During Baselworld this year, we had a conversation with the CEO and Mr Ferrier and the story is the following :
One year before the creation of the company “Laurent Ferrier SA”, his son Christian Ferrier was working at “La Fabrique du Temps” (way before LVMH acquired it) during his last year there he was exclusively working on future “Laurent Ferrier” movements, knowing that his father’s brand would been founded the next year.
Back then he worked on the two calibers, the “Tourbillon Double Spring” and the “Minute Repeater”.
Obviously for a new brand to release its very first watch with a minute repeater didn’t make any sense!
When Christian Ferrier left “La Fabrique du Temps” he obviously took all the work on the movement designs with him.
Meanwhile “La Fabrique du Temps” continued to work on other projects and ever since it is possible that the base movement was an inspiration for others.
It took them many years to release the “Repetition Minute” because Mr Ferrier thought it was not the right time to release a Grand Complication like this minute repeater since the market demand was for more affordable pieces.
Regarding OnlyWatch concern, they released a unique piece made on a very special alloy (Arpal) which wasn’t used on the current 4 black titanium pieces.
These 4 watches proceeds will also go for the same charity’s underlying (Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies)
Finally the Montre Ecole’s lugs issue that was raised here, if we look at the bezel and the middle-case, you will see that it’s different from the original shape.
Finally the straight lugs are just thinner but this requires the same amount of work.
Hope this clarifies some concerns…