Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Microrotor "Early Number 2X", 2012

Dealer description — S.Song Watches

Ask enthusiasts and collectors who some of the best independent watchmakers today and chances are you will definitely hear ‘Laurent Ferrier’ in the mix. Famed for working at Patek Philippe as creative director for 40 years and for placing third, just behind a certain Paul Newman at the 1979 24-Hour Le Mans race, today he is known for his Haute Horlogerie with his eponymous brand. To own a Laurent Ferrier is quite a special experience for any collector. What we have here today is a highly revered Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Micro-Rotor in rose gold and a beautiful slate grey dial. The entire watch itself has an extremely distinctive amorphous, bevel-free styling that is quite unique to Laurent Ferrier’s watches. It also features a perfectly rounded and mirror polished bezel along with the manufacture’s signature onion-shaped crown. The dial on the Galet Micro-Rotor has a very 1960-esque feel to it and it also features the manufacture’s signature long and thin hour markers and ‘Assegai’-shaped hands, as well as a sub-seconds on the 6 o’clock position. I think that the dial on this Galet Micro-Rotor showcases a strict sense of minimalism, yet it still manages to retain a sense of depth and engagement through its textures. There is a certain quality and cohesiveness about the dial that is quite difficult to put into words, but it is easily understood when you see or handle the watch in person. It is almost like seeing color for the first time – there is just something about the watch that makes you go “yes, this makes perfect sense.” While I can hark on about how beautiful the dial is, it is the movement that really made people fall in love with Laurent Ferrier in the first place. Turn the Galet Classic Micro-Rotor over to its back and you will find encased within its 18k Rose Gold case the in-house, 35 jeweled, FBN Cal. 229.01 with impeccable finishing, a solid micro-rotor, and a double balance spring. The idea here is that they are meant to cancel out each other’s errors in order to produce a more consistent and accurate timing. The FBN Cal. 229.01 is also COSC-certified and features an impressive 3 days power reserve. The FBN Cal. 229.01 is what made Laurent Ferrier famous when they first launched and to this day, it is still one that I admire. I don’t think I have to explain too much, the photos will do the talking and show how amazing the finishing is. It is without a doubt that Laurent Ferrier makes some of the most beautiful and understated dress watches on the market today, and not many people will know what it is. It only takes someone to feel and try the watch to know that it is pure quality, and how special this Galet Classic Micro-Rotor is in the metal. What makes this particular example even more special is that it is an extremely early example, and one of the first 30 Galet Classic Micro Rotors made, with a serial of 2X.