“Read that headline again, please?! The Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Golden Brown retails for RM1,059,650?!”
Yes, my friends. Yes, it does. And it is limited to only 24 pieces worldwide, so there you go. Now that we have firmly established that none of us mere mortals are ever going to come close to owning one, let’s take a (distant) look at the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Golden Brown.
Laurent Ferrier is marking its 12th anniversary this autumn (roughly Sept to Nov to us living in tropical climates) with a new interpretation of its Grand Sport Tourbillon. Original iterations of this model were released in 2019, fyi.
“So, what’s new then?”
Well, for starters, the Grand Sport Tourbillon Golden Brown sports an integrated case and bracelet fashioned out of 18k 5N red gold. Case dimensions include a diameter of 44 mm and a height of 13.4 mm. Sapphire crystals are found on both sides of the watch, as it should. I mean, it’d be a shame to not display that movement, right?
Inside, it’s the calibre LF619.01. The 23-jeweled, hand-wound tourbillon movement beats at 3 Hz and has a power reserve of 80 hours. Unlike most tourbillons, the view of it is only privy to the owner. The finishing touches come in the form of horizontal satin brushings and ruthenium treatment on the mainplate and bridges.
Now, moving back to the case itself. There’s circular satin brushing on the bezel and a similar but vertical finish on the portion of the case. However, look closer and you’ll spot the contrasting, polished finish on the rim and outer edge of the case as well as bracelet.
Finally, the knurled, onion-shaped crown protrudes from the case, making it easy to hand wind the (remember, hidden tourbillon!) movement.
“Now, the chocolate dial of the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Golden Brown…”
Frankly, I myself am not so keen on the red gold but a chocolate dial. Yes, sign me up! The graduated shades of brown go very, very well with the red gold (I’ll admit that). Even better is the subtle crosshair element on the dial. I find that it’s tastefully offset by the small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock.
Mind you, I’m not the biggest advocate for small seconds either but here, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The hour markers and hands are also made out of 5N red gold with SuperLuminova because sports watch.
Those of you who are hardcore fans of Laurent Ferrier might even notice that the trademark “Assegai” hands are slightly wider and broader. A necessary measure to apply the right amount of lume.
Last but not least, the bracelet. The integrated three-link bracelet is made out of, you guessed it, 5N red gold as well. It comes with a folding clasp and features a mostly brushed finish. As mentioned, the outer edge of each link is polished.
“So, would I (theoretically) get one?”
In an age of rather predictable dial and case colour combinations, I’d say the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Golden Brown is a breath of fresh air. If you were to describe a watch made out of red gold paired to a brown dial to me, I’d probably suppress a bit of vomit.
However, this is just one of the few occasions where that combination really has to be seen (only in pictures for me, unfortunately) to be appreciated.
Now, which bank should I rob…