The 1970s were an interesting decade for the world of watchmaking. The world saw many reputable and historic brands placing their focus on developing and introducing more quartz models, but none of them did it quite like Girard Perregaux, who introduced the “Casquette” in 1976. The watch originally went by an uninspiring reference number of “9931”, but was subsequently bestowed its endearing moniker as we know it today by collectors due to its one-of-a-kind design which only saw two whole production years. As a result, only 8,200 pieces were produced, which made it an incredibly sought-after timepiece by collectors and enthusiasts around the world in the subsequent decades that followed.
Fast forward to 2022, Girard Perregaux decided to revisit and bring back the Casquette. Following its original moniker, it has now taken on “Casquette 2.0” as its renewed identity. Now what makes the Casquette 2.0 interesting is that it has been retooled with some functional upgrades: now encased in a scratch-resistant ceramic and grade 5 titanium shell, making it extremely lightweight (107g, in fact) and hypoallergenic. It also features a new quartz movement – Cal. GP03980-1474, which first made its debut last year with the brand’s “Only Watch” charity auction piece unique in collaboration with Bamford Watch Department. The movement operates at a frequency of 32,768 Hertz, which Girard Perragaux claims to have used first before it became the universal standard for most quartz movements.
What’s really compelling about this new quartz movement is that it comes equipped with additional functionalities specially geared for the modern user. In common with its predecessor, the tubular LED display on the Casquette 2.0 can show more than just the hours, minutes, seconds, day, and date, but also additional information such as the month, year, chronograph, second-time zone and a secret date which allows the user to save a memorable date of the user’s choice.
As far as size and wearability go, the Casquette 2.0 measures 42.4mm x 33.6mm and has a thickness of 14.64mm. For me, wearing the Casquette 2.0 is quite a unique experience due to its unconventional “driver watch’ design. In some ways, the watch is also quite reminiscent of the much later MB&F HM5. The watch also comes on a ceramic bracelet with a thoughtful flexible rubber interior which is great news for those with hairy wrists. In addition to that, the bracelet also comes paired with a matching folding titanium buckle.
The Casquette 2.0 is undoubtedly, a remake done very well by Girard Perregaux. I am actually quite impressed with Girard Perregaux’s thoughtful approach in updating the case material and its overall function whilst retaining the aesthetic and appeal of the vintage original. In terms of production numbers of this updated variant, Girard Perregaux was inspired by the initial production numbers in 1976 and decided to limit the production of the Casquette 2.0 to just 820 pieces.
This watch is a real conversation starter if you ask me. If you have an interest in unconventional-looking watches with a history and retro-futuristic vibe, you may want to take a closer look at this rare Casquette 2.0.
