STAINLESS steel watches crowned with a many-sided bezel on a round case and an integrated bracelet are hot – and nearly every watch brand has jumped on the bandwagon to produce its own version of the timepieces. But only four of them, perhaps, can claim as the pioneers of the seemingly new look that has captured the watch market, having rolled out the first model in the 1970s when it first became popular.

Audemars unveiled the Royal Oak in 1972. Girard Perregaux’s Laureato followed in 1975 and Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, as well as IWC Schaffhausen’s Ingenieur, the year after.

All four were launched to stop the onslaught of new Japanese quartz timepieces, which were then threatening to kill the Swiss watch industry. The Laureato was even loaded with a compact quartz movement. But the bold design behind these pioneering models were thought to be the key answer to the threat. 

Like the Royal Oak, Nautilus and Ingenieur which were all designed by Gerald Genta, the Laureato foretold the use of steel as a quality material for making high-end timepieces sportier, though gold was also featured in its collection.

Its polished octagonal bezel and satin-brushed case were designed to make the most of light to offer a beautiful interplay of shiny and matte. The integrated case had no lugs or loops but a seamlessly extended H-shaped bracelet with domed and polished interlinks, creating pleasing depths; the bracelet was at the same time comfortable and flexible to fit any wrist. The overall result was a watch that conveyed toughness and was yet chic for all occasions.

Complications joined the Laureato line in 1984, increasing its allure and presence across all market segments. The watch was enlarged in 1995 to accommodate Girard-Perregaux’s self-winding mechanical movement; its original proportions stayed unchanged. The Olimpico chronograph was introduced in 1996 and the design was altered in 1990 to encase the brand’s signature Tourbillon with Three Golden Bridges movement.

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Equipped with an automatic mechanical chronograph movement, the Laureato grew from 40 mm to 44 mm in 2003, when it was also crowned with its first satin-brushed octagonal bezel. 

The original Laureate made a comeback in a limited edition in 2016 for Girard Perregaux’s 225th anniversary. The watch’s case returned to a reasonable size of around 41 mm. The original baton hands were embellished with a hint of luminescent material, while the dial was stamped with a Clou de Paris small checkerboard pattern – like in the 1975 watches.

Adding a modern touch to the born-again model, the crystal on the watch was given an anti-reflective treatment and a sapphire crystal case-back introduced to offer a view of the flawlessly finished self-winding mechanical movement.

The Laureato’s rebirth was completed in 2017 when the Laureato family was incorporated with Girard-Perregaux’s core collection. Totalling 30 references, its lineup includes the Classic Laureato (S$20,000 in steel) which comes with a dial in several colours. The 42 mm case, in steel or pink gold, houses an automatic movement and is paired with a matching integrated bracelet, with a leather strap as an alternative. There’s also a version of the model in super-light titanium. 

Then there’s the Laureato Chronograph (S$25,900 in steel) which features three sub-dials on a dial with a range of colour options, encased in steel or pink gold. 

A striking piece in the collection is the Laureato Skeleton (S$60,600). It has a fine watchmaking movement adorned with chamfering that accentuates their outlines – all visible thanks to the open-worked satin-brushed dial handcrafted by Girard-Perregaux’s artisans.