Laurent Ferrier
- Founded
- 2010
- Based in
- Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland
- In our catalog
- 1 watch from $44,000 to $48,000
Laurent Ferrier makes the kind of watch you appreciate more the longer you look at it. The cases are soft and rounded like a pebble, the dials are quiet, and the movements are finished to a very high standard. The founder spent decades at Patek Philippe before starting his own brand, and it shows.
History
Laurent Ferrier worked at Patek Philippe for 37 years, where he led the development of complicated watches. He was also an accomplished racing driver who competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times, finishing on the podium in 1979.
He started his own brand in 2010, with his son Christian and business partners, near Geneva. The first watch, the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral, won the men's watch prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève that year. Since then the brand has added micro-rotor automatics, travel watches and sportier models, while staying small.
Signature models
- Classic Origin: A simple, elegant time-only watch in the brand's pebble case, often in steel or titanium with a minimal dial.
- Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral: The first watch, with a tourbillon and a double balance spring.
- Grand Sport Tourbillon: A sporty integrated-bracelet model.
What it's known for
Laurent Ferrier watches have a vintage, gentle look, with rounded edges, domed crystals and "assegai" hands. The movements, including a micro-rotor caliber with a natural escapement, are finished to Patek standards.
Price and positioning
Laurent Ferrier watches cost from about $40,000 to well over $100,000 for tourbillons. It's in the same group as F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie and Czapek among independent brands, and is a favorite of collectors who want understated quality.
Laurent Ferrier watches in our library
- Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin ($44,000 to $48,000)