Galet Square

 
Galet Square
The Galet asserts a new character
 
Hunter-type, cushion-type, tonneau-shaped: these words are all part of the shared vocabulary of watchmaking, but the term Galet (pebble) is inextricably entwined with the world of Laurent Ferrier. Galet is the name of the brand's first collection, unveiled in 2010. Five years later, polished by time and shaped by experience, the ‘pebble’ is being reinterpreted. At Baselworld 2015, Laurent Ferrier unveils its new model: the Galet Square.
 
Its evolution has been gentle and gradual, like the curves of minerals polished by the waves. The pebble, stemming from centuries of the incessantly repeated work of nature, embodies the purest expression of gentle shapes. For Laurent Ferrier, the Galet is the perfect integration of all parts of a case, as if one were holding a pebble in one’s hand. The whole challenge lay in preserving the spirit of the Galet, and of interpreting this new shape into the initial project without making a break with the past.
 
Laurent Ferrier humbly decided to approach his original Galet by starting with a blank page. Purpose and design (dessein and dessin in French) met and mingled under the swift strokes of his pencil, until a whole new shape was reached that is a first in the brand’s collections. The Galet Square is not a culminating point, but instead a new step in the ongoing affirmation of the Laurent Ferrier style.
 
A DESIGN IN WHICH EVERY DETAILS IS HONED TO PERFECTION
 
Technically speaking, the original Galet has become a square leaning towards a cushion shape. Laurent Ferrier has devoted particular attention to the aesthetic harmony of the model. This involved rigorous respect for the proportions between the volume of the case and that of the movement. The flowing lines designed five years ago by Laurent Ferrier have been maintained and are now housed within a new case that reprises every subtle detail. The difficulty of the exercise lay in preserving this aesthetic signature while gently shifting it towards new lines.
 
The Galet Square, measuring 41 x 41 mm, is intended to assert a bolder presence on the wrist than the models that inspired it. Its lines are writing a new chapter in the history of the Laurent Ferrier workshops.
 
THE COLLECTION WELCOMES ITS FIRST STEEL CASE
 
This is also the first time that Laurent Ferrier is introducing a steel case. The Galet Square, which is joining the brand’s regular collections, thereby opens up a whole new creative era for collections that had thus far been crafted only from rare and precious metals.
 
The movement is still the self-winding FBN 229.01 calibre with unidirectional pawl-fitted micro-rotor and a three-day power reserve. This is the third in-house movement developed, assembled and adjusted in the Laurent Ferrier workshops. It is equipped with silicon escapement featuring double direct impulse on the balance. This innovation developed by Laurent Ferrier enables the balance to be impelled twice per oscillation, a principle that requires two escape-wheels and an appropriately shaped lever. This modern construction, combined with the use of cutting-edge materials, maximises energy efficiency, thereby guaranteeing a high amplitude of the balance. This reduces the amount of mechanical force required to wind the mainspring and thus optimises winding.
 
In terms of finishing, the Galet Square proposes a blue dial featuring a vertical satin-brushed finish that is a favourite with Laurent Ferrier and creates a velvety sheen that is particularly pleasing to the eye. This variation features 11 white gold hour-markers.
 
The finishes reflect the high standards Laurent Ferrier imposes on all its creations. All are performed in keeping with the finest watchmaking traditions. Alongside the Côtes de Genève motif on the bridges and the circular graining on the mainplate, the wheel spokes are bevelled, the screw hands are chamfered and polished, the interior angles are hand-crafted. The sapphire crystal case-back provides a fascinating glimpse of this fine workmanship and reveals an attractively balanced structure stemming from a clever combination of lines and curves.