Laurent Ferrier’s Golden Sunburst

Hunter-type, cushion-type, tonneau-shaped: these words are part of the shared vocabulary of watchmaking, but the term Galet (pebble) is inextricably entwined with the world of Laurent Ferrier. Galet is the name of the brand’s first collection, unveiled in 2010. Years later, polished by time and shaped by experience, the ‘pebble’ is reinterpreted as the Galet Square.

Its evolution has been gentle and gradual, like the curves of minerals polished by the waves. The pebble, stemming from centuries of the incessantly repeated work of nature, embodies the purest expression of gentle shapes. For Laurent Ferrier, the Galet is the perfect integration of all parts of a case, as if one were holding a pebble in one’s hand. The whole challenge lay in preserving the spirit of the Galet, and of interpreting this new shape into the initial project without making a breaking with the past.

Laurent Ferrier humbly decided to approach his original Galet by starting with a blank page. Purpose and design met and mingled under the swift strokes of his pencil, until a whole new shape was reached that is a first in the brand’s collection. The Galet Square is not a culminating point, but instead a new step in the ongoing affirmation of the Laurent Ferrier style.

Honed to Perfection: Technically speaking, the original Galet has become a square leaning toward a cushion shape. Laurent Ferrier has devoted particular attention to the aesthetic harmony of the model. This involved rigorous respect for the proportions between the volume of the case and that of the movement. The flowing lines designed by Laurent Ferrier have been maintained and are now housed within a new case that reprises every subtle detail. The difficulty of the exercise lay in preserving this aesthetic signature while gently shifting it toward new lines.

The Galet Square, measuring 41 x 41mm, is intended to assert a bolder presence on the wrist than the models that inspired it. Its lines are writing a new chapter in the history of Laurent Ferrier workshops.

Innovation Inside: The movement is the self-winding FBN 229.01 caliber with unidirectional pawl fitted micro-rotor and a three-day power reserve. This is the third in-house movement developed, assembled and adjusted in the Laurent Ferrier workshops.

It is equipped with silicon escapement featuring a double direct impulse on the balance. This innovation developed by Laurent Ferrier enables the balance to be impelled twice per oscillation, a principle that requires two escape-wheels and an approximately shaped lever. This modern construction, combined with the use of cutting-edge materials, maximizes energy efficiency, thereby guaranteeing a high amplitude of the balance. This reduces the amount of mechanical force required to wind the mainspring and thus optimizes winding.

This version of the Galet Square features a minimalist design with a gold-toned dial that bears three white-gold hour markers at 12, 3 and 9 o’clock, and a small seconds display at 6 o’clock. The finish overall reflects the high standards Laurent Ferrier imposes on all its creations. All are performed in keeping with the finest watchmaking traditions. Alongside the Côtes de Genève motif on the bridges and the circular graining on the mainplate, the wheel spokes are beveled, the screw hands are chamfered and polished, the interior angles are hand-crafted. The sapphire crystal caseback provides a fascinating glimpse of this fine workmanship and reveals an attractively balanced structure stemming from a clever combination of lines and curves.

Technical Specifications

Reference: LCF013.AC.JG1.2

Movement

• Automatic winding caliber FBN229.01
  
• Pawl-fitted micro-rotor
  
• 72-hour power reserve
  
• Silicon escapement with double direct impulse on the balance
  

Case

• Stainless steel
  
• Diameter: 41 x 41mm
  
• Thickness: 4.35mm
  
• Water-resistant to 30m
  

Dial

• Sunburst gold-toned
  
• Drop-shaped hour markers in 18-karat white gold