Third generation watchmaker Laurent Ferrier’s life has been shaped by the 40 years he spent as creative director of Patek Philippe. So, it is natural that for the first complication at his independent manufacture, Ferrier looked to the storied manufacture’s past. In many ways, the Galet Traveller takes obvious inspiration from the Patek Philippe Travel Time reference 2597. The aesthetic of the Galet Traveller is however all of his own.
The 41mm red gold, with a pronounced, rounded bezel and domed sapphire crystal, meets a similarly formed midcase. This gives the watch a pebble-like organic shape that is very pleasing. The display caseback features laser etched branding of the London-based retailer that commissioned this watch, William & Son.
The midcase features two pushers on the left hand side that help quickset the hour hand to travel time. The pushers, much like the reference 2597, are rounded in profile, with a ridge in the middle. The one at 11 o’clock advances the hour hand forward in one-hour increments, while the pusher at 8 o’clock retreats the hour hand in similar jumps.
The dial features a brushed outer rim with applied gold hour markers that frame the champlevé centre. At 9 o’clock is a window with a digital ‘home’ time display, while its counterpart at 3 o’clock, is a smaller window displaying the date. The date can be adjusted forwards or backwards by the onion-style crown. The primary display represents ‘travel’ time.
The centre of the dial has an almost imperceptible curvature to it, mimicking that of Earth. Created by Olivier Vaucher, champlevé technique has been employed giving a three-dimensional impression; metal is hollowed out to create troughs to represent the seas and oceans before enamel is filled in. The result is that the water bodies, benefit from more layers of colour, and are a darker shade of blue. Gold dusting has been used to create topographical features on the continents, to approximate the view of the planet from space. In this example, the UK is finished in gold foil, giving it a reddish-golden hue that serves to visually distinguish the isles.
Visible through the exhibition caseback is the self-winding calibre LF 230.01. It has a double direct impulse escapement – the escape lever is locked down between two escape wheels. This arrangement is less power-intensive and aids in maintaining a stable amplitude. The movement, with a fully integrated dual-timezone mechanism, beats at a frequency of 21,600 A/h and is wound by a solid gold micro-rotor. The bridges are finished with delicate Geneva waves.
The watch comes on a brown, alligator-style leather strap with a red gold pin buckle clasp from the brand. Finishing the set is a display case with William & Son branding.
