It is almost an article of faith that every watchmaker with a luxury sports watch needs something in ceramic, and so it is that Girard-Perregaux is now making its signature Laureato in the scratch-resistant material.

Designed in the 1970s by Milanese architect whose name is now forgotten, the Laureato was Girard-Perregaux’s response to the success of luxury sports watches like the Royal Oak and Nautilus. Its signature feature is the octagonal bezel set against a circle, which gives it a familiar feel yet leaves it reasonably original.

Appealingly monochromatic, the Laureato in black ceramic is 42mm in diameter and 10.9mm high. The ceramic is almost entirely brushed, except for the round base of the bezel and central links of the bracelet.

Like the steel or gold versions of the Laureato, the ceramic model has a clous de Paris, or hobnail, guilloche dial, along with sword-shaped hands and indices.

But unlike the other Laureato models, the ceramic version has a grey tinted sapphire back, though the movement inside is the same cal. GP01800-0025. It’s an in-house automatic with a 54-hour power reserve.

Price and availability

The Laureato 42mm Ceramic (ref. 81010-32-631-32A) is priced at SFr16,300 inclusive of 8% Swiss tax.