Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 79 honours Le Mans 1979 and brand’s 15th anniversary

To honour the podium achievement at Le Mans 1979, Laurent Ferrier presents the Sport Auto 79 in red gold with a cream opaline dial. Price CHF 79,000

The new Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 79 celebrates a defining moment in the life of its founder: the third-place finish at the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, achieved by a trio of amateur drivers—Laurent Ferrier himself, François Servanin, and François Trisconi.

To mark the 15th anniversary of the independent watchmaking brand, the Sport Auto 79 pays tribute to that special moment.

Beneath a domed sapphire crystal, the dial features a cream-toned opaline finish created via galvanic treatment, giving the surface a delicate powdery texture with a rose-silver hue. 

The 5N red gold hour markers and hands are filled with white Super-LumiNova, while the snailed small seconds at 6 o’clock is accented by powder grey markers, echoed in the minute track.

The “Sport Auto” inscription appears in a tone-on-tone transfer between the central hands and the small seconds subdial. At 3 o’clock, a bevelled date window is outlined by a coordinated transfer for visual balance.

The 41.5 mm × 12.70 mm case is crafted in 5N red gold and paired with a matching integrated three-link bracelet. The case structure superimposes a softened bezel onto a rounded tonneau-shaped case middle, reminiscent of the Galet Square model introduced in 2015.

Each element features a mix of finishing styles. The bezel is circular satin-brushed with polished sides, contrasting with the vertically brushed case middle. 

The bracelet follows this alternating finish, with vertical satin brushing and mirror-polished chamfers. A ball-shaped screw-down crown helps ensure water resistance to 120 metres / 400 feet.

Inside, the LF270.01 calibre powers the watch. This 4 Hz automatic movement uses a 950 platinum micro-rotor for optimal efficiency and offers a 72-hour power reserve.

Finishing is performed entirely by hand in Laurent Ferrier’s workshop. 

Notably, the rotor bridge features finely bevelled corners, gentian wood and diamond paste polishing, and a mirror-like finish on the main plate side using a brouillage (scratch-brushing) technique. The decoration of this component alone takes two to three hours.

The Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 79, ref. LCF040.R5.GR1C1, is priced at CHF 79,000. laurentferrier.ch

Suggested reading:
- Introducing the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto