SLOW AND STEADY

Laurent Ferrier's 15th anniversary watch, the Sport Auto 79, carries a deep significance for its founders, highlighted by a keen attention to detail seen in this sporty integrated bracelet watch

- by Preetika Mathew

In modern watchmaking, there are few watch stories that are as deeply personal as that of Laurent Ferrier's Sport Auto 79. In the year 1979, the brand's founders, Laurent Ferrier and François Servanin, along with teammate François Trisconi, were placed third overall in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race. They had covered a grueling 3,988 kms in their Porsche 935T, but what's more significant is that they were a trio of amateur drivers who managed to make it to the podium. When they were felicitated with a watch for their efforts, it planted in the minds of Ferrier and Servanin, both of whom loved watches, the idea of starting a watchmaking maison. This would become a reality almost three decades later, with the launch of brand Laurent Ferrier. This year, as the brand celebrates its 15th anniversary, the Sport Auto 79 specifically pays ode to the milestone win that got things rolling.

Cars and racing are inextricably tied to brand Laurent Ferrier. The founders are passionate auto enthusiasts, and in fact, the 1979 win also serves as the bedrock of the Sport Auto line. So, it's easy to see how the Sport Auto 79—the '79' harking back to the year 1979—is an emotional watch, one that carries the weight of the brand's founding story. And it has been created in a way that reflects this through both material and chromatic choices.