Independents

Dinner and presentaion with Laurent Ferrier

 

One thing I love about the PuristS community is that, by and large, we have a love of both traditional watchmakers as well as the fresh new names that surprise and delight us with their creations. With the SIHH and Basel fairs we urgently await the latest novelties from both the established brands like Patek Philippe, Breguet, Rolex, and JLC as well as the young guns like Stepan Sarpaneva, Vianney Halter, and Peter Speake-Marin.

The new entrant to the market who has captured my attention this year is Laurent Ferrier, whom I first learned about in Alex Ghotbi's excellent introduction here:

ahci.watchprosite.com

As much as I enjoy watching the tourbillon mechanism perform its dance from the dial side, I also appreciate the discrete confidence of those few models that reveal the complication only through the case back: Patek Philippe's models, the Girard Perregaux "President" models, and now Laruent Ferrier's "Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral." The latter's aesthetic choice comes as no surprise considering the fact that Laurent spent over 35 years working at Patek Philippe, most recently as Technical Director.

So when I was given the opportunity to attend a dinner and presentation with Laurent Ferrier and his watches in New York this past Thursday I jumped at the chance. A small group of collectors met with Laurent Ferrier and his business manager Oliver Müller (to whom I must offer great thanks for his quick and clear translations of the rapid fire French conversations that ensued) at the upstairs room of Teodora on the East Side.

While a host of delicious appetizers circled about the room we learned the story about Laurent’s decision to strike out on his own and his philosophical approach to watchmaking in both technical and aesthetic areas. There were three watches on hand, one in 2N yellow gold with grand feu enamel dial, one in 4N pink gold with black onyx dial, and one in 5N red gold with black onyx dial.

The pale hue of the 2N gold along with the enamel dial gives the watch a vintage feel, while the 41 mm diameter of the case is stylishly contemporary and comfortable on the wrist. For those who might be allergic to the “Tourbillon Double Sprial” printed on the dial, it is an option that you can insist not be there when you order the watch.

The exclusive movement, which Laurent conceived and realizes with the master watchmakers at specialist firm La Fabrique du Temps, is technically interesting with its two inverted balance springs, the theoretical advantage of which is their flexing in opposite directions keeps their center of gravity in the center of the arbor, increasing accuracy. And regarding accuracy, the goal for each and every Laurent Ferrier watch is to be accurate to within 4 seconds per day in every position.




The movement is beautifully finished, showcasing many interior angles that are the hallmark of handcrafted effort.

The highlight for me was the red gold watch. As a fan of Jaquet Droz’s stone dials, I’ve always been a fan of onyx due to its deep, rich, uniform blackness. The pairing of the rich red gold case with the dark black dial is a winning combination. Alas, my photos of this model are disappointing.

Production of the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral will be small by design, and distribution is direct from Laurent Ferrier (with an exception in Singapore), so if you would like to experience this watch first hand, I urge you to contact Laurent Ferrier SA and arrange an appointment when you are next in Geneva.

Bill

This message has been edited by WHL on 2010-06-21 20:59:43 This message has been edited by WHL on 2010-06-21 21:00:51