This year, Laurent Ferrier has chosen to revisit its iconic model, the Square Micro-Rotor with a reinterpretation of a great watchmaking classic, the Californian dial.

A CALIFORNIAN INSPIRATION

Adapted from the famous Art Deco inspired dial which has the particularity of mixing Roman numerals in its upper part with Arabic numerals in the lower part, this new creation also embraces LAURENT FERRIER refined aesthetic codes. This dial configuration, known as Californian, takes its name from the 1940s when a number of watches featuring this style of dial were refurbished by a company based in California. It has since become a watchmaking classic and was initially designed with one aim in mind: to provide optimal legibility in all conditions. Legibility and elegance being the watchwords of the LAURENT FERRIER workshop, they are transposed here in the smallest details of the hands and the incredibly refined decals. In addition to the mix of Roman and Arabic numerals, this new dial features a grey powdered decal at 12, 3 and 9 o'clock, reproducing the outlines of the brand's famous drop-shaped hour markers, filled with white SuperLuminova. The brand's iconic blue dial, is enhanced by a sunburst finish and overlaid with a white railway line, reinforcing the legibility that is so dear to the designer. The entire dial is completed by 18k white gold stamped "arrow" shaped hands filled with white SuperLuminova for the hours and minutes. The snailed seconds dial is punctuated with a fine white decal and topped by a red-painted white gold "baton" shaped hand, giving the entire composition a distinctive sporty spirit. LAURENT FERRIER, who has often reserved his sportiest creations for his American collectors, has once again wished to pay them tribute by dedicating this engraved "California Dreamin" serie exclusively to the US market. Limited to 11 pieces only, they are each numbered from 0 to 10/10.

AN ICONIC CASE

Born in 2015 out of a desire to offer a more casual version of its iconic Classic case, the Square case embodies the same aesthetic codes inspired by a pebble and whilst leaning towards a cushion shape. The Square case, made of stainless steel, measures 41mm by 41mm and has therefore a bolder look on the wrist than its predecessor. This case is fitted with the ball-shaped winding crown, a true LAURENT FERRIER signature. As in most of the collection, the back is hooked. The movement is accessible to the watchmaker through the olivette. Its water-resistance is guaranteed to a depth of 30 meters.

A NATURAL ESCAPEMENT CALIBRE

The movement is a self-winding FBN 229.01 calibre, equipped with a unidirectional pawl-fitted micro-rotor and offering a three-day power reserve. This is the first exclusive in-house movement developed, assembled and adjusted in the Laurent Ferrier workshops. It is fitted with a silicon escapement featuring a double direct impulse on the balance. This technology developed by Laurent Ferrier enables the balance to be impelled twice per oscillation, a principle that requires two escape-wheels and an appropriately shaped lever. This innovative construction, combined with the use of cutting-edge materials, maximises energy efficiency, thereby guaranteeing a high amplitude of the balance. This in turn reduces the amount of mechanical force required to wind the mainspring and optimises winding.

For the finishes, LAURENT FERRIER draws its inspiration from centuries-old watchmaking traditions. Satin-finishing, polishing, chamfering, or circular graining are all techniques inherited from the founding fathers of watchmaking. The Côtes de Genève motif is a recurring reminder of the Canton and the city of Laurent Ferrier's birth. The specific bevelling applied to the engaging angles is a discipline to which LAURENT FERRIER devotes particular care. Although many manufacturers have abandoned this entirely manual technique, it remains the norm at LAURENT FERRIER workshop, where two specific movement decorators are responsible for this task, among other decorations. Through this creation, Laurent Ferrier gives his contemporary and elegant vision to a mythical theme from the 1940s.

« California Dreamin series », limited-edition of 11 pieces
Reference LCF013.AC.CG9C1 

SHOW TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Movement: FBN 229.01 calibre, automatic winding with pawl-fitted micro-rotor Silicon escapement with double direct impulse on the balance
Indications: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock
Movement diameter: 14’’ = 31.60 mm
Movement thickness: 4.35 mm
Frequency: 21'600 vph (3Hz)
Power reserve: 72-hour Number of parts: 186
Number of jewels: 35

AESTETIC CHARACTERISTICS

Case: Stainless steel
Water resistance: to 30m
Ball-shaped crown in stainless steel
Case dimensions: 41 mm x 41 mm
Case thickness: 11.10 mm

Dial:
• Blue sunburst finish
Index: White decals Roman numerals, Arabic numerals, and painted drop-shaped markers
• Small seconds dial at 6 o’clock

Hands:
• Hours and minutes: “arrow” shaped in 18k white gold 210Pd and white SLU
• Seconds: « baton » shaped in 18k white gold 210 Pd painted in red

Strap:
• Light brown Barbialla calf with Alcantara lining
• Pin buckle in stainless steel

 

For more information:

Please contact Charles at cma(at)laurentferrier.ch