The Return of a Classic: The 2022 Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0
Feldmar Watch Company is proud to present an extraordinary new piece from Girard-Perregaux. Inspired by the innovative designs of 1970’s-era watchmaking, the Casquette occupies a special place in the pantheon of horological history thanks to its experimental case design, futuristic digital display and elegant material integration. Manufactured from 1976 to 1978, only 8,200 Casquettes were made, making them iconic collectibles. Renewed for 2022, the Casquette 2.0 – limited to 820 pieces – takes on new life.
Watch Q&A: Jamie Hayes’ Original Girard-Perregaux Casquette
We sat down with Feldmar’s Store Director to discuss the inspiration for 2022’s Casquette 2.0, the path of watch design and highlights from his own collection.
Q: You are the proud owner of one of the original GP Casquettes. What can you tell us about your watch and it’s story?
A: I picked up mine in the mid-1990s. At the time, I was just starting to develop an interest in vintage pieces and even then – 25 years ago – there was buzz among collectors around the Casquette. At that point, the Casquette had long been out of production but enthusiasts like me were aware of it. A piece came through the store where I was working at the time and even though it was missing the original strap, I knew I needed to pull the trigger.
Q: Aside from its bold looks, what made the Casquette special?
A: While the design is the main thing – watchmakers in the 1970s were just starting to experiment with styles – this is a watch born during the Quartz Crisis and really encapsulates the way Swiss watchmakers dealt with that period. Most Swiss watchmakers incorporated quartz movements to varying degrees but only a handful like Girard-Perregaux were making quartz watches in never-before-seen styles like the Casquette. Collectors know this, which is a big reason it’s become popular: it was born during one of the most important eras in watchmaking history.
Q: What is the connection between Feldmar, Girard-Perregaux and the Casquette?
A: Feldmar and GP go way back. We’ve carried the brand for over 40 years which gives you an idea of the relationship. Over the years on more than one occasion in meetings with the brand, I’d bring up the Casquette, suggesting that customers would be interested in a modern revival. In fact, during one visit we made to the GP factory, I brought along my Casquette. The museum staff was particularly interested to see mine – a working Casquette in the wild. It speaks to GP’s connection with the watch world – both collectors and dealers – that these suggestions are heard. Feldmar is fortunate in that GP has offered to make the Casquette 2.0 available in-store and on our website. This watch is otherwise a brand-exclusive piece so the fact that we’ll have this in the metal is a pretty big deal.
The Casquette 2.0
In common with the original, the Casquette 2.0 displays the hours, minutes, seconds, day and date. Building on this base, it offers additional functions, including the month, year, chronograph, second time zone and secret date.
This latter function allows the wearer to save a memorable date of the wearer’s choosing. The secret date (date, month and year) can be shown each day at a time specified by the wearer e.g., a wedding anniversary.
Updated for 2022, the Casquette 2.0 holds true to the things that made the original great: a low-profile case, rounded yet angular geometry, and a modern red-on-black digital display activated by the symmetrical pushers on the side of the case. The new edition utilizes advanced black ceramic and silver-tone titanium throughout the case, pushers, bracelet, and folding clasp. Built for comfort and style, the Casquette 2.0 carries on a tradition set in motion nearly half a century ago.
Presented in a sleek, black and silver motif, the Casquette 2.0 blends past and future at once in the present. Unmistakable up close and afar, this is a watch that pays tribute to GP’s first years as a trailblazing watchmaker while looking ahead to the coming era of watch design. Limited as it is, the Casquette 2.0 is an instant collectible.
About The Author: Tom Roth
Born in Washington state, Tom developed an interest in photography during college at University of San Diego. There, he got started in music journalism, interviewing artists and taking photos at concerts. A life-long tinkerer and collector, it wasn’t long before Tom became fascinated with fountain pens and watches.
Those interests collided in November 2020 when Tom started at Feldmar Watch Company where he lives out every watch geek’s dream: photographing and writing about timepieces. When he’s not tinkering with his watch collection, Tom can be found traveling, biting his nails while watching PNW sports teams, and taking flying lessons.
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