There is no doubt that here at WCL we are huge fans of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton in all of its different iterations. However, there is something really special about the Laureato Skeleton Black Ceramic ref. 81015-32-001-32A. While the 18K rose gold iteration of the Laureato Skeleton wins our hearts, the stealthy understated look of the black ceramic model is something we find very special.

A direct descendant of the original Laureato model launched in 1975 but with a modern reinterpretation, the Laureato Skeleton is one of the best openworked watches out there. Its fully skeletonized dial reveals all of the inner workings including the mainspring barrel that is fully open allowing the wearer to see how the spring tightens up as the power reserve on the movement starts building up on the watch.

Things to Know About the Watch

Revealing the beautiful architecture of its automatic movement, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton Black Ceramic is cloaked in an extremely well finished black ceramic case measuring 42 mm in diameter and 11.13 mm in thickness. While other models in the Laureato Skeleton lineup feature grey galvanized bridges, the Black Ceramic version is fully ‘blacked out’ with black applied hour markers and black hands. There is another black ceramic Laureato Skeleton named ‘Earth to Sky Edition’ that features blue galvanized bridges priced exactly the same. Honestly, we like the full black version of this particular watch much better, as the blue seems a little bit of a forced color combination against the black ceramic case.

The dial of the Laureato Skeleton Black Ceramic is pared down to the absolute minimum in the shape of a chapter ring with applied hour-markers. The balance wheel at 12 o’clock along with the skeletonized mainspring barrel between 5 and 6 o’clock take the center stage in one of the sexiest watches out there. Additionally, there is a small seconds indicator between 9 and 10 o’clock that is barely noticeable —not a bad thing— but very useful. Despite the seconds Indicator, the dial remains very clean and uncluttered. The GP logo and GP name are subtly positioned around the bridges in order to avoid distracting the eye from the rest of the skeletonized elements.

When it comes to the finishing of the case, bezel and bracelet this is simply exquisite. In the watch industry, only Audemars Piguet finishes ceramic cases this well. Finished with a satin-brushed finish, the case is perfectly bevelled with highly polished angles and the bracelet features highly polished center links. The watch is equipped with a highly polished screw-down crown guaranteeing a water resistance of 100 meters. The bracelet is fitted with a double folding clasp with hidden closure.

The Movement

In a visual symphony that extends all the way from the front of the watch to the rear, turning the watch around reveals the intricately finished automatic calibre GP01800-0006. This in-house movement composed of 173 parts has been painstakingly open-worked on its main plate, bridges, and its 22K rose gold oscillating weight. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph, this 25-jewel automatic movement provides a power reserve of a minimum of 54 hours when fully wound.

On the Wrist & Pricing

On the wrist, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton Black Ceramic fits true to its size and is light as a feather. A very sexy black ceramic watch that can go head to head against other very high-end black ceramic watches out there. While this is no AP in black ceramic, it gets often confused as such. Just saying!

Sticker Price $44,400 USD. For more info on Girard-Perregaux click here.