When it burst onto the watch scene back in 1976, the Casquette was considered innovative and unorthodox with its quartz movement and avant-garde design. Last year, Girard-Perregaux and Saint Laurent Rive Droite jointly created an exclusive interpretation of the cult classic that proved an extraordinary success. Building on the success of the collaboration, the two luxury brands have now conceived a new interpretation of the Casquette for 2024. The Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 02 in titanium continues to uphold the design of the 70s original but is now dressed in a new suit of silver-grey clothes formed of Grade 5 titanium, a lightweight alloy that delivers a host of wearer benefits.
Since 1791, Girard-Perregaux has been at the vanguard of fine watchmaking. It was a leading exponent of quartz timekeeping, setting the frequency of 32,768 Hz, a standard that was universally adopted throughout the watch industry.
Back in 1976, the Maison unveiled the inaugural Casquette, a rule breaker that resonated with a forward-looking world. Brimming with cutting-edge technology, dressed in new materials and presented in an avant-garde style, the Casquette was unlike anything seen before. Indeed, it was described as ‘disruptive’, ‘innovative’ and ‘unorthodox’ at the time of its release.
The Casquette’s avant-garde styling tapped into the zeitgeist of the 70s with its then futuristic tubular LED display, imparting meaning with bright red numerals. Housed in an ergonomic case, it was offered in a choice of three materials: steel, gold-plated steel or Makrolon, a composite material that’s both light and robust.
In 2022, Girard-Perregaux brought back the Casquette by popular demand and incorporated several enhancements, renaming the watch the Casquette 2.0. Although it shared much in common with the 70s original it had subtly evolved. Housed in a case formed of black ceramic and titanium, the model resembled the appearance of the 70s Makrolon-clad reference.
A new quartz movement, the Calibre GP3980, sat at the heart of the Casquette 2.0, delivering additional features. The inventory of functions included the hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, month and year. In addition, it featured a chronograph, a second time zone (displaying the time in a different location) and a ‘secret date’, a memorable moment specified by the wearer such as a birthday.
Saint Laurent Rive Droite has worked closely with various blue-chip brands, reimagining designs, textures, and colors, often breaking the rules, to craft products rich in artistic virtue. In 2023, the high-end lifestyle brand joined forces with Girard-Perregaux, creating an exclusive interpretation of the Casquette; a vision in black dressed in a stealthy suit of black ceramic and Grade 5 titanium.
Now, Anthony Vaccarello has re-edited this Casquette in a limited edition, presented in silver grey tones and crafted from grade 5 titanium, an alloy that is light, strong, stiff, corrosion resistant, non-magnetic, and hypoallergenic. By using Grade 5 titanium, Girard-Perregaux has been able to endow the case —measuring 42.40 x 33.60 x 14.64 mm— with a combination of different finishes, juxtaposing satin, polished, and sandblasted surfaces. Each contrasting facet is the product of amassed know-how and immense skill. The ergonomic case arcs around the wrist, granting impressive levels of wearer comfort. Moreover, weighing less than the steel model of 1976, the reduced mass of the Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 02 augments wearer comfort. This perfectly demonstrates the Maison’s philosophy of continuously pushing forward without compromising on style.
Equipped with the aforementioned Calibre GP3980, this latest model is presented on a matching Grade 5 titanium bracelet with a rubber lining, further contributing to the cosseting wrist feel. The titanium buckle is endowed with a micro-adjustment, allowing the wearer to fine-tune the sizing of the bracelet, granting the optimal wrist fit.
Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, remarks, “At Girard-Perregaux, we enjoy working with other prestigious brands. Last year, we collaborated with Saint Laurent and produced an eye-catching reinterpretation of the Casquette of 1976. The case of that model was a contemporary blend of materials that resembled the Makrolon reference of the 70s but delivered additional wearer attributes. Our approach respects the iconic look of the original Casquette while at the same time subtly evolving its specification. This year’s model, the Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 02, resembles the steel Casquette of ’76, but is lighter and, thanks to its Grade 5 titanium case and bracelet, proves especially comfortable to wear. I’m very proud of my team they’ve created my favourite Casquette to date.”
The model features the logos of both brands and is limited to a series of 200 numbered pieces and is exclusively available at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite in Los Angeles and Saint Laurent Babylone in Paris as well as on YSL.com
Sticker Price USD 7,500. For more info on Girard-Perregaux click here.
