Laurent Ferrier: Galet Minute Repeater School Piece

It is the Minute Repeater, the ultimate horological complication, the latest project that Laurent Ferrier addressed to pursue his watchmaking dream: that of reinterpreting traditional fine watchmaking classics while adding a resolutely modern personal touch.

Revealed at Baselworld 2018, the Galet Minute Repeater School Piece hosts the hand wound caliber LF707.01 with 80 hours of power reserve.

Laurent Ferrier chose a very classically designed movement with a Swiss lever escapement and traditional materials for a complication whose originality lies in crystal clear sound and a long chiming sequence.

The Minute Repeater is a particularly sophisticated mechanism as the watch hammers must be tuned like a musical instrument and the movement must also “know” at any given time how many notes it must strike.

The striking mechanism is activated by a sliding bolt built into the left side of the case-middle. Tiny hammers strike a two-pitched gong to sound the hours, quarters and minutes.

A minute repeater watch strikes on demand a low-pitched note for each hour, a double high- and low-pitched note for the quarters, and a high-pitched note for every minute that has elapsed since the last quarter. For example, if the time is 11:59 the minute repeater will sound 11 low tones representing 11 hours, 3 sequence tones representing 45 minutes and 14 high tones representing 14 minutes after 45 minutes.

The time is struck by small steel hammers on differently tuned gongs – steel coils curving in a circular shape around the movement. When designing the striking mechanism, the weight and the position of each hammer must be perfectly adapted to the corresponding gong. The adjustment of the hammer position and the gongs by the master watchmaker is extremely important. The note is calibrated using a xylophone: D sharp for the hours, F sharp for the minutes, together sounding a major third interval.

To ensure the sound would be as beautifully rounded as possible, the 40 mm case has been made of non-water-resistant steel, a choice of material accentuating the chime and endowing it with a clear, light tone. So as to prolong the listening pleasure, the chime lasts is 17 seconds for the longest indications. Well-modulated spacing of the hours, quarters and minutes chimes is another key characteristic of this model.

Laurent Ferrier’s signature characteristics are still present in the movement parts: a winding pawl with a long blade, a distinctively shaped balance-wheel, a Côtes de Genève motif as well as finely cut bridges. The sapphire crystal case-back allows a view of the finishing of the movement with its manually chamfered angles and polished screw heads.

The pure and minimalist dial of the Galet Minute Repeater School Piece has been treated with a 6N red gold colour, featuring copper glints thanks to the vertical satin-brushed finish, one of the favourite finishes of the watchmaker. The silver- toned small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock is adorned with a snailed finish. The gold hours and minutes hands have an “Assegai” shape, while the small seconds are indicated by a baton-type hand.

Finally, Laurent Ferrier’s Minute Repeater watch is proposed with a strap in brown alligator leather, Alcantara lining or Timberland beige calf leather.

A fascinating and collectible timepiece, of which just 5 pieces will be produced over the two next years.

By Valeria Garavaglia