Manufacturer: Laurent Ferrier Year: 2017 Reference No: LF230.02 Case No: 07/15 Model Name: Galet Traveller Limited Edition for Hodinkee Material: Titanium Calibre: Automatic, LF230.02, 41 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Laurent Ferrier buckle Dimensions: 41mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by Laurent Ferrier Certificate dated October 4th, 2017, leather travel case, wooden loupe, polish cloth, two additional Hodinkee leather straps, fitted box, product literature and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Laurent Ferrier spent close to 37 years in product development at Patek Philippe, and in 2010 presented the first wristwatch under his own brand name. The Galet Classique was a modern timepiece with a phenomenally gorgeous and painstakingly handcrafted tourbillon-equipped movement. His vision to create elegant designs and superbly finished movements has made the brand a favourite amongst aficionados of independent watchmaking.
The dual-time complication became prominent in the mid-20th century when global travel became common amongst the jet-set and travellers desired a timepiece that allowed them to keep track of time both locally and at home. Ferrier introduced the Galet Traveller in 2013 as a modern interpretation of Patek Philippe’s dual time model, the reference 2597 from the 1960s. Ferrier’s Gallet Traveller features two pushers on the case side, allowing the hour hand to be moved forward or backward by one hour, permitting the setting of time in a new time zone, while the home time’s hour is displayed via an aperture at 9 o’clock.
In 2017, online retailer Hodinkee and Laurent Ferrier collaborated on a limited edition of 15 examples of the Traveller. Several details are exclusive to this limited edition model and are not found in any other Galet Traveller models, including a polished titanium case, a stunning two-tone enamel dial that omits the date aperture and subsidiary seconds, and a ruthenium-plated movement. The dial features a deep blue enamel center with white gold inlay sector, and brushed slate blue outer ring, and the watch is powered by the caliber LF230.02, a double direct-impulse natural escapement using two nickel phosphorous escape wheels and a silicon lever for better distribution of energy. The present example, number 7 is in excellent condition, and is a rare opportunity to own one of the most sought-after independent watches today.
Introducing its first watch to critical acclaim in 2010, Laurent Ferrier was founded by long-time Swiss watchmaker of the same name. Following a 37-year career at Patek Philippe, Ferrier founded the brand in 2008, creating timeless wristwatches inspired by the finest wrist and pocket watches from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Revered by collectors around the world for their genuine innovations and understated elegance, the brand specializes in exquisitely hand-finished movements featuring state-of-the-art watchmaking technology. Galet, or "pebble" in French, describes the signature feature of the brand's cases used across its collection — with soft curves, domed crystals and rounded edges reminding one of a smooth pebble.
Key models include the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral and the Galet Micro-Rotor, with stunning movement architectures designed after prestigious observatory chronometer movements of the twentieth century.