Girard Perregaux Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom: the gleam of a flower glistening with morning dew

 

A plum blossom blooms on the dial of Girard Perregaux Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom.

Girard Perregaux, the Swiss high-end watch manufacturer tracing its origins back to 1791, introduced four new watches at 2019 SIHH in Geneva: the Haute Horlogerie masterpiece Bridges Cosmos, 2019 Laureato Absolute, 1966 Earth to Sky Edition, and Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom ladies watch.

Girard Perregaux Cat’s Eye ladies timepiece, the famous ellipse that has become the signature of the Maison’s women’s collection, appears in 2019 attired in mother-of-pearl, aventurine, and diamonds, shining more brightly than ever like pure, iridescent nocturnal lights. At its heart, the oscillating weight, a decorated bud, finely open-worked by hand, reveals the invisible.

Crafted from gem-set stainless steel, pink gold or white gold, the elliptical watch is adorned with three visually stunning new variations. Mother-of-pearl, aventurine or diamonds: three materials seize the light and glow with sublime radiance. Whether cold or hot, Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom can always count on a living and vibrant element. The flower serving as a small seconds hand reminds us that this jewellery piece is powered by an automatic Manufacture movement.

A romantic small complication, the flower used as a hand recalls the fundamental element of watchmaking.

Its mechanical core is revealed beneath the recurrent back-and-forth swings of the subtly engraved oscillating weight. This floral  symbolism, also gracing the crown, brings back life to the very centre of the mineral universe. Whether hard and white like diamonds, or soft and warm like pink gold, the material is a message.

Diamond is the hardest material in the universe. Any light that reaches it is multiplied, like the light of the stars through a network of astronomical mirrors. The jewellery version of this creation is an explosion of light. The bezel is set with an imposing ring of diamonds that extends to the lugs and create reliefs that area delight to caress. And in the midst of this magical scene, like a supernova, nestles a hand-engraved and painted pink mother-of-pearl flower.

Just as with the Northern Lights, the interaction between light and matter creates magical effects. The iridescence of the mother-of-pearl fascinates the eye like the flutter of a stellar veil. Essentially white, it adorns the oval dial of the Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom. The diamond-set stainless steel case and silvery strap give it an icy cool appearance, yet green, pink or blue reflections accentuate a flash of soft light. The blue aventurine dial magnifies the beauty of a bud exuding a radiant golden glow.