Laurent Ferrier’s New Watch Is a Masterpiece of Understatement
We included Laurent Ferrier without hesitation in our list of the 25 greatest independent watchmakers in the world, and today we are thrilled to gaze upon the small-but-powerful brand’s latest timepiece.
Since 2020, Laurent Ferrier has been creating small limited-edition collections for its community of watch enthusiasts in its Série Atelier line. It started with the Classic Origin Green in 2020, which was followed in 2021 by the Ecole Annual Calendar with a navy-blue dial and flashy orange strap. Two magnetic green pieces—a Classic Micro-Rotor and a Classic Traveller—were unveiled in 2022, and a fun Sport Auto, with a funky green dial and yellow hands, was the star of 2023.
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Laurent Ferrier likes to have some fun with this Série Atelier collection, but this year has taken an understated approach, capturing one of the qualities we love most about the brand’s watches. This year’s 2024 limited edition Série Atelier VI is called the Classic Auto Sandstone and is a mix between the robustness of a sports watch and the elegance of the brand’s Classic line. The timepiece was imagined to be both traditional and modern to suit both formal occasions and everyday life.
Housed in a round, pebble-shaped case in stainless steel, this sixth edition has been paired with a sandstone-colored dial that catches the light thanks to a vertically satin-brushed finish in the center and a circular satin-brushed motif for the railway track and the small seconds counter. The earthy and coppery tones of the dial give it an interesting vintage feel that makes it subtle and discrete.
The dial steals the show in this timepiece as every detail has been meticulously studied, starting with the slate gray date on a white disc in an elegant frame. Notice how the aperture gently slopes towards the right, leading the eye toward the date. Other elegant details include a central cross, spear-shaped Assegai hands in white gold, drop-shaped indexes, and a recessed small second counter with slate grey markers and a baton hand, all of which come together in a particularly pleasing way.
There is no coincidence between the Classic Auto name and the brand’s previous Sport Auto line as they both share the same caliber LF270.01. This movement pays homage to Laurent Ferrier’s first automatic movement – the Micro-Rotor with a natural escapement – and, like the first, is entirely designed, decorated, assembled, and adjusted in-house. It features a Swiss lever escapement, which uses an automatic winding system via an off-centred micro-rotor. This movement is also equipped with a 950-platinum oscillating weight, placed between the plate and the micro-rotor bridge. This has the advantage of ensuring precision timing and optimal winding power for a power reserve of 72 hours.
The Caliber LF270.01 requires a whopping 139 manual finishing operations with chamfering and bevelling of both the interior and exterior angles, mirror polishing, circular graining, and more that can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. The wearer will also notice that the new platinum micro-rotor includes a feather engraving, accompanied by chevrons indicating the winding direction.
This Série Atelier VI: Classic Auto Sandstone is limited to 20 numbered pieces and will be available exclusively from the Laurent Ferrier website from August 29th, 2024 at the price of CHF 50,000 (roughly $59,300 as of this writing). The pieces will be available on a first-come-first-served basis and will be quickly delivered to their new owners.
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