Pedal To The Titanium

No one can boast about being a notable watchmaker and racecar driver. Laurent Ferrier can, and marries both his passions in one timepiece.

- WORDS FARHAN SHAH PHOTOS LAURENT FERRIER

IN 1979, three amateur racecar drivers stood on the podium of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, soaked in champagne, buzzed from the adrenaline, and lofting the second runner-up trophy high in the sky. The trio—Laurent Ferrier, François Servanin, and François Trisconi—had reached the pinnacle of endurance racing, not knowing where the future lay, but drunk with optimism.

"In a state of elation, I offered a Nautilus to Servanin as a token of gratitude after this shared performance," Ferrier reminisces. At that time, the daredevil was also working at Patek Philippe when he wasn't breaking speed limits on the racetracks. "By way of thanks and inspired by this gift, Servanin, a born entrepreneur, then challenged me: 'What if after this feat, we continued the adventure as a team by making our own watch?!'”