next

Girard-Perregaux The Abduction of Europa watches created with the artist Hussein Madi

Marina Milojević | 08.03.11 | 04:34 AM

Girard-Perregaux introduces two watches created with the artist Hussein Madi

The newest creations are unique pieces from the Girard-Perregaux 1966 collection, presented at the contemporary art fair in Beirut, MENASART FAIR, which was held from 13th to 16th July, 2011. Watches are made in collaboration with a partner in Lebanon, Chronora, the exclusive and official representative and distributor of Girard-Perregaux watches in this country. The Lebanese artist Hussein Madi helped the Swiss fine watchmaking manufacture to recreate the legend of "The Abduction of Europa", and thus to support the link between East and West.

Europa is the Princess of Tyre, a Phoenician city in today’s Lebanon. In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician woman of high lineage, from whom the name of the continent Europe has ultimately been taken. Zeus the "Father of Gods and men" and the supreme divinity in Greek mythology, was charmed by Europa and decided to seduce or abduct her. He transformed himself into a tame white bull but when Europa caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back, Zeus ran to the sea and swam, to the island of Crete where he married Europa and made her the first queen.

The new watches are decorated with Madi's light, energetic painting of this myth and presented exclusively at the Beirut Contemporary Art Fair, MENASART-FAIR. Madi’s work was reproduced in miniature using the marquetry technique and painting on mother-of-pearl. Men’s watch is made in white gold and has a round case with 40 millimeters in diameter. Ladies’ watch holds the same proportions but it uses more refined and feminine pink gold for the case-material. It is also set with set with 68 diamonds, approximately weighing 1.50 carats.

Both watches are powered by the same Girard-Perregaux GP03000-0060 automatic movement, which is built on 32 jewels. It provides 46 hours of power reserve and indicates hours and minutes.

Madi had this to say about his alliance with Girard-Perregaux:

"We are all born at a certain time and we must leave this world at a certain time (which we do not know). The period between our birth and our death is Time. Our approach to this ending, I believe, explains the social and cultural developments in the world. If we do not respect it we cannot succeed. Wristwatches count down the seconds, minutes and hours that constitute our Time. Those who do not accept this are, as a result, unreliable people. Our daily life is organised around time. My time, or anyone else's time, must not be wasted… It has been a pleasure for me to create something for Girard-Perregaux. Elegance and advanced technology come together and a pure design was appropriate to add artistic value to the piece. Time is precious and so are the watches."

Author: Marina Milojević

If you use one of my articles on your own website or blog, then please credit me and provide a link back to the original.

Girard-Perregaux collections

Latest News from Girard-Perregaux

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Rock

image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description

Earlier this year, in January 2019, on the occasion of the SIHH exhibition, Girard-Perregaux introduced a new concept watch – the Laureato Absolute Rock. Laureato Absolute Rock is the ultimate sporty watch with a Carbon Glass that lies in its core. The innovation guarantees a full water resistance and an extreme compression of the materials during an injection procedure at high temperature. What makes each of the 100 limited edition watches irreplaceable is the integration of blue fibers associated with those of carbon. In other words, each of...

Girard-Perregaux Cosmos

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

One of the most interesting astronomical watches of the year is the Girard-Perregaux Cosmos, a watch that made it to the GPHG’s list of pre-selected watches in the Calendar and Astronomy category. This poetic and highly complicated timepiece, belonging to the Bridges collection, is a stunning interpretation of the “Earth to Sky” theme. Dominating the center of the dial are two complete globes – celestial and terrestrial. At 3 o’clock, a terrestrial globe serves as a day/night indicator, while a sky chart occupies the 9 o’clock position. The ho...

Girard-Perregaux 1966 Blue Moon Watch

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

The house of Girard-Perregaux adds to the 1966 collection, which pays tribute to some of the Maison’s most popular creations from the 1960s. The new member of the 1966 watch family is Girard-Perregaux 1966 Blue Moon, a contemporary take on a sporty-elegant classic. Aptly named Blue Moon, the watch features a gradient blue dial, lighter in the center and darker towards the outer edges. The blue backdrop of the dial, reminiscent of a nocturnal sky, provides a nice backdrop for contrasting baton-style hour markers and leaf-shaped hands. A single r...

Girard Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph for Only Watch 2019

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

The house of Girard Perregaux will once again be participating in the Only Watch auction. Placed under the high patronage of H.S.H. The Prince of Monaco, the 8th edition of the famous watch event will traditionally benefit research on a rare degenerative disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Swiss watchmaker has created a handsome one of a kind model, a contemporary interpretation of the famous Laureato watch. The Laureato Absolute Chronograph for Only Watch 2019 arrives in a polished and satin-brushed black PVD-coated titanium case. The...

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon 43mm

image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description

Girard-Perregaux introduces the new Laureato tourbillon, whose design is strongly influenced by the original icon from 1975. The famous Laureato made a majestic comeback in 2016, as a part of Girard-Perregaux’ 225th Anniversary Collection. Initially available only as a limited edition, Laureato was reborn as a complete watch family in 2017. The latest piece joining the prestigious range is the Laureato Tourbillon 43mm – a new size for the already existing model. The sporty elegant Laureato Tourbillon was previously available in four different...

Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges Pink Gold - SIHH 2018

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

For the 2018 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) Girard-Perregaux unveiled two new Classic Bridges models crafted from pink gold. The new Classic Bridges watches are available in either a 45mm version, tailored for sturdier wrists, or a more discretely proportioned 40mm iteration. In both cases, the new Classic Bridges provide a breathtaking interpretation of Girard-Perregaux’s iconic gold bridges. The new Classic Bridges models feature two beveled, rounded, mirror-polished and satin-brushed gold arrow-shaped bri...

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton Ceramic

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

The house of Girard-Perregaux has just released a new version of its emblematic casual-chic Laureato Skeleton watch. This time, the iconic model arrives in a stunning, all-black, ceramic version, while managing to retain the airy side of its nature. The beautiful Laureato, which is instantly recognizable for its polished octagonal bezel fitted on an integrated case, is crafted from the solid block of titanium. The choice of this unique material further reinforces its ergonomic qualities. It is lightweight, scratchproof, extremely hard, and very...

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Black Ceramic 42 mm

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

For the first time ever, Girard-Perregaux introduces its iconic Laureato model entirely clad in black ceramic. Earlier this year, the famous Swiss watchmaker introduced a completely new Laureato watch family, the fourth evolution of the 1975 created collection "Laureato." The new addition to the contemporary Laureato range is a casual chic and highly wearable watch, distinguished by its strong presence, and bold, dark design. Laureato Black Ceramic 42 mm underpins some of the signature design codes of the classic Laureato. The watch features...

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description

The latest addition to the Laureato family is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton, an openworked timepiece fitted with a skeletonized high-end mechanical movement Calibre GP01800-0006. Interestingly enough, the original Laureato, launched in 1975, was designed to go hand in hand with Girard-Perregaux’s new quartz movement. Who could have guessed that the version released more than 40 years later would be equipped with a high-end automatic movement! The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton is a handsome new watch with a metal bracelet and a...

Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement L.M.

image description
image description
image description
  • image description
  • image description
  • image description
BaselWorld 2017

In 2008, the house of Girard-Perregaux introduced the Constant Escapement, a major watchmaking breakthrough with a frame integrating a silicon blade thinner than a human hair. Providing constant amplitude and constant rate, the new constant-force escapement revolutionized the foundations of chronometry by ensuring that the watch will beat at a constant rate no matter how much power remains in the barrels. At this year’s BaselWorld watch and jewelry show, exactly ten years since the launch of the first Constant Escapement, that won the presti...