Independent watchmaker Laurent Ferrier is known for its dress watches with exquisite finishing, but the brand has also ventured into complications on several occasions, with one of the best-selling examples being the Traveller.

Now, the brand is refreshing the Classic Traveller Globe Night Blue with a new dial that presents the concept of a night view of the world — more subtle, minimalist, and perfectly aligned with the brand’s image.

Classic Traveller: A GMT watch with a world map

At its core, the Traveller is a twin time-zone watch, but it isn’t quite the typical GMT, avoiding the clumsiness of additional hands and a bezel. First unveiled at Baselworld in 2013, the Traveller has seen several iterations, from a simple sector dial to a cloisonné enamel dial depicting the world map.

Typically, a world map in enamel only appears in a world-time watch, which makes the Classic Traveller special. It’s practically a GMT watch but with the added luxury of enameling.

What sets the current example apart is its depiction. World maps are usually rendered in a rainbow palette, as seen in some of the brand’s own Traveller models, but the Globe Night Blue edition takes a different approach. It shifts away from the daytime view and instead offers a more mysterious perspective of Earth at night.

This involves replacing the colorful palette with a two-tone look, using shades of blue and gold to depict the illuminated parts of the Earth from space — executed, of course, using the most refined method: enamel painting. The result is a much more subtle appearance that immediately sets it apart from the typical world map, which is becoming more common and less distinctive than it once was.

In fact, the latest Globe Night Blue edition is even simpler than its predecessor, the first edition revealed in 2016. The previous version featured a brighter dial with all the continents painted in lighter shades of blue, and a wider palette that included white and red. The result was stunning as well, perhaps even more striking than the current edition. However, for those seeking something different from the typical enamel dial of a world map, the latest edition is the one to choose. Its quietness is so pronounced that it makes it special and undeniably a conversation starter.

Despite the simpler palette in the latest edition, the execution doesn’t feel cheaper or simpler. The gold speckles are painstakingly rendered in a wide range of densities, adding depth and texture. The attention to detail is most noticeable when zooming in on the sparse areas of North and South America, where faint gold sparkles appear, instead of an entirely flat blue dial.

Reading dual-time on the Classic Traveller

The twin time-zone mechanism in the Traveller is reminiscent of the classic Patek Philippe Travel Time from the 1950s. This means twin buttons on the left side of the case to advance the second time zone forward or backward in hourly increments.

However, there are differences. Laurent Ferrier doesn’t rely on an additional hand on the dial for the second time zone. Instead, a window opening displays a rotating disc. This approach avoids clutter on the dial, while also improving readability, as the Arabic numerals are more pronounced and easier to trace than reading a small, additional hand.

Turn the watch over, and you’ll find the most expensive part of the timepiece, the LF 230.02 movement. Based on the Micro Rotor movement of the brand’s time-only watch, the LF 230 is one of the most refined automatic movements on the market today.

The self-winding Calibre LF230.02 features an off-centered micro-rotor in 18K gold with pawl-fitted unidirectional winding

Not only does it feature a micro-rotor, but the movement also packs a range of technical extravagances that will appeal to engineering-minded enthusiasts. For instance, the automatic winding system is more complex than usual, incorporating a ratchet and clicks. The escapement is also unique, featuring a natural escapement rather than the standard design.

Still, the movement will appeal to aesthetically minded collectors, not just because of the pleasing arrangement of the components, but also because of its exquisite finishing. Hand-worked details can be found throughout, particularly in the polished bevels along the bridges and the black-polished bridges for the micro-rotor and balance wheel.

Tech Specs: Laurent Ferrier Classic Traveller Globe Night Blue

Reference: LCF012.G1.NGE10
Movement: Self-winding LF 230.02; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; second time zone; date
Case: 41mm × 12.64 mm; 18K white gold; water-resistant to 30m
Strap: Deep gray Nubuck leather strap with 18K white pin buckle or double-blade folding clasp
Price: CHF 90,000 (excluding taxes)