Right before Baselworld 2016 kicks-off next week, Laurent Ferrier introduces a special limited edition of the Galet Traveller designed exclusively for the U.S. market, with a new enamel dial that gives the entire North American continent pride of place. For aesthetic reasons, the dial has been aligned with the north pole slightly off center and the usual reference point of the Greenwich Meridian rotated roughly 90 degrees anti-clockwise to allow a full view of the United States. The view going as far down as northern Latin America, with hints of Europe and Asia visible around the right-hand edge of the dial, it is an unusual perspective that has rarely, if ever, been seen on a watch dial.
The outline of the continents is produced in cloisonné champlevé enamel, meaning that the base of the dial is hollowed out and individual compartments are added for the different colours of enamel, which range from a deep blue for the oceans to a green for the plains, verging towards yellow and orange for areas of higher altitude, as is familiar from most maps. The big challenge with this dial is cutting out the date window and applying the hour markers on the fragile grand feu enamel base.
The back of the watch is equally as delightful to look at, with a transparent sapphire crystal revealing the complexity of the Calibre LF230.winding movement, has been chronometer certified by the Besançon Observatory in France.
A solid gold microrotor with a “silent bloc” shock-absorbing system provides the timekeeping functions and offers an 80-hour power reserve, while the ultimate in precision is provided by the natural escapement with double direct impulse directly on the balance from a self-lubricating silicon pallet lever.
Added to this is the supremely easy to use dual time function, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards with the date automatically adjusting if the international date line is crossed during the process.
Front, back and inside, therefore, there is sufficient technical content to justify the price tag of this exceptional creation from Laurent Ferrier, a recipient of the GPHG last year. This new Laurent Ferrier Galet Traveller USA Enamel Dial will be available in a 10-piece limited edition, exclusively sold only in the United States.
This new watch is yet another one that we can't wait to fully review as we report live straight from Baselworld 2016 next week. Our live Baselworld 2016 coverage will begin on March 16, 2016. Stay tuned!
Sticker Price $84,000 USD. For more info on Laurent Ferrier click here.
