Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole Watch Review

Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole Watch Review

Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole Watch Review

A Fast Consider The LAURENT FERRIER MONTRE ECOLE

It needs to be stored in your mind that Mr Laurent Ferrier is, to begin with, a wrist watch passionate. He's spent his entire career concentrating on produced timepieces - he was the creative director of Patek Philippe, a business to whom he labored for 37 years. As he produced their own brand, he attempted to intensify this passion in the watches, with several ideas: an easy, refined and very clean design, slightly vintage-inspired with pocket watches elements, inside a proper Haute-Horlogerie concept, with superbly finished and decorated movements, with innovative technical features.

Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole Watch Review

Today’s Laurent Ferrier Galet Micro-Rotor “Montre Ecole” is, in the shape and style, a powerful tribute to Ferrier’s school many towards the pioneering watchmakers who converted pocket watches into wristwatches. The effect can result in seen having a situation which differs from the two others watches already contained in the gathering: the Galet and also the Galet Square. The Montre Ecole is pure round, with lugs that appear as though they’re put into the situation, much like converted pocket watches. There is a strong vintage appeal within this watch, while not in the usual 1950s or 1960s watches, but clearly in the beginning from the wristwatches. It will come in 3 versions: stainless, white-colored gold and red gold.

Within the situation is Laurent Ferrier’s signature movement, a micro-rotor engine, using its plastic escapement’s double direct-impulse around the balance with pawl-fitted micro-rotor, and fully wound storing 72 hrs of power reserve. As the gold versions have a classically decorated movement (Geneva stripes and rhodium plated bridges), the steel form of the Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole is slightly different. The selection is made to possess a (slightly) rougher decoration, recalling the initial materials employed for prototyping, for example brass, that provides a contrast with steel. Further hands-finishing skills put on the movement include shot-blasting, referred to as microbillé, which provides it this matte, almost incomplete look.

Around the wrist, well, there's an very elegant watch, which feels both modern (because of the 40mm diameter), well proportioned (a pleasant balance between your diameter and also the thickness, at 10.95mm) and the like overall discretion that you will only recognise its significance for those who have a powerful understanding in watches - and clearly, this is correct elegance. Of course with LF watches, enhanced comfort around the wrist is excellent, because the entire situation is rounded and does not have just one sharp edge - it’s the type of watch that you simply strap on and may forget after a few minutes, when there wasn’t this superb design.

However, all this isn't the point want to know ,. As stated, the Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole in Steel costs CHF 35,000 / Euro 33,000. A significant steep cost for any 3-hands watch inside a commoner metal… This is actually the exact reason such watches have to be described, to become discovered, to become explored having a loupe, to be able to reveal their beauty and also the handwork completed in the tiniest information on their situation, their dial, their hands or their movement. Here, you will see what traditional Haute-Horlogerie means.

THE Situation

Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole Watch Review

We’re going to get this done crescendo, moving from large to small details. First, the situation. Initially, the situation from the Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole (regardless of the version, all of them share the very same design and finishing) is very simple. It seems like an exciting-round piece, in 3 parts: bezel, central container and caseback. Actually, it's kind of more complicated than that. As the Galet and Galet Square come with an almost seamless integration from the bezel and also the central container, the Montre Ecole includes a so-known as bassiné situation (this shape describes antique pocket watches that adopted a round, ovoid shape when checked out in the side, with no single flat working surface, so as not snag the inside from the pockets), with sharper defining lines between your parts, and lugs that aren't crafted in continuity using the casebands.

When checked out in the side, we are able to observe that there is a small, vertical dividing line all around the bezel and also the caseback, to animate the general very ovoid form of this watch - every surface is otherwise convex, giving this smooth style towards the watch. This small dividing line, almost invisible initially, can also be finished differently, having a circular brushing, and never polished like all of those other situation.

Also, the lugs from the Montre Ecole are actually straight and thin, and mainly they aren't really built-into the caseband. Rather, they reveal a obvious demarcation with all of those other situation, as though these were added later, much like early wristwatches, which mainly were converted pocket watches. This detail, as stupid because it appears, requires, actually, more attention when polishing the situation, so as not to interrupt the angles.

