Borna Bosniak
Through his many escapades, Laurent Ferrier has probably lived the life that many watch enthusiasts aspire to. Not only did he contribute to the creation of the Patek Philippe Nautilus, among others, but he continued to pursue creative endeavors under his own name, he also led an illustrious racing career, including two Le Mans podiums. I did. Even without such an interesting backstory, developed quickly for fear of being projected, the watch itself was intriguing and innovative from the start. Whether we’re talking about his Tourbillon Double Spiral, his quest to develop a natural escapement, or simply aesthetic features, every model has the fine finishing typical of Laurent Ferrier. It is penetrated. The brand’s latest release, Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon, is no exception, but honors these characteristics in a slightly different way.
Montre Ecole graduate
What began with the 2017 Galé Micro-Rotor Monterey École has evolved to feature increasingly complex dial displays while retaining the bassinet case that was the hallmark of the watches Ferrier made as an apprentice. But the most well-known part of the collection is undoubtedly the Galé Annual Calendar Montres École, the watch for which Ferrier won the 2018 Men’s Complications Award at GPHG. Considering opponents such as Krayon Everywhere Horizon and Ludovic Ballouard Green Line were on the clock, an exceptional performance was required to win. And it really is. A date pointer with an in-line display of the day and month flits around the dial, completing a modern piece that is clearly inspired by the 1940s.
Six years later, the Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon is here. The contrasting colors of blue and red against a light-colored background immediately hint at a 2017 watch, while design cues reflect Laurent Ferrier’s current catalogue. The addition of the complex moonphase subdial to the Classic Moon will do away with the print that made the Montres École a sector dial, leaving room for all elements. Still, the elegant Roman numerals at 3, 9, and 12 are subtly enlarged, perhaps hinting at the sector dial of its cousin collection.
Although much of Laurent Ferrier’s design inspiration comes from the 1940s, Laurent Ferrier cases rarely adhere to the sizing regulations of the time. While the Classic Moon’s 40mm case isn’t ridiculously large, it’s definitely a millimeter or two larger than you’d expect from a watch of this style. Additionally, the Classic Moon softens the lines of the Monterey École, smoothing the transition to the mid-case and rounding the profile of the lugs while doing a more elegant job of concealing the collector.
an unmistakable signature
That said, the aesthetic qualities of Classic Moon are to Laurent Ferrier what Greatest Hits is to Queen. It’s a one-stop shop for people who want to know what Laurent Ferrier’s designs are without delving too deeply into them. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t dig deeper. There’s a lot to discover, and the moon phase complication is a notable new feature. The Classic Moon is Laurent Ferrier’s first moon phase and subtly incorporates an often overlooked LF characteristic: lume. The disc is made of aventurine glass with hand-painted noctilucent stars and moons, placed beneath a translucent enamel that shows the precise phase.
The sun and moon openings above the pinion are accentuated by faceted windows reminiscent of the brand’s sports auto models, while the cherry on top is the handset. Laurent Ferrier called this shape an “assegai,” a name derived from the spears used in southern Africa. Of all the hand shapes out there, these would be in my top three. However, the supremely elegant and sophisticated finish we’re accustomed to is toned down here with a coat of classic Moon Blue matte paint.
first class decoration
I’m sure some of you are wondering if I’m even going to join this movement. Now, how could you not? Promising to be the last reference to the brand’s existing annual calendar creations, the LF126.02 has many similarities but includes over 30 new components to match the added complications. It is. Laurent Ferrier also notes that more than 20 components have been reconfigured, but this has no direct bearing on performance, maintaining a 3Hz beat rate and delivering an impressive 80-hour power reserve. maintained and controlled by a classic Swiss lever escapement.
A look at the paper specs will give you a rough idea of how this watch works. But that’s all you can understand by reading about decoration. Laurent Ferrier’s hand-wound movement hides much of its gear train with wide bridges, but the brand has taken care to keep you occupied by embellishing it with rich, feathery Côtes de Genève. The highlight for me is the long, round shape of the polished click, which is hidden at the top of the movement and makes a nice sound when winding the watch. As for what’s visible, I have to point out the nice chamfers on all the bridges (including components that may be hidden from view). Chief among them is the surprisingly sharp outside corner in the lower left corner of the power. reserve indicator.
