Laurent Ferrier Tourbillon with natural escapement

Probable

The brand's technical statement, and one of very few natural escapements in series production anywhere. The construction is difficult to make work reliably, which is why almost nobody attempts it — and which is why finding one is close to conclusive evidence in itself.

Specifications

Movement manufacturer: Laurent Ferrier
Winding: manual
Complications: Tourbillon · Double balance spring · Natural escapement

Architecture

A manually wound tourbillon with a double balance spring and a double direct-impulse escapement derived from Breguet's natural escapement: two escape wheels impulse the balance directly rather than through a pallet fork.

Authentication notes

MovementProbable
Two escape wheels and no pallet fork
A Swiss lever escapement has one escape wheel and a pallet fork mediating between it and the balance. A natural escapement has two escape wheels impulsing the balance directly. The difference is architectural and visible through a display back, and it cannot be produced by finishing a conventional movement differently. Where a watch is offered as carrying one, this settles the question.

Open questions

ResearchingMovement assignmentMedium

Which references carry the natural escapement

Across current and past production, which Laurent Ferrier references use the double direct-impulse natural escapement and which use a conventional Swiss lever?

Best current answer

The LF229 micro-rotor platform is described as carrying the brand's own take on the natural escapement, alongside its 3 Hz balance — so the escapement is not confined to the tourbillon references as this catalog first implied. Treat it as expected across the range pending a reference-by-reference confirmation, and treat its absence as a question rather than yet as a verdict.

Scope Materially advanced, and it broadens rather than narrows the check. The catalog had associated the natural escapement with the tourbillon; it appears on the MICRO-ROTOR platform as well, which means the escapement is a brand-wide signature rather than a single reference's feature. That makes its absence a stronger finding than previously recorded — but the exact set of references still needs establishing before absence can be treated as decisive.

References using this caliber

Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Double SpiralFactory
Classic · Whole production

Provenance of this record

Sources & Evidence

Primary sourceManufacturer documentation

Laurent Ferrier — collection and caliber specifications

Laurent Ferrier SA

Accessed: 2026-08-19

Cited for

This referenceHigh confidence

View source ↗

Secondary sourceSpecialist publication

Specialist coverage of the modern Swiss independent watchmakers

Established horological publications

Accessed: 2026-08-19