Our Editor-at-Large Isabelle Junod met Marc Michel-Amadry, Managing Director of Girard-Perregaux, on the balcony of the house’s new Geneva maison, with the lake in view, during Geneva Watch Days 2026.
What the interview reveals: a house born in Geneva in 1791 that has come home to a lakefront address it refuses to call a boutique, its concept and creative direction led in-house by an architect by training, with external specialists; a Shanghai relocation on Nanjing West Road for mid-November 2026 and boutiques planned in Fukuoka and Tokyo; a choice to invest in places, calibres and an academy of nine young watchmakers rather than in Watches and Wonders; and a 2027 already marked by the 160th anniversary of the Three Bridges tourbillon, to be celebrated at Dubai Watch Week.
Girard-Perregaux at a Glance
- Origins in Geneva in 1791, when Jean-François Bautte brought every watchmaking métier under one roof; the house itself was founded in 1856 in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux, where the manufacture, the villa and the museum still stand.
- Signatures: the Tourbillon with Three Bridges, first awarded by the Neuchâtel Observatory in 1867 and 160 years old in 2027; the Gyromatic HF of 1966; the Laureato of 1975, celebrated by the Laureato Fifty and its new GP4800 calibre.
- Every movement developed, conceived and produced in-house; the Manufacture regained its independence when its parent company, Sowind Group, left Kering following a management buyout in 2022.
- Swiss prices from CHF 13,900 for the Laureato in steel to CHF 530,000 for the Minute Repeater Flying Bridges; the Laureato Fifty Tourbillon micro-rotor 39 mm shown at Geneva Watch Days 2026 costs CHF 85,000.
- Own maisons rather than fairs: the new Geneva address with its first-floor showroom, Shanghai relocated on Nanjing West Road from mid-November 2026, Fukuoka in 2026 and Tokyo planned for 2027.
- Dubai Watch Week, a source of inspiration that opens the house to collectors from around the world in an exceptional setting, is an event Girard-Perregaux values and plans to attend in 2027 for the Three Bridges anniversary; the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman) is home to growing collectors’ clubs.
Three References Seen in Geneva
| Reference | Movement | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Laureato Fifty 39 mm | Manufacture GP4800, automatic, 60 hours | Stainless steel, integrated bracelet |
| Neo Bridges 45 mm | GP08400, automatic, micro-rotor | Titanium, rubber strap |
| Laureato Fifty Tourbillon micro-rotor 39 mm | Manufacture tourbillon, micro-rotor | Stainless steel, integrated bracelet |
Swiss prices as published on girard-perregaux.com in September 2026.
Geneva, 1791, and a Second Foot in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Girard-Perregaux was born in Geneva in 1791 with Jean-François Bautte. What does this new Geneva address mean for the brand?
It is a very important location, because the whole story of Girard-Perregaux started in Geneva in 1791 with a visionary man, Jean-François Bautte. He created the concept of the manufacture, the very first integrated manufacture in our industry, and that means a lot to us, because today we still embody that idea.
Everything in-house, even the design of the space?
We develop, conceive and produce all our movements in-house. Everything we do is in-house, even the design of this space: the concept and creative direction were led in-house by our Chief Marketing & Client Experience Officer, an architect by training, in close collaboration with external architectural specialists. Having an architect by training in that role gives us a truly in-house approach, because we believe we know better than anyone how to express the brand. Geneva is therefore an iconic, emblematic location for us. It shows that there is one brand, Girard-Perregaux, with one foot in the watchmaking heart of Geneva and one foot in the watchmaking heart of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is quite a unique identity, and we are very proud of it.
Don’t Call It a Boutique
The space opened on the lakefront in 2026 is full of light, elegant, with a very modern touch. What do you want it to say to a client who does not yet know Girard-Perregaux well?
First, it is getting harder and harder for me to call it a boutique, because it is much more than that. The word “boutique” diminishes the emotion and the value of the place. It is a home, a maison, not only in the institutional or brand sense, but as a place where we welcome people with generosity, authenticity and integrity. We want it to reflect exactly the emotion of our villa: next to the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds we have a very special villa where we host collectors from all over the world, where we think about the future, where we will have our immersive room and where we have a museum. We create a unique experience there, and when people leave, they have the feeling of leaving a place where they were welcomed as if at home.
The word “boutique” diminishes the emotion and the value of the place.
Is anything transactional about it?
That is exactly what we want here. There is nothing transactional about this place. It is about immersing yourself in the world of Girard-Perregaux. We tell many stories that help people understand where we come from, but above all it is a place to start a conversation, the beginning of a journey and of a relationship. People need to feel at ease. I like to say to our clients: whenever you come to Geneva, this is your home. If you want to work, if you want to hold a meeting, we have a magnificent showroom on the first floor that can become the ideal boardroom. Because this is home.
From Geneva to Shanghai and Fukuoka
Shanghai moves to a bigger address on Nanjing West Road in mid-November 2026. Is Geneva the first of others, and will Shanghai have the same look and feel?
We have a boutique in Shanghai today and we are currently relocating it. It will be bigger, still on Nanjing West Road, and it will integrate this new, I don’t like to call it a concept, because at the end of the day it is more than a concept; it is a state of mind. The flavour and philosophy you find here in Geneva you will also find in Shanghai from mid-November. Then we have boutiques planned in Japan: Fukuoka this year, and hopefully Tokyo next year. The idea is to bring this spirit of home around the world.
Where the Money Goes: Places, Calibres, an Academy
Girard-Perregaux chose to stay away from Watches and Wonders in April 2026. Will you be back?
I think we will be back at Watches and Wonders when it is the right moment. At the moment, we are focused on investing our financial resources in creating stunning locations like this one in Geneva, which operate all day long, all year long.
And beyond the walls?
We also invest a great deal in developing new calibres and in R&D, because we believe that money is critical to remaining meaningful in the future in how we express cultivated horology, something we have done for more than 235 years. And we invest in our internal watchmaking academy, where nine young watchmakers are currently being trained by one of our master watchmakers in a dedicated workshop. We believe that is truly what will keep us relevant for the decades to come.
The Middle East, and 160 Years of the Three Bridges
The last time we saw Girard-Perregaux was at Dubai Watch Week in November 2025. What does the Middle East represent for you?
It is hard to say today that one region is more important than another. But Dubai Watch Week is a great source of inspiration: it opens us to collectors from all over the world, in an exceptional setting. The Middle East is a very important place for luxury, and a place where many collectors’ clubs are now developing, people with talent and knowledge. So, Dubai Watch Week will remain on our agenda. We want to be there in 2027 in particular, because next year is a very important anniversary: we will celebrate 160 years of the Three Bridges tourbillon, a very unique signature in the industry.
Gen Z Feels at Home
At Dubai Watch Week in 2025 your booth was fully open. Who walked in?
We welcomed many very young collectors, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen years old, already wearing quite impressive watches. For some of them it was their first contact with Girard-Perregaux, and we felt very comfortable, because of the way we defend our values, the way we embody horology, and the proximity we can create. It is easy to engage with us; we are very open, very generous people. Gen Z naturally feels at ease in our world because we make them comfortable. We have our own way of engaging with people; we like to share. Gen Z loves an honest speech rather than a marketing one. They want an authentic discussion, and we can provide that, because that is who we are.
Gen Z loves an honest speech rather than a marketing one.
Interview by Isabelle Junod, Editor-at-Large, for WATCHESPEDIA, Geneva Watch Days, September 2026. Photographs © WATCHESPEDIA; product images courtesy of Girard-Perregaux.
Girard-Perregaux, 1791-2026: The Manufacture in Ten Milestones
