A Rich Art Deco Style Loved Across Generations

Every watch brand has its iconic representative model. For Girard-Perregaux, the Vintage 1945 is undoubtedly it.

While it debuted in 1995, its origins trace back to 1945. The elegantly classic rectangular case draws inspiration from the Art Deco style, characterized by its emphasis on straight lines and geometric patterns.

The design maintains its elegance despite its linearity, likely due to the decorative trim added at the junctions between the case and strap, and the sharply angled lugs that connect to the strap beyond.

But why was it specifically released in 1945? While this remains speculative, it's possible that the elegant Art Deco aesthetic was chosen to project hope for the future and nostalgia for a better era at the dawn of a new age following the end of the World War.

Half a century later, the current CEO, Luigi Macaluso, recognized its potential as a brand symbol and revived it as the Vintage 1945. A new charm was added: a case that curves to follow the wrist, a feature characteristic of the Streamline style popular in the late Art Deco period. Thus, the fluid Art Deco style, a fusion of the two-dimensional straight lines seen from the front and the three-dimensional curves forming the side profile, was reborn for the modern era.

"Tradition cannot be built overnight. It involves culture. Culture must look not only to the past but also to the future. Therefore, I believe we must constantly refine and evolve it."

Macaluso shared these words at this year's S.I.H.H. True to his statement, a new model of the Vintage 1945, faithfully reproducing the original, has been released.

After the interview, I noticed that Macaluso and his eldest son, Stefano, who manages Girard-Perregaux, were wearing similar striped suits. When asked, he smiled and replied, "Yes, we both have them made by our tailor in Turin."

This culture of inheritance, passed down through generations, has allowed the Vintage 1945 watch to mature into something truly rich.