Science Fiction on the Wrist: Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Titanum & Gold Review
When looking at the current Girard-Perregaux catalog, the Casquette definitely stands out. This watch is unique in multiple different ways. It has a mostly closed-off, capped shaped case, it runs on a quartz movement and has a LED display. This is generally not what you think of when you think of a luxury Swiss watch manufacture. But the Casquette actually has quite the history. First released in 1976, The Casquette pioneered a whole new design aesthetic that continues to this day. And I was lucky enough to be able to review the newest limited edition of the Casquette, in titanium, as well as the original steel model, released almost 50 years earlier.
When I first was offered the chance to review the new Casquette 2.0, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ll admit that a quartz watch with digital display is not my bread and butter in terms of type of watch I review. But, in recent years there has been a renewed interest in the casquette case shape. MB&F has taken inspiration it with their HM8 line, and just this year Amida relaunched the Digitrend, which was released shortly after the original Casquette in 1976. Yes, the Digitrend is mechanical, but the influence of the Casquette is clearly evident.
Before getting into the modern iteration of the Casquette, particularly the titanium and gold model just released, it makes sense to talk a little bit about the history of the Casquette. GP released the Casquette in 1976, just 5 years after they released their first quartz watch and set the universal standard for quartz frequency (32’768 Hz) (which was the first serially produced quartz watch to come out of Switzerland. Of course, Seiko released the first quartz watch, the Astron, 2 years earlier, in 1969). And in 1976, the brand would released what would become the Casquette.
Vintage Girard-Perregaux Casquette from 1976
Now, the Casquette wasn’t actually named the Casquette until the first re-release in 2022. Up until then, the name was unofficial, given to the watch by the collecting community, based on the cap and visor case design. The release in 1976 fit with the times. The watch had the sci-fi futuristic design, as well as a quartz movement. I mean, the 1970s and 80s were marked by the quartz crisis. So the fact that Girard-Perregaux was able to step out of their comfort zone and take advantage of this makes the Casquette all the more impressive.
The initial story of the Casquette was actually fairly short-lived. In its 3 variations, macrolon, stainless steel, and 18k gold plated, only lasted until 1978, with 8,200 pieces being produced. However, it did gain a cult following, and has inspired many different timepieces since. And in 2022, the brand brought it back, releasing the Casquette 2.0 in ceramic. In 2023 we saw the Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent. And earlier this year, the Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 02. And now we get the Casquette 2.0 Titanium and Gold, which just may be my favorite version to date.
So, the Casquette, it its original form, and its current iteration, is clearly an oddity. And definitely not for everyone. I mean, it is a quartz watch that retails for around $5,000. But there is a lot more to it than that. Let’s start with the aesthetics, because that’s where this watch really stands out.
Wearing this watch out-and-about, I would say that I received more questions and compliments about it than any watch currently in my collection. I wear my GMT-Master II or Royal Oak, nobody bats an eye. I wear my D1 Milano Sketch, I get a few questions. I wear the new Casquette 2.0 and people want to know everything about the watch. How does it work? how do you tell the time? Does the case open up? How much does it cost?
If you’re buying a watch like the Casquette, you clearly are looking for something a little more peculiar. And as a person who has seen just about everything, this hits the mark for me. And at a price-point I can actually afford. While the original Casquette’s case shape was more rounded, with the Casquette 2.0, Girard-Perregaux squared off the case a bit, giving it more facets, and more areas with polishing. The high-polished areas, along with the gold GP logo and pushers, really elevate the watch in my opinion. While the original Casquette was a devlishly cool watch that looked like it could have come right out of Star Wars or Star Trek, the Casquette 2.0 Titanium and Gold fits looks and feels like a luxury watch, but still retains the playful, and supremely different, look.
The dial is visible within the front of the case. Pressing the pusher on the left side of the case shows the time in a red LED display. This tubular LED display also showcases the day, date, month, year, second time zone, and a chronograph. The wearer can also program a secret date to display a certain date at a certain time every day (like a birthday or anniversary). The display stays on for 4 seconds. While this isn’t great for a watch photograph like me, it is helps prolong the battery life, which will last for around 2 years.
The Casquette 2.0 is made of grade 5 titanium. So on the wrist it is incredibly light and comfortable. The watch is 33.6mm in diameter, and 42.4mm lug-to-lug, with a case thickness of 14.64mm. That might seem large, for what is a ostensibly a rectangular watch. However, the the lack of lugs makes it wear much smaller. And it fit well on my modestly-sized 6.75 inch wrist.
Beyond the case, the single-link bracelet has the same retro-futuristic vibes as the rest of the watch. It is a fairly accurate recreation to the original, but with some luxurious upgrades. Like the case of the original Casquette, the bracelet is more rounded, and completely brushed. On the modern variation, it is more angular with faceted, polished portions on the top and bottom of each link. The bracelet has a very nice taper, which surprisingly was also present on the original version as well. It makes the wearing experience much better.
The bracelet is interesting, because while it is titanium, the inner portion is rubber. So in reality, none of the single titanium links are attached. Instead, the rubber interior links hold the bracelet together through spring bars. It’s actually quite genius, and allows simple removal of links without having any screws impeding the flow of the bracelet on the outside of the links. The rubber interior also makes the watch quite comfortable on the wrist. You get the comfort of a rubber strap with the aesthetics of a metal bracelet. So kudos for GP for coming up with this design.
The Casquette 2.0 Titanium and Gold runs on the Calibre GP3980-1474 in-house movement. As I already stated, it is quartz, but in addition to the time display, has a chronograph, date, day, month and second time zone. The movement is made of 45 parts and vibrates at 32,768 Hz. But obviously, the movement is not the main reason you buy this watch.
Overall, I am a huge fan of the new Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Titanium and Gold. It is a faithful recreation of the original Casquette, but with upgrades that make the watch feel much closer to the luxury, mechanical pieces in Girard-Perregaux’s catalog. I have no doubt in my mind that, like the previous Casquette 2.0 models, the Titanium and Gold will be a hit, and sell out quite quickly. It is a limited edition of 820 pieces (remember, 8,200 Casquettes were produced between 1976 and 1978) and retails for $4,960 USD. From October 31 to November 14, current Girard-Perregaux owners will have exclusive access to purchase the watch.
