Laurent Ferrier: history, models and value

Founded

2009

Founder(s)

Laurent Ferrier, François Servanin

Headquarters

Plan-les-Ouates (Geneva)

Owner / group

Independent

Laurent Ferrier: origins and founding

Laurent Ferrier SA was established in 2009 in Geneva, and the brand presented its watches publicly in 2010. The founders were the watchmaker Laurent Ferrier and his friend François Servanin. The first watch, a tourbillon with two balance springs, had been shown in 2008.

Founders and family

Laurent Ferrier was born in 1946 into a family of watchmakers; he is the third generation. He trained at the Geneva watchmaking school and spent about three decades at Patek Philippe, where he worked on movement prototypes, including for the first Nautilus, and rose to technical director. He was also a racing driver: with François Servanin he finished third at the 1979 Le Mans 24 Hours in a Porsche 935. His son Christian Ferrier studied micro-technics at the Geneva watchmaking school.

Laurent Ferrier history and milestones

• 2010: the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral wins the men's watch prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).
• 2012: the Galet Micro-Rotor, with a natural escapement inspired by Abraham-Louis Breguet.
• 2013: the Galet Traveller, with a second time zone.
• 2015: the Galet Square wins the GPHG Horological Revelation Prize.
• 2016: the brand exhibits at the SIHH in Geneva.
• 2018: the Galet Annual Calendar School Piece wins the GPHG men's complication prize.

Famous Laurent Ferrier models

• Galet Classic: the round, pebble-shaped case (galet means pebble in French), including the Tourbillon Double Spiral.
• Galet Micro-Rotor: an automatic watch with a micro-rotor, which became the core of the range, including school-piece (Montre École) versions.
• Galet Traveller: dual time zone.
• Galet Square: a cushion-shaped case.

Movements and technique

The brand focuses on precision and hand finishing. Its best-known technical features are tourbillons with two balance springs to improve timekeeping, and a natural escapement in the micro-rotor models, a design first developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Laurent Ferrier today

The company is private and independent, based in Plan-les-Ouates near Geneva. It made about 300 watches in 2021, and Florent Perrichon is CEO. It belongs to the independent haute horlogerie segment. Around 2016, steel models cost roughly 35,000 Swiss francs and tourbillons about 180,000 Swiss francs at retail.

Laurent Ferrier prices on the pre-owned market

Laurent Ferrier has a loyal collector following, and its watches appear at specialist dealers and major auction houses. Galet Micro-Rotor models in steel or gold are the most common. Tourbillons, limited editions and unusual dials attract the strongest interest. Clean, unpolished cases matter, because the soft pebble shape is easily damaged by polishing. Box and papers help.

How to recognise a genuine Laurent Ferrier

Look for very fine finishing through the sapphire caseback, a case with smooth rounded flanks, and crisp dial printing. Check that the serial number on the caseback matches the papers; the brand can confirm its watches. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers the basics.

What is your Laurent Ferrier worth?

Send us photos of the dial, caseback and papers for a free watch value estimate. For insurance, inheritance or a sale, a written watch appraisal is also available.

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