top end replica watchmakingThis year, the new Galet Traveller Globe Night Blue version joins into Laurent Ferrier Galet Traveller collection, a contemporary timepiece collection intended for globetrotters.
The Galet Traveller was presented in 2013. The new version launched in 2016 takes inspiration from the view of Earth seen by night and features a three-dimensional dial marrying gold and champlevé enamel. Thanks to keen attention devoted to details and to balance, as well as to achieving the pleasing proportions and refined curves characterising the Laurent Ferrier spirit, the model combines perfect legibility with the traditional principles of haute horlogerie.
The centre of this dial is adorned with a convex planisphere depicting the five continents in 18K white gold, surrounded by a blue enamel sea. Crafted using the age-old champlevé technique, the area destined to host the seas and oceans is hollowed out from the material before the enamel is applied. The difficulty of this exercise lies in performing this enamelling on a domed surface serving to reproduce the rotundity of the Earth and in highlighting the central five continent motif. The edge of the continents slopes gently towards the coastlines, displaying various shades of blue.
The three-dimensional effect is reinforced by several aesthetic details. The emerged territories are painted and the world’s cities seen by night are depicted by gold leaf-adorned dots further enhancing the contrast with the oceans. Hand-finished with a circular satin-brushed decoration, the outer gold ring dips towards the central sphere, thereby accentuating the illusion of a raised globe literally balanced on top of the dial.
The unique aesthetic of the model is heightened by the drop-shaped hour-markers whose tips extend beyond the ring, giving the impression that they are literally suspended in the void.
The Galet Traveller Globe Night Blue was developed in such a way as to combine practicality with an overall balance of the timepiece, thus ensuring readability and performance in all circumstances.
Two perfectly symmetrical oblong pushers delicately integrated into the left-hand side of the case serve to adjust the local time indicated by the central hand. When passing from one time zone to another, this central hours hand may be moved forward or backwards in one-hour increments by successive presses. The upper pusher moves the hand one hour forwards, while the lower one moves it backwards, all without affecting the minutes hand.
In addition to this fast adjustment of local time, the date appearing through an aperture at 3 o’clock automatically jumps when the hand passes midnight, thereby adjusting without any separate intervention to the transitions between different time zones. Meanwhile, the 9 o’clock aperture keeps track of the reference time (home time). The 24-hour display provides a natural distinction between daytime and nighttime hours.
The Galet Traveller Globe is powered by self-winding LF Calibre 230.01, incorporating the dualtime adjustment mechanism as well as the date. It features a system of unidirectional automatic winding via a pawl-fitted micro-rotor, backed by a double direct-impulse échappement naturel.
This escapement is distinguished by the fact that the balance receives two direct impulses for each oscillation, thereby guaranteeing excellent efficiency matched by an 80-hour power reserve.
The decoration and finishing are performed in keeping with the spirit of Haute Horlogerie, combining extreme dexterity with artisan-style expertise. The sapphire crystal case-back of the Galet Traveller Globe enables one to admire the exquisite refinement of this craftsmanship. In addition to the Côtes de Genève décor on the bridges and the circular graining on the mainplate, the sides are manually chamfered and the screw heads are polished. The hand chamfering is particularly visible in the finesse of the interior angles, highlighting the authentic respect for the top end replica watchmaking art consistently cultivated by Laurent Ferrier.
Technical details
Reference LCF012-G
Movement
Self-winding Calibre LF230.01
Off-centred micro-rotor in 18K solid gold with pawl-fitted unidirectional winding, fixed between the mainplate and the bridge of the micro-rotor and equipped with a “silent bloc” shock-absorbing system
Natural escapement with double direct-impulse directly on the balance
Silicon pallet-lever with self-lubricating properties, escape-wheels in a phosphorous nickel alloy, produced according to LIGA technology.
Diameter: 14’’’ ( Ø 31.60 mm)
Thickness: 5.80 mm
Frequency: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour)
Power reserve: 80 hours
288 parts
44 jewels
Reference LCF0012.G1.NGE08
Indications
hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock home time/reference time at 9 o’clock.
Correctors
Crown for winding and time-setting and, on the left side of the case, two push-buttons (+) and (-) respectively positioned at 10 and 8 o’clock, to adjust the time hour per hour with automatic date correction.
Case
18K non-rhodium plated white gold
Three parts: case middle, bezel and snap-on case-back
Size: Ø 41 mm (49 mm including the lugs)
Thickness: of the material 10 mm / including the sapphire crystal 13.70 mm
Domed sapphire crystals, front and back
Water-resistant to 30 metres
“Ball-shaped” crown in 18K white gold
Dial
In 18K gold, spherical centre in translucent blue champlevé enamel with a circular satin-brushed sloping blue rim
Drop-shaped hour-markers in 18K white gold
Bevelled date window at 3 o’clock
Dual time-zone aperture at 9 o’clock
Hands
18K white gold; “assegai-shaped”
Strap
Hand-sewn blue alligator leather, Alcantara lining
16 mm pin buckle or double-blade folding clasp, in 18K white gold