On 9th November, we will be sitting in the red velvety comfort of the Leman Theatre, comparing our votes with the winners of over 16 categories. Sometimes we align and sometimes we don’t, but that is hardly important because every watch that makes it this far has already won the watch public’s attention. This week, we are going to be looking at a few timepieces that have caught our eye since the nominations were selected.
The first is this Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit which has been nominated in the Tourbillon category. The first thing that you notice about this timepiece is that its tourbillon isn’t visible on the dial. This is true of all the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport models, but seeing it in the Tourbillon category nominations reminds us of this rare fact that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Hide and seek
Historically, tourbillons were not displayed on the dial; this mechanical “strip tease” came much later when Franck Muller introduced the first-ever dial-side tourbillon in 1984. Since then, most watchmakers have followed suit, doing everything they can to draw attention to their tourbillons, and quite rightly so. But there is also something rather wonderful about knowing that you have a tourbillon, and keeping that knowledge to yourself.
Sunrise over the race track
This is all the more true when you have a beautiful rose dial. This warm colour was chosen to replicate the hues of the orangey-pink dawn sky over Le Mans racetrack. It is a rather specific colour, but before being co-founders of the Laurent Ferrier brand, Laurent Ferrier and François Servanin were co-drivers racing in endurance competitions like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of their favourite collective memories was watching the sun rise as they raced around the Sarthe Circuit. It was a moment that they wished to capture on the dial of this Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit model with a gradient dawn-pink dial with an opaline finish.
Case designs
Case design is such an important part of a watch and the Laurent Ferrier’s cushion-shaped bezel, barrel-shaped case middle, and integrated three-link bracelet, dance in the morning light thanks to their mirror-polished surfaces and satin-brushed finishing. Crafted from grade 5 titanium, this 44 mm timepiece isn’t only a pleasure to behold, but it is also extremely comfortable to wear thanks to its lightness at only 118 grams.
GPHG 2010
In 2010, Laurent Ferrier won the “Men's Watch” prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) for its Classic Tourbillon. This watch was equipped with a hand-wound movement featuring a tourbillon and a double balance spring. The new Grand Sport Tourbillon features the same LF619.01 movement, albeit presented with a more contemporary finish. The double-balance-spring tourbillon carriage is visible through the sapphire crystal case back and the GPHG jury will have plenty of time to observe it before they cast their final vote on Thursday 9th November, so they won’t be penalized for hiding it!
We wish Laurent Ferrier and all the other Tourbillon contenders the best of luck.
