Aside from being an independent watchmaker, Laurent Ferrier was an avid racer 40 years ago, competing in the 24 Hour Le Mans seven times and winning first place for the two-liter prototype category in 1977. It was during his racing career that he met François Servanin, a fellow driver and industrialist, who shared a passion for mechanics with him. The duo’s friendship flourished out of their shared interests and the two eventually ended up racing behind the same wheel of a Porsche 935T in 1979 for the Kramer racing team, earning third place in the competition. Fast forward 30 years to 2009, the two racers decided to put their passion into practice and founded the Laurent Ferrier watch brand. Now, in celebration of their 40-year-long friendship, and love of racing, Laurent Ferrier has created the ’70s motor-racing-inspired Tourbillon Grand Sport.
The elegant timepiece features a smoked taupe-colored dial carrying orange luminescent hands and indexes under a spherical sapphire crystal — providing a sleek rounded side profile. The 44mm stainless steel casing houses a tourbillon movement with a Swiss lever escapement and has an 80-hour power reserve; there’s also a small seconds at the 6 o’clock position. The watch is rated to 100 meters and finished with a taupe rubber watch strap and a folding clasp for a truly racing-inspired aesthetic.
For more information on how to acquire this limited edition timepiece, head over to Laurent Ferrier’s website.
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