FeatureAll About Laurent Ferrier And Their Top Watches
Laurent Ferrier have made a significant mark, horologically speaking, with innovation in high complications, and presenting understated elegance with their high-end timepieces. With an illustrious past and a founder, who is a watchmaker extraordinare, there's nothing not to admire about this brand and their products. Here's a look at the brand's story and some of their most impressive watches
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Born in a watchmaking family, little did anyone know that Laurent Ferrier was going to become the legend he is today. Being a third-generation watchmaker, he had a vivid exposure towards the world of horology while growing up, owing to his father who used to work on high-end complications in his workshop. This also gave him an opportunity to experience the watchmaking crafts in some of the exceptional watches of the time. After graduating from École d’Horlogerie de Genève in 1968, Laurent Ferrier honed his skills and mastered the craft of high horology over the decades with one of the most important watchmakers of the world, based in Rue du Rhône, Geneva. In addition to being a gifted watchmaker, Laurent Ferrier also has an undying love for speed and motor racing. Among other prestigious races of the day, he also participated in one of the most demanding motor races of all time—the ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’ seven times. In 1979, Laurent Ferrier, along with his friend and later business partner François Servanin stood third in the rankings of the Le Mans, right behind the legend himself—Paul Newman. That was the day when they saw a dream of creating a watch of their own.
The dream finally came to life in 2010, with the official launch of the brand and their very first creation—the Classic Tourbillon Double Hairspring brought home the GPHG award of best ‘men’s watch’ that year. The brand have had numerous GPHG nominations over the years and two more awards, the Square Micro-Rotor Blue won the Horological Revelation Prize in 2015 and the École Annual Calendar Slate Grey won the ‘men’s complication’ prize in 2018. Each element of all Laurent Ferrier watches is painstakingly crafted to pure mechanical perfection. The idea behind the brand has always been to design classic watches with a timeless appeal, and to focus on the craft of watchmaking, hence each watch is assembled and finished by hand with high-quality materials. Laurent Ferrier, the have accomplished countless feats in the world of horology in a very short time with their high-quality timepieces that appeal to a true watch connoisseurs.
Sport Collection
Currently populated with four models—the Sport Auto, the Sport Auto 40 and two variations of the Grand Sport Tourbillon—the Sport collection makes an indelible mark on one of the most popular categories of today’s time; the integrated bracelet sport watch. The collection was originally introduced in the year 2020 to honour the founders’ history with motor racing and accomplishments at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three out of the four models are crafted out of grade-5 titanium which makes them lightweight and allows for multiple finishes on the case and bracelet.
Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto
The Sport Auto timepieces feature a 41.5mm case with the intricately decorated self-winding calibre LF270.01, second automatic movement with date by the brand. In addition to the stunning streamlined design of the watch, there are subtle nuances that make it truly stand out, such as the detailing on the date window, the vintage inspired onion-shaped crown, but what takes the breath away is when you take a very close look at the off-centered platinum micro-rotor, apart from the multiple finishes, it also features a micro-inscription in the innermost radius that talks about the historical significance of the timepiece.
Laurent Ferrier Tourbillon Grand Sport
The collection was introduced with the first version of the Tourbillon Grand Sport and there are two versions of that available in the current collection, one with a gradient salmon-pink opaline dial in a 44mm grade-5 titanium case and another with a gradient brown opaline dial in a 18-karat red gold case and bracelet. The Grand Sport Tourbillon is powered by the in-house calibre LF619.01 developed, assembled and adjusted by Laurent Ferrier.
Classic Collection
The very first watch launched by the maison was from the Classic collection; the Classic Tourbillon Ivory Enamel Grand Feu which also won the GPHG Men’s Watch Prize for the brand in 2010. With ivory‑coloured ‘Grand Feu’ enamel dial, sleek hands and elongated Roman numerals, the watch drew inspiration from 19th-century pocket watches, and this classicism reflects in other watches in the collection as well. They honour the traditional physical form of a wrist watch while keeping the collection versatile with a variety of complications and movements.
The Classic collection can be broken into four different variations; the Classic Micro Rotor, Classic Origin, Classic Traveller and Classic Tourbillon with multiple dial and case material options. The Classic Micro Rotor and the Classic Traveller draw power from a self-winding calibre. It features an 18-karat gold micro-rotor decorated with a Guilloché pattern and the rest of the movement is decorated with traditional finishes such as côtes de Genève and boasts a silicon double-direct impulse escapement.
The Classic Origin is currently available in a white and a blue dial, powered by the hand-wound calibre LF116.01 which boasts a power reserve of 80 hours. The movement is equipped with a free-sprung balance and a Breguet overcoil which enhances precision. In addition to this, the watch is adjusted to six positions, as opposed to five positions, which displays the maison’s dedication to going the extra mile.
Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Clous de Paris
The highlight of the Classic collection is undoubtedly the aforementioned Classic Tourbillon. Of course the grand feu edition won a GPHG prize. However, an equally impressive model is the Classic Torubillon Clous de Paris, which presents textural splendour, with the hobnail pattern on the inner part of its almost anthracite dial. In line with traditional watchmaking values, and the understated elegance showcased by even watches with complications, the tourbillon cage is concealed behind this dial, but can be seen through the exhibition caseback, along with Geneva stripes. This is the LF619.01 manual-winding calibre that offers a massive 80-hour power reserve. It’s housed in a 41mm red gold case.
Square Collection
Laurent Ferrier Square Micro-Rotor
This collection also boasts a GPHG winner, the Square Micro-Rotor Blue. All the watches in this collection are powered by the brilliant self-winding calibre FBN229.01, with a hand-guilloché yellow gold micro-rotor, that gives the watch a massive power reserve of 72 hours.
The brand also has a series of specific limited edition timepieces from various families/collections of the brand called the ‘Serie Atelier’ which translates to ‘Atelier Series’. All these timepieces are exclusively available through the official Laurent Ferrier website. Three out of a total of five watches are already sold out and the latest addition to the collection was just added at this year’s Geneva Watch Days. To sum it up, Laurent Ferrier is a watchmaker for those who enjoy the true art of horology and the patrons of silent luxury.
Shop The Story
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Laurent Ferrier Sport
LCF040.T1.C1GC5.1
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Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport
LCF044.02.T1.RN1.2
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Laurent Ferrier Classic
LCF004.R5.VR1.1
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Laurent Ferrier Classic
LCF036.T1.CG.1
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Laurent Ferrier Classic
LCF001.02.R5.D2GR.1
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Laurent Ferrier Square
LCF013.R5.VR1.1
