sleeker profile. The crown has also been reworked with a rounder shape, making it more ergonomic and easier to manipulate. These refinements, combined with smoother case contours, enhance the watch’s overall comfort and wearability, particularly for those with smaller wrists.
Additionally, the lugs have been shortened, and the middle of the case has been rounded to provide a more comfortable fit. Other minute changes, such as the satin-finished hour and minute hands with additional Super-LumiNova, improve readability in low-light conditions. The watch comes with two straps—a fabric-effect strap inspired by last year’s Neo Constant Escapement and a classic black alligator strap with gold accents.
