Prototyping

The theoretical design of the movement comes to life in the form of the first prototypes. The Laboratory's specialists manually assemble over ten pieces, to check on each parameter step by step, and detail by detail.

The mechanism undergoes a whole variety of tests, conducted one after the other by the vigilant team over a number of months: rate regularity, resistance to physical impacts and thermal variations, identical performance after simulating several years' wear... All the functions are tested and subjected to stresses well in excess of the normal scope of use under which a watch is worn.

At Girard-Perregaux, new products always go through two prototype stages, to ensure optimum checking. Besides the movement, the watch cases, and all the exterior components such as the hands, are tested. In the development phase, the complete watches are also subjected to a number of tests.