Latest news with #Monnin
The Star
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Laurent Ferrier's Basile Monnin is obsessed with the finer details of his craft
Laurent Ferrier is a relatively new kid on the watchmaking block that has gotten everyone's undivided attention lately. The Swiss-based manufacturer was only founded in 2009 in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. Named after its founder, the brand takes pride in showcasing timeless elegance evident in its designs, combined with avant garde manufacturing technique. This has allowed Laurent Ferrier to become − in just over 15 years − a stalwart brand in the world of watchmaking, and certainly a noted one among horological fans all over the world. Son and grandson of master watchmakers himself, Ferrier has been immersed in the world of complications and movements since he was a child. In 1968, for instance, as a 16-year-old he designed a pocket watch during his apprenticeship, one that he now fondly recalls as the Montre d'École or the 'School Piece'. Then, for the next 37 years, he worked in Patek Philippe as its technical director. Robert Bailey, head of sales at Laurent Ferrier, presenting the finer details of the brand to media members in Kuala Lumpur. This was when his passion for cars – also developed from a young age – led him to compete in local races before moving on to car endurance competitions. He experienced firsthand the many similarities between racing and watches: it was essential to seek perfection in execution and precision in results for both worlds. In racing, just like in the measurement of time, details are everything and even a millimeter's margin of error is big enough of a mistake to cause failure. So, it's really no surprise that Basile Monnin, the brand's head of watchmaking, is also a keen devotee in the art of infinitely detailed finishings as well. Monnin oversees all the work dedicated to the production, assembly and decoration of the brand's timepieces. 'Yes, every bit of detail means the world to me! 'Each one of our LF270.01 calibre requires more than 139 manual finishing operations, and a key element that makes a Laurent Ferrier watch so attractive to collectors,' he says proudly. Checking the dimensions of a watch's raw main plate. The concept of 'finissage' Recently in Kuala Lumpur as a guest of Sincere Fine Watches, Monnin was keen to talk about the concept of finishing – derived from the French word finissage –which represents the pride of the Laurent Ferrier design team of 15 watchmakers and eight decorators whom he leads. 'What we call anglage in French, is what you may know as chamfering. This is the act of creating an edge between two faces of an object,' he explains. 'It's actually one of the most prized techniques in fine watchmaking. 'If you look at the bridges of a Laurent Ferrier movement, you'll notice this 45-degree angle that uniquely captures the light.' Monnin emphasises that this detail is not merely aesthetic. In technical terms, the angulation on the plates and bridges helps prevent stress concentrations in the watch material. 'The process begins with the removal of scratches and imperfections from the upper edges of the bridges. 'The edges are then smoothed and contoured using a file, forming a uniform angle with perfectly defined parallel lines. 'There's also the curved outer bevels, visible on the balance bridge of each watch's micro-rotor movement. 'This actually represent one of the greatest challenges for us as it cannot be executed by machinery, but must be worked on exclusively by hand,' says Monnin. Looking into the process of black polishing a watch's balance cock. Geneva Stripes The conversation then shifts to the Côtes de Genève or 'Geneva Stripes'. This is a decorative finish comprising a series of parallel, wavy lines that are applied to the bridges and plates of a watch movement. 'Originally, their function was to prevent the accumulation of dust and particles in the gears,' Monnin elaborates. 'But since many of the contemporary watch cases feature advanced seals, the Côtes de Genève have become more of an emblematic decorative technique of fine watchmaking.' Monnin explains that the pattern is applied mechanically using a steel cylinder with an abrasive belt moved over the bridges to create straight or circular lines. 'The lines should be uniform in width, but slight imperfections may be seen as a sign of hand finishing.' He draws attention to the satin finish on each Laurent Ferrier watch case. 'This sort of finish is common on many watch cases, but for us at Laurent Ferrier, it is used on a much smaller and more precise scale. 'A fine example is our Calibre LF270.01, in which the bridges feature an anthracite (dark greyish) satin finish, providing an elegant contrast with the micro-rotor bridge, and polished to black. 'We also use a circular finish, widely known in fine watchmaking as 'cerclage'. 'This finish creates fine lines by circular sanding on the metal surface. 'For round components, the lines are concentric and generate a characteristic light reflection, enhancing the aesthetics of the watch movement. 'Then, there's also the sandblasting technique – a type of finish that gives surfaces a smooth, matte appearance to further highlight the polished details of the movement.' Monnin adds that the last process involves projecting a volume of compressed air and fine sand onto the watch surface, creating thousands of micro-craters that are invisible to the naked eye. Brushing and polishing of surfaces set a hand-built and in-house movement apart from mass-produced calibres. —SAMUEL ONG/The Star Art of mirroring He then takes everyone through the ubiquitous watchmaking art of mirroring, or black polishing. This is the act of creating a perfectly smooth, nearly mirror-like surface on a watch. The technique's name comes from its ability to reflect light so that when viewed at a certain angle, the surface appears completely black. 'The process is extremely delicate,' says Monnin. 'The piece in question is first polished on a zinc plate with abrasive diamond paste. 'Then, controlled circular movements are made, gradually reducing the size of the abrasive grains. 'This is done until a perfectly flat and mirror-like surface is created which is, again, impossible to achieve by machines. 'At the end of it all, this art of hand-finishing not only embellishes the fine watches from Laurent Ferrier, but is testimony to a commitment to tradition and watchmaking excellence. 'Completing each one of our masterpieces requires decades of experience, thousands of hours of work and meticulous attention to detail by everyone in our team. 'And for the collectors who celebrate fine watchmaking, these finishes not only represent luxury and exclusivity, but also the true essence of Swiss artisanal savoir-faire,' Monnin concludes, with more than just a hint of satisfaction.
