Laurent Ferrier Honors Its Roots With The Sport Auto 79

Fifteen years after its founding, Laurent Ferrier looks back to the very race that ignited its destiny. The Sport Auto 79 pays homage to the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the Maison’s founders secured an understated third-place finish—and in doing so, dreamt of creating a watchmaking house defined by passion, elegance, and tradition.

This anniversary timepiece is sheathed entirely in 5N red gold, from the 41.5 mm case to the integrated bracelet. Its cushion-shaped bezel and barrel-shaped middle case nod to the aerodynamic lines of racing cars, while the opaline cream dial with silver-rose galvanic treatment radiates quiet humility. Delicate powder-grey transfers, a snailed small seconds at 6 o’clock, and a bevelled date at 3 o’clock heighten legibility, complemented by Assegai-shaped hands and indices in red gold, luminous with white Super-LumiNova®.

At its heart beats the LF270.01 calibre, a self-winding micro-rotor movement conceived, assembled, and hand-finished in Geneva. With a 72-hour power reserve, a platinum rotor engraved with race motifs, and ruthenium-treated bridges polished to perfection, the movement reflects the Maison’s uncompromising craftsmanship.

More than a watch, the Sport Auto 79 is a talisman of courage and perseverance—a celebration of how one fleeting moment on the racetrack became the enduring soul of Laurent Ferrier.