The Galet Traveller was presented in 2013. A contemporary timepiece intended for keen travellers, it features a new interpretation of the dual-time display. In 2015, with the Galet Traveller Globe, Laurent Ferrier is exploring its model in three dimensions.
Rising from the centre is an 18K/750 white gold convex planisphere depicting the five continents, surrounded by an absolute black champlevé enamel sea. The whole difficulty lies in performing this enamelling on a domed surface in order to reproduce the rotundity of the Earth.
To accentuate the three-dimensional effect, Laurent Ferrier has lavished a wealth of finishes. The emerging stretches of land are all polished to achieve a mirror effect. The continents thus created stand out all the more powerfully by contrast with the oceans. Moreover, the outlines of the gold continents are slightly sloping nearer the coasts, so as to achieve a gentle transition with the translucent enamel.
Finally, the inner bezel ring of the Galet Traveller Globe has been subtly inclined. Hand-finished with a circular satin-brushed decoration, it dips towards the central sphere, creating the illusion of a raised globe literally balanced on top of the dial.
This inclined inner bezel ring exercises an effect not only on the globe, but also on the drop-shaped hour-markers. Applied to this slightly slanted inner bezel ring, their tips are literally suspended in the void, creating a unique sense of perspective.
Two oblong pushers integrated into the left-hand side of the case serve to adjust the local time indicated by the central hand. When passing from one time zone to another, this central hours hand may be moved forward or backwards in one-hour increments by successive presses. Pressing the upper pusher moves the hand one hour forwards, while the lower one sends it one hour backwards, without affecting the minutes hand.
In addition to this fast adjustment of local time, the date automatically jumps when the hand passes midnight, thereby adjusting without any separate intervention to the transitions between different time zones. Meanwhile, the 9 o’clock aperture keeps track of the reference time (home time). The 24-hour display provides a natural distinction between daytime and nighttime hours.
The Galet Traveller Globe is powered by self-winding LF Calibre 230.01. It features a system of unidirectional automatic winding via a pawl-fitted micro-rotor, backed by a double direct-impulse échappement naturel. This escapement is distinguished by the fact that the balance receives two direct impulses for each oscillation, thereby guaranteeing excellent efficiency matched by a 80-hour power reserve.
The sapphire crystal case-back of the timepiece enables one to admire the exquisite decoration of the movement: Côtes de Genève décor on the bridges, circular graining on the mainplate, manually-chamfered sides and polished screw heads.
The Galet Traveller Globe is fitted with a hand-sewn black alligator leather strap, with Alcantara lining, and secured on the wrist by a 16 mm pin buckle or double-blade folding clasp, in 18K/750 210 Pd white gold.