Finally, you will find the “pastilles” around the tip from the lugs - many will know them as “cabochons” - that provide echo towards the winding crown. Finally, there’s the caseback, having a azure very. Nothing original you’ll let me know, however there's one small detail the domed profile of the azure very making an enormous amount of difference when putting on the timepiece. It feels smooth and enjoyable onto the skin. Yes, it is not related to Haute-Horlogerie, however it shows an excellent shown to comfort.

THE DIAL AND HANDS

Let’s now move just a little much deeper into this watch, right now searching at some information on the dial, both your hands and also the indexes. Never be fooled through the neat and restrained appearance of this Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole, it features a lot to show.

As pointed out earlier, this watch is about simplicity. It features a minimalist method of the look that concentrates on the fundamental, on the caliber of the execution, around the noble materials as well as on the facts (some nearly impossible to note with no loupe or macro-shots), instead of expressing luxury when you are ostentatious. The dial from the Montre Ecole, particularly the steel version, is definitely minimalist. It shows one unique finishing, an upright, vertical brushing, around the entire surface - except the sub-dial for that running second obviously.

Yet, this dial is much more lively within the metal of computer feels initially. It needs to be familiar with sun light to determine the way it can alter colour, from the cold, blue-ant silver tone, to pink, yellow or eco-friendly reflection with respect to the ambient light. In a few conditions, like the image you can observe above, it's warm, smooth and more dark. In other conditions, like around the photo below, it might be a lot more metallic and also the brushed surface seems rougher.

When it comes to sub-dial at 6, it features a mixture of concentric pattern within the center and circular brushing around the periphery. Nothing remarkable however a very precise execution again. Observed closer, the dial reveals its details. First, the brushed surface and also the printings (see below). The brushing put on the dial is extremely finely performed and could be almost invisible in a few conditions. However, this is exactly what provides the Montre Ecole such altering glare. Then, there's the literature around the text, that is very precisely printed.

As easy as it feels initially, this dial is definitely enjoyable and combines an excellent discretion when seen around the wrist of their wearer, yet it reveals well-performed details when observed having a loupe.

On all his creations, Laurent Ferrier uses its signature hands, so-known as “assegai-shaped” (a minimum of for that hour hands, the moment hands is really a classical leaf-formed one). This name describes an old kind of weapon, near to a contemporary javelin. Aside from their shape, it’s more the execution of those hands that impresses. They're crafted in 18k white-colored gold and thoroughly formed and polished.

A closer inspection reveals a perfect polishing. The center area of the hands named the “canon” is superbly chamfered and polished. The ultimate trick originates from their shape, because these hands aren't flat but domed, meaning that they'll simply be polished by hand…

Exactly the same focus on detail is visible around the indexes. Again, although fairly simple to look at, additionally they require persistence and trained hands to become crafted, formed and polished. The good thing about this watch isn't in becoming demonstrative,  in revealing too rapidly what it really is… It's some finesse, some delicacy, that'll be seen once hanging out with it… A romantic pleasure, reserved to the wearer.

THE FINISHING From The MOVEMENT

Let’s now move to another side of the Laurent Ferrier Montre Ecole and explore the movement… because clearly, this is when the cost entirely becomes justified. To begin with, this 3-hands movement isn't any type of automatic movement. It is dependant on a particular architecture and uses innovative solutions. The very first is using a micro-rotor, instead of the typical central rotor. This micro-rotor, having a nice sun-ray pattern, utilizes a unidirectional pawl-fitted winding system. Whilst not new in watchmaking, this architecture remains more complicated to produce than the usual traditional automatic movement.

Then, there’s the initial plastic escapement having a double direct-impulse around the balance. The controlling organ features several escape wheels (the first is visible within the photo above in fast, underneath the balance wheel). Which means that this escapement can provide two impulses per oscillation (1 oscillation = 2 vibrations), two times over a normal lever escapement. Thus, the movement’s frequency of 3Hz (21,600vph) enables impulsing the total amount 21,600 occasions each hour. This innovative construction, combined by using cutting-edge materials, maximises energy-efficiency, therefore guaranteeing a higher amplitude from the balance. This, consequently, reduces the quantity of mechanical pressure needed to wind the mainspring and optimises winding.