Introducing the Laurent Ferrier watch for Only Watch 2013

Laurent Ferrier creates a dove for the prestigious Only Watch charity auction

For the second consecutive time, Laurent Ferrier has chosen to support research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This degenerative and highly debilitating disease affects 250,000 people worldwide, meaning one in 3,500. The Only Watch event orchestrated by Antiquorum brings together the greatest watchmaking Houses that generously donate a watch. A travelling exhibition will present this amazingly diverse collection in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, New York and Geneva, before concluding with the traditional auction to be held at the Heritage Hotel in Monte-Carlo on September 28^th 2013. The sum raised by this evening will be entirely allocated to medical research. Greatly inspired by this noble cause, Laurent Ferrier sought to create a symbolic watch that is sure to delight connoisseurs.

Only Watch 2013: a unique edition of the Galet Classic

In keeping with the Only Watch spirit involving models representing horological innovations, Laurent Ferrier again demonstrates its commitment to important causes. For this 2013 edition, it has chosen to offer the very first movement of the second version of its famous Tourbillon Double Spiral (double balance-spring tourbillon).

It is duly numbered calibre “000” and housed inside a steel case shaped like a pebble (hence the French name galet), framing a unique sand-toned grand feu enamelled dial displaying a dainty dove. The Monaco coat-of-arms is painted in tone-on-tone shades on the small seconds display. Once again, Laurent Ferrier testifies to its wish and its ability to create symbolic models, while focusing on the “custom-made” approach for unique occasions.

An icon of love and peace

What could be more symbolic than a dove to demonstrate support and loyalty to a cause as essential as that of scientific research? The new Galet Classic Only Watch features a unique dial created and designed by Laurent Ferrier. On an 18K gold plate, a sand-coloured grand feu enamel dial provides a tone-on-tone depiction of a dainty and infinitely pure dial designed in one smooth stroke. This ethereal symbol of love and peace embraces the small seconds at 6 o’clock bearing the Monaco coat-of-arms and its geography – all exquisitely crafted by hand. The “assegai-shaped” gold hour and minute hands and the baton-shaped seconds hand lend the perfect finishing touch.

The dial remains perfectly readable thanks to the graphic arrangement of the “teardrop” applied gold hour-markers and the gold decorative fillet surrounding the counter. The curve of the steel case reflects the brand’s pure, restrained design codes. It adopts the shape of a pebble (galet in French) in a nod to the large and refined historical watch models. It is equipped with a ball-shaped winding-crown ensuring more pleasant handling. The snap-on case-back makes the movement more accessible to the watchmaker via the olivette. Its water-resistance is guarantee to a depth of 30 metres.

The quintessence of the watchmaking art

The manual-winding system of the Galet Classic Only Watch appears without the modern winding-stem pull-out piece spring, replaced by a “long blade” ratchet pawl with a smoothly round-polished finish hand-crafted in the in-house workshops. This component may be admired through the back of the case, protected by a sapphire crystal that also provides views of the manual finishing of the calibre – performed in harmony with the most demanding standards of traditional Fine Watchmaking. The bridges are adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif, the mainplate is circular-grained, the sharp edges and interior angles are chamfered and hand-polished, and the screw heads are also bevelled and polished. Finally, the drum of the barrel is delicately engraved with the inscription “Only Watch 2013”.

The Galet Classic Only Watch is fitted with an Alcantara-lined beige alligator leather strap fastened by a steel pin buckle. The model is housed inside a presentation box featuring a commemorative plate showing the Principality of Monaco on a world map. This exceptional new creation vividly demonstrates the exceptional capacities cultivated by Laurent Ferrier in the field of horological techniques, watch exteriors, as well as its responsiveness and its will to maintain autonomous development.

(Photo credit: courtesy of Laurent Ferrier)

Gaetano C. @Horbiter®