The premise of the new Laurent Ferrier Sport Traveller is simple: take the case shape and structure of the Sport Auto and pair it with the dual time functionality of the Traveller Globe Night. In doing so you get a completely new watch (even powered by a new movement) that has that familiar cushion-shaped design language that has become a Laurent Ferrier signature in recent years.
Jumping straight to the cushion case, it measures 42mm in diameter with a thickness of 13.3mm. The term cushion refers to a design that is part way between being round and square, creating the alternating thicknesses seen across the bezel with the curving corners where each vertex would be.
It’s a shape that has seen a lot of popularity in British watch design recently with models like the Fears Brunswick and Farer Cushion Case I think because it rides a line between being dressy and unusual. With Laurent Ferrier though, they use the layering of the case and bezel to create a quasi-1980s steel sports watch aesthetic, which is where the ‘sport’ in Sport Traveller comes from. Though this watch is made from titanium rather than steel.
Completing the design of the case are an onion crown at 3 o’clock and a pair of pushers at 10 and 8 o’clock. Those pushers are used to jump the central hour hand forward or backwards in intervals of one hour. This makes it easy to adjust local time on the dual time display when you cross time zone borders without having to reset the entire watch, boosting its ease of use and practicality.
For the dual time display, you have central hours, minutes and seconds to display local time and then a second aperture at 9 o’clock for a second time zone. Useful for keeping track of the time at home while you are away travelling, or perhaps if you are at home it’s instead useful for tracking the time in the country where your important client lives. The second time zone is balanced on the other side of the display by the date window.
Stylistically, the dial has a slate grey colour with an opaline finish paired with the Sport collection’s Assegai hands and teardrop hour markers. The colour gives the watch quite an industrial feel, reminding me of those vintage, chrome silver planes with twin prop engines that were in every adventure film for a while. The same colour is used for the snailed small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock, the presence of which is why the Sport Traveller required a new movement as the previous Traveller model doesn’t have small seconds.
The new movement is the LF275.01, an automatic calibre with micro-rotor and Swiss lever escapement. It has a 72-hour power reserve and 4 Hz frequency. Through the exhibition caseback you can see its satin brushing, bevelled edges and polished ruthenium bridges – very classy finishing without being overwhelming. Though the new movement does contribute to quite a high price of CHF 61,000 excl. taxes (approx. £58,250). Though that is admittedly less than the previous Traveller or full gold Sport Auto.
Price and Specs:
More details at Laurent Ferrier.
