Girard-Perregaux, a Swiss watchmaker known for its luxury watches, has launched its ww.tc Shadow featuring the original combination of a fly-back chronograph with time display in twenty-four different time zones.

Designed especially for this model, the Girard-Perregaux self-winding movement GP3387 simultaneously displays the date, the small seconds, the world times and a fly-back chronograph.

These various functions stand out clearly against the black dial: the chronograph seconds hand is easily distinguished by its red colour, while the divisions of the three counters opt for white. A world times day/night indicator, a date at 1:30, luminescent hands and hour numerals help readability.

The ww.tc Shadow’s unique style also extends to the back of the watch, which houses a tinted sapphire glass showing off the mechanism.

The ww.tc Shadow’s 43 mm black ceramic case is perfectly homogeneous in texture, which gives it some appealing assets: extreme hardness (much higher than steel), while also being particularly light and wearable.

Ceramic is considerably lighter than steel, and barely heavier than titanium, while also being completely biocompatible and hypoallergenic.

Ceramic powder, consisting of over 90 per cent zirconium oxide, is first mixed with a polymer to give it the characteristics required for injection moulding of the middle. This moulding is followed by several stages, including firing in a furnace heated to over 1500°C, to eliminate any porosity in the ceramic and obtain its hardness.

These actions are performed with great precautions and infinite patience, since the material is highly delicate to handle prior to its final state. The machining operations, used in particular for opening up the positions for the push-buttons and crowns, are performed just as painstakingly using diamond tools, the only kind that can work ceramic.

The case has a meticulous satin-finish to eliminate any flaw and accentuate its shadowy look.

The sophistication of this structure is boosted via the use of an internal titanium container and special screws for securing the case-back, with these screws also used for structural assembly of racing car engines. Shortened lugs, rubber coated crowns and push-buttons supplement its sporty characteristics.

Girard-Perregaux watches are available at Al Fardan outlets in Deira City Centre, Dubai Festival City and Mall of the Emirates and at Damas Les Exclusive Boutiques in Burj Al Arab, Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah, Wafi City, Bur Juman Centre and Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. – TradeArabia News Service