Reuters
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Monnin magic as Swiss skipper lifts sailing's Congressional Cup at 11th attempt
Summary Monnin wins Congressional Cup on 11th attempt Poole's bid for historic victory thwarted by Monnin Tapper's CYCA team finishes third, showing progress LONG BEACH, California, May 5 (Reuters) - Swiss skipper Eric Monnin clinched his first Congressional Cup on Sunday, beating champion Chris Poole of the United States 3–2 in a tense final at the 60th staging of the regatta known as the 'granddaddy' of match sailing. Monnin finally got his hands on the silverware — and the crimson blazer that comes with it — at his 11th attempt. The win wasn't just sweet for Monnin, it was a spoiler too, as he stopped Poole from sailing into the history books. Poole, fresh off a clean sweep against Aussie Cole Tapper in the semis, had been aiming to become only the second skipper to win three successive regatta victories, after American ace Taylor Canfield's feat from 2014 to 2016. "Chris put a lot of pressure on us, and we were close to cracking under it," 49-year-old Monnin said. "But winning this regatta is a big step for us. It's a big deal, and it means a lot to do it with this crew," he said of the team, which included his wife Ute and brother Jean-Claude. The closely fought final saw the lead change hands multiple times, with Poole drawing first blood before Monnin responded with back-to-back victories. The American levelled in race four, setting up a decisive winner-takes-all encounter. The climactic race delivered drama as Monnin suffered an early penalty off the start line but kept in contention in the light, fickle breeze. Fortune swung his way at the first windward mark when Poole clipped the buoy, earning a penalty that cancelled out Monnin's earlier infringement. With the slate wiped clean, a game of inches ensued. Monnin nursed a slender lead down the final run before the boats split gybes at the bottom of the course. Despite Poole catching a late puff to narrow the gap, the Swiss held firm to secure victory. Australia's Tapper completed the podium, claiming third place after defeating American Dave Hood in another series that went the distance. The result marked remarkable progress for Tapper's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) Youth Sailing Academy team, which finished eighth in their Congressional Cup debut last year. The Congressional Cup has been a fixture of the World Match Racing Tour since 1965, and is a high-stakes duel in Long Beach where six- or seven-person teams race identical Catalina 37s, all under a strict 525kg crew weight limit. Podium: 1-Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing (Switzerland) crew: Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, Maxime Mesnil 2-Chris Poole / Riptide Racing (U.S.) crew: Joachim Aschenbrenner, Ben Lamb, Mal Parker, Rob Scivenor, and Harry West 3-Cole Tapper / CYCA (Australia) crew: Jack Frewin, Max Brennan, Hamish Vass, Nathan Gulliksen, and George Richardson
The Star
05-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Sailing-Monnin stuns Poole to claim first Congressional Cup
LONG BEACH, California (Reuters) -Swiss skipper Eric Monnin clinched his first Congressional Cup on Sunday, beating champion Chris Poole of the United States 3–2 in a tense final at the 60th staging of the regatta known as the 'granddaddy' of match sailing. Monnin finally got his hands on the silverware — and the crimson blazer that comes with it — at his 11th attempt. The win wasn't just sweet for Monnin, it was a spoiler too, as he stopped Poole from sailing into the history books. Poole, fresh off a clean sweep against Aussie Cole Tapper in the semis, had been aiming to become only the second skipper to win three successive regatta victories, after American ace Taylor Canfield's feat from 2014 to 2016. "Chris put a lot of pressure on us, and we were close to cracking under it," 49-year-old Monnin said. "But winning this regatta is a big step for us. It's a big deal, and it means a lot to do it with this crew," he said of the team, which included his wife Ute and brother Jean-Claude. The closely fought final saw the lead change hands multiple times, with Poole drawing first blood before Monnin responded with back-to-back victories. The American levelled in race four, setting up a decisive winner-takes-all encounter. The climactic race delivered drama as Monnin suffered an early penalty off the start line but kept in contention in the light, fickle breeze. Fortune swung his way at the first windward mark when Poole clipped the buoy, earning a penalty that cancelled out Monnin's earlier infringement. With the slate wiped clean, a game of inches ensued. Monnin nursed a slender lead down the final run before the boats split gybes at the bottom of the course. Despite Poole catching a late puff to narrow the gap, the Swiss held firm to secure victory. Australia's Tapper completed the podium, claiming third place after defeating American Dave Hood in another series that went the distance. The result marked remarkable progress for Tapper's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) Youth Sailing Academy team, which finished eighth in their Congressional Cup debut last year. The Congressional Cup has been a fixture of the World Match Racing Tour since 1965, and is a high-stakes duel in Long Beach where six- or seven-person teams race identical Catalina 37s, all under a strict 525kg crew weight limit. Podium:1-Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing (Switzerland)crew: Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, Maxime Mesnil2-Chris Poole / Riptide Racing (U.S.)crew: Joachim Aschenbrenner, Ben Lamb, Mal Parker, Rob Scivenor, and Harry West3-Cole Tapper / CYCA (Australia)crew: Jack Frewin, Max Brennan, Hamish Vass, Nathan Gulliksen, and George Richardson (Reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Monnin stuns Poole to claim first Congressional Cup
