When it comes to elegant, formal design, few eras in watchmaking can compare to the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. The aesthetics of small seconds and stepped cases characteristic of that time are still highly valued among enthusiasts, and echoes of this stylistic heritage continue to resonate in the modern luxury watch market. Laurent Ferrier pays homage to this era of elegance in its latest models, combining echoes of the era's most beloved models with seamlessly integrated original concepts. The limited edition Laurent Ferrier Hommage II, developed in collaboration with Phillips Watches and Bacs & Russo, is an impeccably executed love letter to the greatest watches of the 1940s, utilizing custom-made components for all watch parts except the movement, creating a truly unique appearance distinct from the brand's standard offerings.
A significant portion of the focus on the Laurent Ferrier Hommage II series is centered around the 40mm stainless steel case, and for good reason. The unique stepped case design is a rarity in today's market, but this unorthodox look was characteristic of the period Laurent Ferrier aims to emulate. In the Hommage II model, the brand has seamlessly incorporated many of the era's defining features.
The stepped bezel design immediately draws attention, adding depth to the case in images while utilizing a light matte finish. Creating a layered effect, the brand also softens the appearance of the very wide bezel, allowing for a sense of compactness on the wrist without making the case disproportionately large. Laurent Ferrier contrasts the matte satin finish of the bezel with a mirror polish on the smooth conical lugs, while the vertical sides of the case feature a classic horizontal matte finish.
Instead of a polished chamfer, this wider polished section lends brightness and formality to the look but allows the brand to maintain the simple, contour-free shape characteristic of that era. Laurent Ferrier deviates from the period style only with a somewhat more modern case size (though this is clearly dictated at least partially by the movement size), as well as a wide sapphire crystal case back.
Laurent Ferrier offers the Hommage II model with two noticeably distinct sector dial concepts. The matte black dial model is more straightforward and masculine, with straight sword hands over an Arabic numeral hour scale with playful streamlined dashes connecting each softly rounded numeral. A contrasting white outer railroad minute track and minimalist sub-seconds indices at 6 o'clock prevent this model from appearing too simplistic or obtrusive in initial images. A delicate thin printed crosshair pattern and wider white rings framing the hour scale also lend the design a sense of lightness and nuance.
However, it is the model with the silver-white dial that stole the show in photos, thanks to a more complex color palette and less aggressive execution. A blued handset helps set the tone for the overall design, with shades of dark blue echoing in the dial text, scales, and Arabic numerals. The brand adds depth and complexity to the classic dark blue and white color combination with an hour ring executed in an unusual yet undeniably beautiful pale pink hue. While pink and salmon dials are almost absent in modern design, they were commonplace in the first half of the 20th century, and the dusty and delicate execution lends the dial a vintage charm.
Both variants of the Laurent Ferrier Hommage II are equipped with the signature LF 116.01 hand-wound movement. While the movement itself has appeared in several of the brand's small seconds models over the past few years, here the LF 116.01 receives an entirely new matte gold finish on the wide bridges and plates to better reflect the vintage movement finish. Despite its vintage appearance, the LF 116.01's specifications are fully modern: an 80-hour power reserve with a frequency of 21,600 beats per second, designed for weekend wear.
Laurent Ferrier equips both variants with vintage-style leather straps, stitched on the box. For the white dial model, the brand has chosen a warm tobacco brown suede, while the version with the black dial features a strap made of mottled leather in an appealing saffron-yellow color.
Highlighting and reimagining some of the greatest watch designs of the 1930s-1950s, the limited edition Laurent Ferrier Hommage II creates a truly breathtaking look, which is in itself an impressive exercise in style.
Only 16 pieces of each color will be released, with a total run of 32 models. Laurent Ferrier Hommage II watches are available now exclusively at the Phillips Perpetual boutique for 32,000 Swiss francs. For more information, visit the Phillips Perpetual website.