Laurent Ferrier is revered by collectors for watches defined by balance, restraint, and mechanical sophistication. Long before establishing his watch company, he was a racing driver competing at Le Mans in a Porsche 935. His story reflects an instinct for precision, proportion, and beautiful engineering.
Ferrier’s first car was a Fiat 500, sparking a lifelong fondness for compact design. Without money for racing, he bought a Lotus 18 with friends at age twenty to learn machinery through driving.
AKer aLending a Belgian driving school, he won a Formula Ford race at Hockenheim. In 1975, he entered Le Mans for the first time, returning annually until 1981 in Lolas, Chevrons, Porsches, and BMW M1s. In 1979, he finished third overall in a Porsche 935.
Simultaneously, Ferrier built a career at Patek Philippe, agreeing to return in 1974 on the condition he kept weekends free to race. He spent four decades there, eventually becoming head of product development. Racing taught him that every detail affects the outcome, a lesson applying directly to watchmaking.
In 2009, encouraged by teammate François Sérvanin, Ferrier founded his own brand at age 63 alongside his son Christian. His first watch, the Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral, launched in 2010 with an emphasis on simplicity and proportion.
Ferrier dislikes loud designs, favoring balance, harmony, and pebble-inspired galet cases. He believes removing unnecessary elements makes essential qualities visible.
Today, his workshop produces 500 to 600 watches yearly. Whether racing at Le Mans or finishing a movement, Ferrier spends his life pursuing mechanical perfection.
Forthcoming from Prestel on 15 September 2026: “Swiss Watchmakers: The Stories Behind Switzerland’s Iconic Watches” by photographer Horst A. Friedrichs and writer Stuart Husband.