LONG BEACH, California - Swiss skipper Eric Monnin clinched his first Congressional Cup on Sunday, beating champion Chris Poole of the United States 3–2 in a tense final at the 60th staging of the regatta known as the 'granddaddy' of match sailing. Monnin finally got his hands on the silverware — and the crimson blazer that comes with it — at his 11th attempt. The win wasn't just sweet for Monnin, it was a spoiler too, as he stopped Poole from sailing into the history books. Poole, fresh off a clean sweep against Aussie Cole Tapper in the semis, had been aiming to become only the second skipper to win three successive regatta victories, after American ace Taylor Canfield's feat from 2014 to 2016. "Chris put a lot of pressure on us, and we were close to cracking under it," 49-year-old Monnin said. "But winning this regatta is a big step for us. It's a big deal, and it means a lot to do it with this crew," he said of the team, which included his wife Ute and brother Jean-Claude. The closely fought final saw the lead change hands multiple times, with Poole drawing first blood before Monnin responded with back-to-back victories. The American levelled in race four, setting up a decisive winner-takes-all encounter. The climactic race delivered drama as Monnin suffered an early penalty off the start line but kept in contention in the light, fickle breeze. Fortune swung his way at the first windward mark when Poole clipped the buoy, earning a penalty that cancelled out Monnin's earlier infringement. With the slate wiped clean, a game of inches ensued. Monnin nursed a slender lead down the final run before the boats split gybes at the bottom of the course. Despite Poole catching a late puff to narrow the gap, the Swiss held firm to secure victory. Australia's Tapper completed the podium, claiming third place after defeating American Dave Hood in another series that went the distance. The result marked remarkable progress for Tapper's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) Youth Sailing Academy team, which finished eighth in their Congressional Cup debut last year. The Congressional Cup has been a fixture of the World Match Racing Tour since 1965, and is a high-stakes duel in Long Beach where six- or seven-person teams race identical Catalina 37s, all under a strict 525kg crew weight limit. Podium:1-Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing (Switzerland)crew: Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, Maxime Mesnil2-Chris Poole / Riptide Racing (U.S.)crew: Joachim Aschenbrenner, Ben Lamb, Mal Parker, Rob Scivenor, and Harry West3-Cole Tapper / CYCA (Australia)crew: Jack Frewin, Max Brennan, Hamish Vass, Nathan Gulliksen, and George Richardson REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Poole and Monnin seize control ahead of Congressional Cup finals
LONG BEACH, California - Under leaden skies and the lightest of breeze, the 60th Congressional Cup served up high-stakes drama on Saturday as four skippers secured semi-final berths in contrasting style. Chris Poole, of the U.S., and Switzerland's Eric Monnin advanced smoothly to the knockouts, while Long Beach's Dave Hood and Australia's Cole Tapper needed must-win races to reach the final four. Poole and Monnin now lead their respective semi-finals 2-0 over Tapper and Hood going into Sunday's finale. In Congressional Cup sailing, the skipper who finishes first in the round-robin stage can choose their semi-final opponent from three options, and Poole selected Tapper's Sydney crew before taking full advantage of pre-start chaos, with Tapper picking up multiple red-flag penalties. "We're back to where we were last year," said Poole. "Our plan is to keep improving one race at a time. We've been here twice before and feel like all the pieces are there." In the other semi, Monnin capitalised on light airs to secure a two-race cushion over Hood. "We weren't locked into the semi-finals to start the day, so it was a relief to win against Johnie Berntsson and then Chris Poole," Monnin said. "Now we hope to keep the momentum up." Hood remained undeterred: "We needed to come out and get it done and had a good race with Bjorn Hansen to make it through. We'll come out swinging against Eric tomorrow." Sunday's final will decide the winner of the Crimson Blazer at a regatta that has shaped match racing since 1965. Crews of six or seven compete in identical Catalina 37s, with 10 teams from seven nations taking part this year. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
