Laurent Ferrier Classic Traveller Piece Unique for Art in Time Review

The ultimate hypothetical grail for any watch collector is likely a piece unique from their favorite brand. And if the brand is already somewhat elusive, that one-of-one is all the more **in my best Gollum voice** precious. So, a one-of-a-kind Laurent Ferrier may be just the sort of thing to tantalize the mind of anyone whose mouth starts to water at the mere mention of this independent high-horology brand. 

And it's not hard to see why. Its power lies in making a specific type of person obsessed. A collector who might become consumed by noticing hand-finished bevels and would happily spend an hour staring at an enamel dial in a trance rather than making eye contact at a party.

At first glance, this Classic Traveller feels understated, much like the rest of the Laurent Ferrier catalog, and especially for a one-off piece. But take a closer look, because the dial is a miniature work of art: rich blue grand feu enamel standing in for the Arctic seas, while northern Europe and Svalbard rise from the surface in sculpted white gold. The blue darkens as it stretches away from the coastline, creating a visually organic depth. Near the Mediterranean, a tiny red dot marks Monaco, commemorating the polar expeditions by Prince Albert I of Monaco in 1906 and his great-grandson Prince Albert II in 2006. It’s also a nod to the story of why this watch was made: in collaboration with Art in Time, a gallery in Monaco, to raise money for the Monaco Red Cross. 

Laurent Ferrier built this watch around their Classic Traveller, one of the brand's most practical complications (if any complication is truly practical). The dual-time display lets frequent travelers keep tabs on home while easily adjusting local time in one-hour jumps via the discreet pushers on the left side of the white gold case. Better yet, the date automatically follows local time, so even crossing the International Date Line requires less thought than deciding which watch to wear through airport security. 

The movement powering this watch is the LF 230.02, complete with Laurent Ferrier's signature double-impulse escapement and finishing to such a high degree that you’ll want to carry a loupe on your person so you can obsessively examine the movement. This is, without question, an object to treasure like few others. After all, Gollum never had a display case back.