The year 1979 holds special significance for Laurent Ferrier. It was the year he raced a Porsche 935 Turbo at Le Mans for the Kremer Racing Team, alongside François Servanin and François Trisconi, securing third place. This milestone serves as the inspiration for Ferrier’s most technically ambitious sports watch, launched this year to mark the brand’s fifteenth anniversary: the Sport Auto 79.
From Circuit to Workshop
The Sport Auto 79 evolves the tonneau case and integrated bracelet first seen in titanium in 2022, rendered here in 18k red gold—case and bracelet unified. Where titanium offered lightness and technical innovation, red gold introduces warmth, substance, and durability. The result is the brand’s inaugural precious‑metal sports watch.
The barrel-shaped case measures 41.5 mm across and 12.7 mm thick. Sharp yet smoothly contoured edges lead into tapering bracelet links, creating a wide, low profile distinct from previous Galet designs. On the wrist, the gold’s substance is apparent, yet distribution remains balanced—curved flanks and supple links spread the weight evenly, ensuring comfort for extended wear. Hand-finishing extends to every surface—bevelled edges, polished centres, brushed flanks—a standard the maison has maintained since inception.
Dial and Functionality
The dial, in cream opaline with a subtle rose-silver finish, recalls the instrument clusters found in 1970s endurance racers. Indices in 18k red gold stand applied, while Ferrier’s spear‑shaped Assegai hands feature discreet Super‑LumiNova for easy reading in low light. Small seconds sit at six o’clock; the date sits at three—clear, functional, uncluttered. Water resistance reaches 120 metres, practical for sport, sealed by the integrated bracelet’s precise articulation. Retailing at CHF 79,000 (approximately £69,000 / $85,000)—a deliberate reference to the 1979 race—the Sport Auto 79 shifts the brand’s direction: more robust in material, sharper in sporting intent.
Engineering in Miniature
Beneath a sapphire crystal caseback, calibre LF270.01 is visible. This automatic movement is powered by a platinum micro‑rotor, laser‑engraved with the “1979” motif—a detail revealed only when the watch is turned over. The movement provides a 72-hour power reserve, with bridges treated in ruthenium and finishing that requires more than a hundred manual operations. At its heart is a Swiss lever escapement, selected for reliability under dynamic conditions. The construction emphasises durability along with refinement: polished screw heads, ruthenium-treated bridges, and Côtes de Genève striping are all realised in-house, in keeping with a tradition Ferrier refined during his 30 years at Patek Philippe.
Final thoughts
The Sport Auto 79 marks Laurent Ferrier’s first red gold sports watch which extends the tonneau architecture introduced in 2022. Red gold brings warmth and a substantial presence that set it apart, while the restrained design and robust construction make it suitable for daily wear. It reads as a quiet statement—shaped by a driver’s memory and realised through a watchmaker’s craft.
