Hands On Review of the Girard Perregaux Free Bridge
My first real experience with Girard Perregaux was a few months ago with the Laureato Chronograph review. It was favorable, I felt the brand really punched alongside the big guys, while unfairly flying under the radar in a lot of enthusiast circles. So when I was given the opportunity to review something from the Bridges Collection, I obliged. I’m already a dress watch fan, so I expected to enjoy the Free Bridge, but what I did not expect is how much I enjoyed the Free Bridge. To sum this up, and I don’t say this very often, what I found was a watch that I could very easily see myself using as a daily wear.
Lets start with where this watch fits overall into Girard Perregaux’s overall catalog, as well as the industry in general. The Bridges Collection in general, harkens back to the days where skeletonized pocket watches were a stroke of luxury before wrist watches were ever really a thing. The general Bridges Collection is typically hallmarked with the 2 or 3 bridges holding different features or components of the dial and movement. The Free Bridge however, features a singular bridge that holds the escapement of the watch. This gives the overall DNA of the watch a slightly more sporty appeal, despite most of the Bridges Collection being dress watches. Further, the Bridges Collection is definitely among the more pricey offerings from the brand, however the Free Bridge comes at a bit more accessible price point of sub-$25,000 (I know, I know).
I’ll also add a quick note that the Girard Perregaux Free Bridge feels like a much more expensive watch than it is. From fit, to movement, to finishing, this watch truly feels like it could fit into those really pricey $100,000 plus categories and nobody would bat an eye. So to consider the Free Bridge as kind of an entry into that upper echelon of Haute Horology wouldn’t be a far cry or exaggeration. It truly looks and feels like a super watch akin to many watches at that level of pricing. I’m not going to go as far as saying the Free Bridge is a value watch, but it’s a watch that, at least emotionally, punches the same weight class.
The stainless steel case measures in at 44mm, but due to it’s relative thinness of only 11.9mm and exaggerated curves, wears a lot smaller than that. It’s really high quality too, which helps with the overall size being on the larger end. The lugs curve nicely giving a nice contour to the wrist - Something that I find on my 7.5” wrist is a challenge on watches that are 42mm and above. Oftentimes, on these larger watches, the lugs don’t hold the watch in place, and I’m constantly pulling the watch back to the center of my wrist - Not the case with the Free Bridge. The watch features a generously domed sapphire crystal on the front, and an exhibition case back (Though, with a movement like this that’s a given) so there’s really no visual clutter to take away from the dial and movement.
The dial is incredibly legible despite being heavily skeletonized. We’ll get more into the movement in a minute, but the architecture of the movement gives the watch some incredible legibility despite it being so open. The first thing you’ll notice is the oscillator and bridge at 6 o’clock. This gives the dial movement and depth that I found myself getting lost in sometimes. Further, the gearwork in the center behind the hands and the mainspring and barrel at 12 o’clock are clean and not distracting. Further, the brushing on the dial plate allow the handset to pop adding to the legibility. Skeleton watches can often feel cluttered, but the Free Bridge is very symmetrical, and I never struggled to pick out the time at a glance. I’ve seen some criticism that the hands are too short and nubby, but I disagree. The very tall indices would block a longer handset anyway, but are necessary to keep the legibility so high and the thicker hands simply make it easier to see.
Inside the Free Bridge is the GP01800-1170 movement, which is an iteration of the brand’s tried and true GP01800 movement, with some welcome modifications. For example, the watch was designed with the dial side holding the core components typically reserved on the back of the movement. The mainspring and oscillator were both specifically designed to be on the front. That means flipping the watch over, you see a well finished, although relatively pedestrian dial plate. That being said, it’s alternating striping, polish, and brushing finishings still provide plenty of visual interest to the watch, but the dial is definitely the better looker. The 185 part movement features a 54 hour power reserve, and beats at 4-Hz.
One of the more pleasant surprises I found with the Free Bridge is the strap itself. The integrated textile strap was incredibly comfortable. It features a calfskin inlay with a butterfly deployant clasp in stainless steel. It definitely dresses the watch down a little bit, but I don’t mind it. I like the idea of having a “sporty dress watch” cause it makes it a lot more wearable in all sorts of situations. I didn’t have a problem wearing this watch with a suit, or just out to eat on the weekend. The black textile top features two little white stitches that match the dial colors some and provide an overall cohesive package. I imagine that throwing this on a nice leather strap will be plenty sufficient to wear it at a black tie event.
I’m going to repeat myself here - I would daily this watch. It’s got just enough personality to be casual, with just as much class to be dressy. And while I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a “Value”, comparatively to other entries in the Bridges Collection, this does sort of feel like an entry-level Haute Horology piece. Despite it being in steel, I could easily see this watch priced at $100,000 without any issue, and in fact, Girard Perregaux does feature a number of watches in this collection that reach those price points. So yes, I think the Free Bridge is almost like a cost-of-entry Bugatti - And I’m here for that.
How much is the Girard Perregaux Free Bridge?
Price for the Girard Perregaux Free Bridge is $21,600 USD.