Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue

Origin

Laurent Ferrier may be a name associated with beautifully classic yet modern watches, but the man behind the name has a story which begins long before the creation of his namesake brand in 2009. With a great lineage of watchmakers carrying the Ferrier name, Laurent Ferrier was exposed to mechanical timekeeping from a young age before joining Patek Philippe after qualifying from watchmaking school. It was here where Ferrier's forged his legacy, working closely on the production of the Nautilus leading up to its launch in 1976. Despite a brief stint away from the watch industry to follow his other passion for car racing, Ferrier's time at Patek Philippe is renowned due to his role heading the product development department. Just shy of four decades at the prestigious watchmaker, Ferrier and his friend from endurance racing François Servanin founded Laurent Ferrier, the manufacturer, in 2009. Focusing on developing handmade and hand-finished watches with timeless elegance and a custom contemporary aesthetic, the characteristics of a Laurent Ferrier creation are holistically understated.

With its founder's unique relationship to the Nautilus and a lifelong passion for adrenaline-fuelled racing, Laurent Ferrier is perhaps one of the most qualified independent watch manufacturers for luxury sports watches, and in 2019 the Grand Sport Tourbillon was released. Created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the companies founding and the 40th anniversary of Ferrier and Servanin's Le Mans third place position, this new family arrived with a bang. Extremely limited and priced over CHF 150,000, it wasn't until 2022 before the Sport line was graced with a non-limited, permanent Sport model, the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue. With an integrated bracelet, grade 5 titanium exterior, and an automatic calibre inside, the Sport Auto Blue tackles the widespread luxury sports watch genre with bespoke charisma and individual flair.

The Watch

Described by the man himself as "a tribute piece to the extraordinary adventure that we experienced as young men. The ideal timepiece to wear during each of our races", the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue is a modern example of a luxury sports watch. Still, it's not without its flourishes of heritage. The smooth flowing lines of its convex cushion case abide by the brand's dedication to uncluttered beauty, with its grade 5 titanium construction offering a different tone of glow to its brushed and heavily bevelled appearance. Continuing the precedent defined by its case body is a traditional three-link bracelet with a hidden butterfly clasp gracefully ensuring its design remains unbroken. The signature onion-style ball-shaped crown found throughout the Laurent Ferrier catalogue nestles at the widest point of the case, reminding the wearer of the brand's appreciation for classic styling. Despite not being a limited edition watch, the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue does have a limited production, with only 125 pieces made in its inaugural year of 2022, which adds a degree of scarcity.

Throughout the Sport Auto Blue exterior, specific design cues are identifiable as possessing a 1970s flair, but it's when examining the dial of the piece that the overriding style of the decade is most prevalent. As evident in this model's name, the matte finish opaline dial has a dark blue

tone, which has a gradient, fumé effect. Dials executed in this manner invariably evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue, but this piece raises the level of interest due to its dial furniture. Contributing a great deal to the character of the Sport Auto, the brand's signature drop-shaped applied markers are matched by 18k white gold Assegai-shaped hour and minute hands, each carrying a highly polished finish alongside green Super-LumiNova.

The Sport Auto has no shortage of character-rich features, with the significantly recessed and bevelled date complication being a standout example. Its distinctive nature is free from comparison as it flows from its white framing to a cross-hatch design, cutting through the central handset and moving down towards the baton-shaped hand of the second sub-registers. This design only pauses twice for the Lauren Ferrier signature at twelve and the ghosted series name 'Sport Auto'.

Miniature Porsche 935

Included with the sale of this Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue is a miniature replica model of the exact Porsche Laurent Ferrier and François Servanin drove at Le Mans 1979 when they achieved third place. Complete in its matching livery with total accuracy to the racing car, this special Porsche 935 model was only produced in a limited edition run of 400 cars.

The Movement

Powering the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue is the in-house calibre LF270.01. Capable of 72 hours of autonomy from its micro-rotor winding system, this mechanical creation features 31 jewels and is finished with more than 139 manual operations. Visually, the movement bears a stripped-back appearance with straight brushed and ruthenium-coated bridges mirroring the titanium exterior of the watch while offering a subtle contrast to the polished interior bevels. Finished by hand is the graceful transversal bridge for the micro-rotor, as its polished finish glows in the light. The micro-rotor it holds is produced in platinum and houses a unique decoration completed in relief which further honours Ferrier's and Servanin's 1979 Le Mans performance, as it tells some of the story from the historic day.

How It Wears

On the wrist, this interpretation of the luxury sports watch feels very personal to the Laurent Ferrier man and the brand. Its accents and features are holistically executed and differ from the typical timepieces in the brand's lineup. Measuring 41.5mm in diameter with a case thickness of 12.7mm, the Sport Auto Blue sits notably on the wrist. However, what is challenging to communicate with an on-wrist image is quite how prominent the cushion case, matching bezel style, and the natural journey down to the bracelet truly is. The Sport Auto Blue embodies what it means to be a luxury sports watch, a definition that Laurent Ferrier helped outline and now has captured with the utmost accuracy.

Condition

The Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto Blue is presented in brand new, unworn condition. The timepiece is offered as a complete original set, including its outer box, wooden box, warranty, manual, eye loupe, and cloth. As mentioned, the watch is sold with a miniature model Porsche 935, a numbered edition of 400 and complete with the livery Laurent Ferrier and François Servanin raced with during the 1979 Le Mans.

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. We are based in Ghent, Belgium.

* Every watch is delivered in a Mr WATCHLEY Membrane Protection Box for a safe transportation in addition to its original set *