IntroducingLaurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Série Atelier VII

Very few brands come to mind as fast as Laurent Ferrier when someone asks me what watchmaker makes the most "IYKYK" watches out there. For those less acronym inclined, that means "if you know, you know." It's true. Shortly after its founding, Laurent Ferrier broke ground with an immediate hit in 2010, the Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral, and promptly won the GPHG prize of best men's watch for that inaugural creation. A manually wound caliber with a double balance spring tourbillon, the LF619.01 movement in that watch certainly turned heads at the time and has stood the test of, well, time.

This year, as a celebration of 15 years since the Classic Tourbillon's introduction, Laurent Ferrier introduces a new, very small run of the Classic Tourbillon in a new verdant colorway with the Classic Tourbillon Teal - Série Atelier VII. Most of the characteristics of the original Classic Tourbillon remain unchanged. The 41mm all-polished pebble case shape seen across most of Ferrier's designs is executed here in platinum, for the first time in this collection. The naturally bright sheen certainly works well to lead focus to the rich color of the dial.

While the dial color is new, what's faithful to the original is the use of grand feu enamel. The teal green enamel backdrop gets accents in sky blue enamel, including the railroad minutes track, logo, and small-seconds markers. The trademark lengthy Roman numeral hour markers are outlined in white enamel for legibility, and bright hints of white gold are found in the bevelled and hand-polished small seconds sundial frame and the hands.

A grand feu enamel dial is typically plenty for a collector to be happy with a watch, but here, it's all about that tourbillon. Just like the original, the tourbillon is hidden entirely from the dial side. It's not a tourbillon to show off while on the wrist; rather, Laurent Ferrier's original intentions were all about chronometric precision (hence the double hairsprings). Why two hairsprings? Well, in a similar idea to the tourbillon's original purpose of compensating for the gravitational effect on an escapement, the idea is that two opposing hairsprings would theoretically mitigate any lateral effects on the balance staff, leading to better stability in timekeeping. Combine that in a tourbillon? Well, then you get caliber LF619.01.

Turn the watch over and you'll finally get a peek at that double balance spring tourbillon cage, as well as a whole suite of the brand's meticulous hand finishing. Just the bridge for the tourbillon cage alone in this caliber features around thirty internal angles, not to mention the other techniques applied to the movement, such as brushing, black polishing, and frosting. The usual striping of the caliber is replaced with horizontal brushing and a ruthenium treatment, while moving components are, for the first time in Laurent Ferrier history, rhodium-plated for a modern monochromatic look without any warm gold accents.

The Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Teal - Série Atelier VII will be available exclusively on the Laurent Ferrier website and will be priced at CHF 195,000.

There's nothing more of a flex in collecting, in my humble opinion, than getting a tourbillon that's only seen through the caseback. And this new take on the Classic Tourbillon from Laurent Ferrier embodies that wholeheartedly. The brand has managed to evade the bubble of hype from the past five years, managing to steadily produce its catalogue of watches for collectors looking for classic design and flawless finishing. And that finishing is truly something else. Though some collectors may prize the heavy striping of the traditional Classic Tourbillon movement, I think that the combination of the horizontal brushing and the darker finishing actually does more to draw your visual focus to the actual tourbillon itself. That tourbillon cage, as always, is just drop-dead gorgeous. 

A release like this entry in the brand's Série Atelier line is targeted for a very small group of people — Laurent Ferrier has offered these small runs of limited editions through themselves as a way to offer small sets of unique watches with shorter delivery times. But in the bracket of $200,000 tourbillons, it's great to see Laurent Ferrier's contributions to the complication get some fresh life via a new livery, and hopefully mark another 15 years of life to come.

Brand: Laurent Ferrier
Model: Classic Tourbillon
Reference Number: LCF001.P1.EVC1

Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 12.5mm
Case Material: 950 Platinum
Dial Color: Teal (Grand feu enamel)
Indexes: Enamel
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Forest green alligator leather, hand-stitched, Alcantara lined

Caliber: LF619.01
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, tourbillon
Diameter: 31.6mm
Thickness: 5.57mm
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 VpH
Jewels: 23
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: CHF 195,000
Availability: Laurent Ferrier Online
Limited Edition: Yes, five individually numbered pieces.

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