For the latest model in its elegantly retro-look Square series, independent Genevan watchmaker Laurent Ferrier turns to a style pioneered in the 1940s, legend says, by a watch repairer in California, which refurbished a number of dials with an unconventional combo of Roman numerals in the upper half and Arabic numerals in the lower. This so-called “California dial,” still a favorite among some collectors, perhaps partly due to its relative rarity, brings a distinctive look to this week’s Watch to Watch, the ultra-exclusive Laurent Ferrier Square California.

Like the original Square case developed by Laurent Ferrier in 2015, this one has a sporty, sculptural look that is “inspired by a pebble” while also “leaning toward a cushion shape.” Made of stainless steel, it measures 41 mm by 41 mm in diameter, making it slightly larger than its predecessors in Ferrier’s Classic collection. The case has the signature ball-shaped crown and hooked caseback with an olivette that allows easy access to the movement for a watchmaker. The sunburst blue dial, framed by a white railway track, uses white decals for the Arabic and Roman numerals, along with white-painted drop-shaped hour markers. The dial also hosts the usual assortment of Laurent Ferrier hallmark details, including white-gold arrow-shaped hour and minute hands, with white Super-LumiNova-coated tips, and a snailed small seconds subdial with its red-painted baton hand.
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