Housed in a 44mm red gold case, the design debuts an undulating guilloché dial for the collection (All photos: Laurent Ferrier)
Every second counts when you live life in the fast lane, but luckily for Laurent Ferrier, both his passions for the track and watchmaking flourish in good time.
Laurent has always believed in upholding the exceptional nature of Swiss horology, having grown up engrossed by the workbench, over which his father and grandfather — both master watchmakers — seem to have alchemic powers. Upon graduating from the hallowed École d’Horlogerie de Genève, he began working in the movement prototype workshop of Patek Philippe, where he sharpened his abilities and skill for almost 40 years, ultimately achieving the position of technical and product director.
He saw the birth of many iconic timepieces during his tenure, most notably the Nautilus — hands down one of the finest designs from Gerald Genta. Laurent developed not only a penchant for simplicity, precision and pure, uncluttered beauty but most of all, an assiduous eye for balance.
At the same time, half of Laurent’s heart was in motorsports. In the 1970s, he participated in some of the world’s most prestigious competitions, including the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race, taking first place in the 2-litre prototype category in 1977. He also established a friendship with fellow racer François Servanin and, together, they came in third in the overall Le Mans rankings in 1979 at the wheel of a Porsche 935T, besting even the professionals. Their shared passion for mechanics, both in automobiles and watchmaking, only strengthened their bond.
Laurent eventually retired but, at the ripe age of 63, Servanin offered him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to start his own brand. While most would prefer to take it easy in their golden years, the sprightly watchmaker rolled up his sleeves, roped in his son Christian (who was working with Roger Dubuis at the time) and started his eponymous brand.
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“The idea wasn’t really to start a company, but it was an opportunity to make the watch of his dreams,” says Christian, head of brand patrimony, who was recently in Kuala Lumpur for the launch of a special timepiece released in conjunction with Sincere Fine Watches’ 70th anniversary. “He’s a passionate guy. Of course, he thought about his age. But since I was also in the industry, it made sense for him as we could do it together. He didn’t really think about creating a big brand. He just wanted to enjoy the freedom of an independent watchmaker.”
Having said that, Laurent’s first creation, the Classic Tourbillon Double Hairspring, won Best Men’s Watch at the Grand Prix de d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2010, the year the brand was launched. Talk about making a grand entrance.
Last year, its Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit bagged another GPHG for Best Tourbillon. Many have traced the origins of the collection to Laurent’s passion for motorsports — its contours resemble the aerodynamic lines of vintage race cars and the barrel-shaped case and cushion-like bezel endow it with a 1970s look.
“The full story is we’ve always known the demand for sports watches, but my father shot it down because he was only into classic watches,” Christian says. “He didn’t want to just follow demand but, one day, he asked me to try drawing it.”
In the beginning, father and son worked on the design in secret, exchanging ideas and sketches. They explored a square-ish bezel, which reminded many of the Aquanaut, but “it is not the same. We really wanted this galet, or pebble shape, and for it to have a strong DNA”. When it was introduced to the market in 2019, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
It had the same LF 619.01 heart as the award-winning Classic Tourbillon, with the complication displayed inconspicuously at the back. An onion-style crown retains the brand’s signature trait and the watch is remarkably finished. But what truly captured the hearts of collectors was the proportions, which hit the sweet spot of dynamic tension. Beyond just looking perfect, it looked right. This is also where the automobile comparisons can be noted.
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“Design is important for people who appreciate cars. Those who worked on bodywork in the past could file perfect lines just with their eyes and hands. We wanted to evoke the same feeling and pleasure of the lines and bodywork of a beautiful car.”
Riding on the tailwind of its success, the Ferriers thought it appropriate to fashion a limited edition of this model to commemorate Sincere Fine Watches’ grand milestone. “For an independent brand like us, it’s not easy to find the right people to work with. Our relationship with Sincere started in 2017 and we are very happy.”
Limited to just 12 pieces, the Grand Sport Tourbillon Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition introduces a handful of firsts for the brand. Housed in a 44mm red gold case, the design debuts an undulating guilloché dial for the collection. Inspired by the waves of the South China Sea that fringe the region in which Sincere has established a strong presence, the distinctive shade of teal, contrasted with a black gradient base, has also never been done before. Additionally, this is the first time Laurent Ferrier is producing a limited-edition Grand Sport Tourbillon for an outside party.
White Super-LumiNova illuminates the Assegai-shaped hands and drop-shaped indices. To further enhance contrast, the white gold hands and indices are treated with ruthenium. The case predominantly features satin-brushed components with several mirror-polished parts. The LF 619.01 movement and tourbillon complication can be admired in all its glory at the back, which is engraved with Sincere’s 70th anniversary logo and “one of twelve” to highlight its exclusivity.
The Jubilee Edition is no doubt a little bolder than what Laurent Ferrier has in its portfolio, but it was an opportunity to flex its creative muscles. “The most difficult part was to find something that stayed true to the DNA of Laurent Ferrier and had a good balance. Not something too strong. This is a bit stronger than the existing collection, but not too much,” explains Christian.
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But does this indicate the start of a more intrepid direction? “It is very important to respect these timepieces, so we don’t have the intention of using the same colour in our collection. And we don’t need to! In the future, I hope when people see this colour, they immediately think of the Jubilee Edition,” he says.
Despite taking on more travel responsibilities, Christian still toils side by side with his father at the bench. “It’s so easy to work together because we appreciate the same things. I work a lot on the architecture of the movement, but because I respect the same philosophy, when he sees my work, he doesn’t change a lot of things.”
The biggest lesson he learnt from his father is never to settle. “If you are not completely satisfied with something, even though what you have is beautiful and follows the DNA, you need to continue. For example, for the Sport Auto calibre, I took six weeks to come up with the design of the main bridge of the micro rotor. It was nice, but something still felt off. It was the balance. The focus on it was too strong. One day, I just changed something. Just a bit less information and I immediately saw the balance. It was just better. If I had chosen to launch the first version of the component,
I wouldn’t be happy with it today.
“And my father is exactly the same. When he agrees on a case, everybody’s happy. But if he has an idea to change something, even if it’s before production, I promise you, we will do it. We take a few days, stop production, make the changes and the result is better. If you have an idea to do better, you do it.”
It is this admirable sense of integrity that makes Laurent Ferrier’s timepieces highly sought-after. Annual production is about 500, which means there are not many to go around. Keeping numbers low, though, helps maintain the brand’s impeccably high quality. “We work closely with a small team and never compromise anything about the watch. We are very happy where we are now and I hope, even in 10 years’ time, we can remain the same.”
The Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition is available at Sincere Haute Horlogerie, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur at a retail price of RM1,091,480.
This article first appeared on Aug 12, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
