One of Girard Perregaux’s older watches that I really liked what was the Laureato Evo 3 Moon. It possessed one of the coolest layouts for a moon phase and big date combo I had ever seen (You can see some live photos by watchprosite.com member “AlexPS” here). But at the same time I found the overall design, some of which has been evolved into the current and more fitting “Sea Hawk”, a tad too sporty for a complication that doesn’t really belong in a sports watch to begin with. And that is precisely what I love about the new Traveler Moon: it takes that handsome moon phase, big date and power reserve layout and places it in a much more appropriate setting.

(Note that the piece I’m reviewing is slightly different from the ones shown at Baselworld, as the dial has been changed from plain matte silver to an engraved “globe grid” pattern. In fact, I haven’t seen this updated dial anywhere else on the web; not even GP’s website).

The polished stainless steel is a noteworthy novelty in itself, as it sees the brand come out with a more current size of 44mm for a non-sports watch, which is definitely up my alley. It might look simple enough, but in fact the case is made of over 30 components. I was initially worried about the elongated lugs since they tend to make the watch wear bigger, but thanks to the integrated strap this is a none-issue.

Given that the Traveler is a more modern aesthetic than say the “Vintage 1945” or “1966” collectiona, the moon has been fashioned in a photorealistic style that looks quite spectacular in person. Also, it’s a perpetual moon, meaning that it’s accurate to one day’s deviation ever 122 years. (Hint: there’s a discreet GP logo in there, can you spot it?)

Girard Perregaux have by far one of the cleverest implementations of the Big Date. In the majority of big date displays the two wheels are on different plates and sometimes even in different windows altogether. What Girard Perregaux have done to avoid this is use a transparent wheel on top of a white wheel, giving the impression that you’re looking at a single date wheel in the aperture. It’s one of those small details that make quite a difference to the overall balance of the dial. Also, instead of slowly advancing the date around midnight, the two date wheels make an instant jump, so you won’t have to worry about “half-eaten” numbers in the date windows.

For a watch of this size, I find the dial layout quite balanced; partly due to the sloped rehaut minute bezel. The addition of lume-filled hands and dotted hour markers, combined with the circular satin-brushed metal elements of the moon phase and power reserve indications lend the watch an air of modernity.

The watch is powered by Girard Perregaux’s venerable in-house conceived and manufactured GP03300 automatic caliber, finished with Côte-de-Genève stripes and a new black and silvered rotor that kind of remind me of a drawing compass (please excuse the “Not For Sale” sticker).

What you get with the Traveler is a neat moon phase watch that isn’t overly classical and would look just as good with a pair of jeans and plaid shirt is it would with formal attire.

The Traveler Moon Phases & Large Date is available in other dial colors like black and slate-grey, with a retail price of $12’800 USD.

More information on www.Girard-Perregaux.com