North America Exclusive: Classic Traveller Meteorite
Following on from the Square Micro-Rotor California and the Classic Traveller Magnetic Green, today prestigious Swiss watchmaker LAURENT FERRIER is unveiling its latest model, the second limited edition exclusive to the North American continent: the Classic Traveller Meteorite.
The Classic Traveller was launched in 2013. A contemporary timepiece for globetrotters, it offers a new way to read the dual time zone. By paying close attention to detail and balance, but also to the sense of proportion and curves – which define the spirit of LAURENT FERRIER – the piece combines perfect legibility with the classic vision of fine watchmaking.
This unique timepiece was designed for the modern adventurer. It features a dark blue dial made from real meteorite, as well as a refined calibre with a micro-rotor and a natural escapement. The Classic Traveller is the ideal way to intensely experience your travels through space and time. Whether you're exploring the confines of the universe or just getting away for the weekend, this watch will help you keep track of time.
With its impeccable design and refined finishes, the Classic Traveller is a true work of art that will definitely impress lovers of fine watchmaking. Stylish yet functional, this new limited edition of just 15 pieces will allow you to travel through the cosmos in style.
An interstellar dial
For this exclusive new model, the LAURENT FERRIER team was inspired by the greatest of journeys: that of a meteorite, which started as an asteroid and made an interplanetary journey before entering the atmosphere and exploding hundreds of millions of years ago, shattering into endless pieces. It travelled a long and perilous path before ending up on our planet, where it has now been picked up and given a second life. The meteorite is therefore the epitome of travel – a journey not only through space but also through time. Each dial is unique and comes from a particular and completely different fragment of a meteorite called Muonionalusta.
This meteorite struck northern Scandinavia, west of the border between Sweden and Finland, around 1 million years BCE. It is one of the oldest meteorites to have struck the Earth. It is part of an iron core of a planetoid that broke into many pieces when it fell on our planet. Originally anthracite in colour, the blue is obtained by immersing the meteorite fragment in a galvanic bath to give a deep metallic blue.
A slightly raised white silkscreen print adorns the blue dial and enhances the natural motifs of the meteorite. The hours are indicated by white printed baton-Roman numerals. Similarly, both the markers of the small seconds, located at 6 o'clock, and the logo, are white printed. The famous LAURENT FERRIER Assegai-shaped hour and minute hands and the baton seconds hand are in 18K white gold and are also white coated.
An ingenious model
Delicately incorporated into the left side of the grade 5 titanium case, two perfectly symmetrical oblong push-pieces are used to adjust the local time, which is indicated by the central hand. When moving to another time zone, this central hour hand can be moved forwards or backwards, hour by hour, simply by pressing. The upper push-piece moves the hand forwards by one hour while the lower pusher does the opposite, all without moving the minute hand. In addition to this rapid local time adjustment, the date, indicated in the aperture at 3 o’clock, automatically changes when the hand passes midnight, adapting to journeys between different time zones without any additional operations. The aperture at 9 o'clock retains the reference time (home time). Its 24-hour display ensures a clear distinction between day and night.
A refined calibre
The Classic Traveller Meteorite is powered by the LF 230.02 self-winding calibre, which incorporates the second time-zone setting mechanism as well as the date. It has a pawl-fitted micro-rotor unidirectional self-winding system, backed by a double direct-impulse natural escapement. This escapement is especially unique in that it sends two impulses directly to the balance with each oscillation, giving it excellent efficiency and a 72-hour power reserve.
The movement is decorated and finished in the spirit of fine watchmaking, combining delicacy and artisanal know-how. The sapphire crystal case back of the Classic Traveller Meteorite offers a glimpse of the finesse of this work. In addition to bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève and a circular-grained mainplate, the flanks are chamfered by hand and the screw heads are polished. The hand-chamfering can be seen in the finesse of the interior angles, which demonstrates the authenticity of LAURENT FERRIER's watchmaking art.
SHOW TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Movement:
LF230.02 calibre• Self-winding by 18K solid gold eccentric micro-rotor
• Natural escapement with double direct impulse to the balance
• Silicon pallet-lever with self-lubricating properties produced with LIGA technology
• Indications: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o'clock, date at 3 o'clock, home time at 9 o'clock.
• Correctors: two push-pieces at 10 o'clock and 8 o'clock
• Diameter: 31.6 mm in diameter, or 14’’’
• Thickness: 5.80 mm
• Frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
• Power reserve: 72 hours
• 288 components
• 44 jewels
Case:
•Polished grade 5 titanium
• Dimensions: 41 mm in diameter
• Thickness: 12.64 mm, including sapphire crystals
• Domed sapphire crystal, sapphire crystal case back
• Water-resistant to 30 metres
• Titanium “ball-shaped” crown
Dial:
•Galvanic blue Muonionalusta meteorite
• White coated baton-Roman hour markers
• Bevelled date aperture, at 3 o’clock
• Small seconds at 6 o’clock, white printed markers
• Bevelled second time-zone aperture, at 9 o’clock
Hands:
•Polished and domed white coated 18K white gold
• Hour and minute hands: Assegai-shaped
• Seconds hand: baton-shaped
Strap:
•Midnight-blue cork, hand-stitched, tone-on-tone topstitching
• Grade 5 titanium pin buckle
