Those of you who remember when Laurent Ferrier first debuted will recall why this small, young independent brand made such an impression with watch enthusiasts. The first Laurent Ferrier watch was the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Balance Spring, a love letter to traditional watchmaking with a design inspired by 19th-century pocket watches. Of course, its exceptional movement was immediately hailed as a modern-day revival of mechanical horology’s golden age. Its exquisitely formed bridges, impeccable finish — even tiny details such as the mirror-polished barrel click acted in concert to bring watch connoisseurs to their knees in admiration. Not to mention the superb chronometric performance of the piece, thanks to the eponymous double spiral that imparted greater precision to the rotating escapement.
However, it was the design of the case and dial that truly seduced the watch community worldwide. The tactile curves of the case and crown invited touch, bringing romantic appeal back to the watch world at a time when avant-garde designs and hyper-sporty aesthetics predominated. Its dial, pure and minimalist, offered visual tranquility and repose with its perfect proportions and simplicity. With this watch, Laurent Ferrier established itself as the brand you went to when you wanted a taste of horological excellence from a bygone era.
Since then, the brand has diversified its offering significantly, venturing into sports-inflected timepieces and different case shapes, but diehard purists will always return to the evocative Galet Classic as their first love.
This Watches and Wonders, Laurent Ferrier puts the spotlight back on this beloved collection. To their credit, they have always known that with the Galet Classic, it’s important not to oversaturate the market with these models. Too much of a good thing doesn’t always produce the results you want. As a result, every launch of a new Galet Classic timepiece is a refreshing blend of a winning formula with well-conceived updates, ensuring that our eyes never tire of this mechanical beauty.
The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon is the brand’s first use of the moonphase indication, coupled with its successful annual calendar, in this iconic case design. The display of the phases of the moon, with its waxing and waning stages, is philosophically in line with the Classic case, which goes through periods of high visibility and discretion, but with a constant presence in our awareness thanks to its perennial allure.
Having a double moon display that shows the phases of the moon in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres is particularly relevant for Laurent Ferrier, a brand with such broad appeal that it has avid followers in all corners of the globe. Its photorealistic moons, surrounded by stylised stars, speak perfectly to the nature of the brand itself, as makers of tangible objects that constitute dream acquisitions for many of us.
A closer look at the moon phase counter reveals exquisite worksmanship, with the base moon disc made of aventurine glass, which is then coated with luminescent material and subsequently engraved to create the double moon and stars. The disc is then overlaid with an enamel applique to show the progression of the moon through its various phases.
Two versions of the Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon form the debut of this new reference — one in stainless steel with a blue dial, and the other in red gold with an opaline silver dial. For longtime fans of Laurent Ferrier, the new Classic Moon is another gratifying release from the brand. For those discovering the brand for the first time, it is a reason to fall in love.
