This week, the Palexpo facility in Geneva, Switzerland, will become the center of the watch world for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH, a luxury watch show rivaled only by BaselWorld in relevance and prestige. We’ve got a team on the ground, there to bring you the most exciting releases. Follow our coverage here, and also be sure to check out Instagram. We’ll be posting to our feed throughout the week.
Key Specs
Price: TBD
Availability: TBD
Movement: In-house LF230.02
Winding: Automatic
Case Diameter: 41mm
Case Thickness: 10mm excl. crystal
Case Material: 18k white gold
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Unique Features: Dual-time aperture at 9:00; corrector pushers at 10:00 & 8:00 to adjust dual-time display by hour; opaline dial
Upshot: This new piece from high-end watchmaker Laurent Ferrier features a sporty 41mm case in 18k white gold, which packs an offset micro-rotor to power a unique take on the dual-time complication. A dual-time or GMT watch in and of itself may not be such a rare thing, but the way it’s presented here is compelling, and it speaks to the wealth of design knowledge and ingenuity at LF (the window at 3 o’clock shows the date at home, while the one at 9 o’clock displays a secondary reference time). The availability of both black and white opaline dials will increase the appeal to a wider audience.
Who It’s For: Simply put, the Galet Traveller is for a wandering soul for whom money is not object. Watches from Laurent Ferrier are made and finished to a level that sets them apart from even the very best timepieces you’ll see, and they come with a price tag to match their inherent quality. That being said, you’re getting a white-gold chronometer watch that’s both distinctive and unarguably beautiful.
First Take: LF went with opaline (a kind of milky, semi-opaque glass) for the dial rather than enamel, which gives this watch a special depth that plays with light and sets off the other dial components really nicely. An enamel dial can be quite striking, but again, this is something slightly different; like the new Bridge One, this piece showcases LF’s playfulness and creativity as a brand. The sub-seconds dial adds a further level of elegance to a design that’s already firmly rooted in classic motifs (albeit with its own modern touches).
Insight: While the casual observer could glance right over a watch this simple and clean, the eye of any enthusiast is likely to linger and notice the sheer fineness of detail and care taken with the watch — detail and care that, in the end, make all the difference.
