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New: Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Guilloché
Louis Erard is at it again! They released two new versions of their Petite Seconde in classical bicolour guilloché dials.
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Louis Erard is at it again! They released two new versions of their Petite Seconde in classical bicolour guilloché dials.
Worn & Wound
The latest release from Louis Erard expands their Excellence Petite Seconde range, and includes another release in that collection’s 39mm case size. Louis Erard has really become a collector favorite over the last few years with their many collaborative limited editions and (relatively) affordable ways to buy into design codes that traditionally represent true high luxury watchmaking, and they’ve done it mostly on the back of a 42mm case. It’s always notable when we see them release something new in their easier to wear 39mm case size, and with the Excellence Petite Seconde Guilloche (in two sizes) we also have a watch that’s really playing into that high luxury aesthetic with an unusually complex dial. These watches are really a celebration of guilloche itself, and seek to present the decorative technique in a more classical way than something like the brand’s much more contemporary guilloche LE from a few years ago. The larger 42mm watch features gray and black tones, while the smaller 39mm watch features a rich blue and gray for contrast. The dials are made in four parts, and highlight contrasting guilloche patterns. The central section has a traditional wave-like pattern that is meant to cast light directly from the dial’s center. An outer section, where you’ll find the hour track, features what’s known as a “panier” motif, which has the appearance of slightly staggered scales. This pattern is repeated in the small seconds subdial at the 6:00 posi...
Monochrome
Louis Erard continues its path onwards and upwards with yet another artistic iteration of its Excellence Petite Seconde. A flagship model at Louis Erard since 2020, this model is an attractive dress watch with a small seconds counter available in 39mm and 42mm cases. The uncluttered dial of the Petite Second has been treated to […]
Quill & Pad
When the 2023 set of Louis Erard X Silberstein watches came out, GaryG wasn’t entirely certain they were for him. Happily, he had the opportunity to see the Monopoussoir at his favorite local dealer, and within minutes had decided to take it home.
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Louis Erard collaborates with Swiss artist Oliver Mosset on a curious and interesting interpretation of their Le Regulateur.
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Worn & Wound
There’s a whole category of watches that I have come to genuinely love that I think can be fairly described as highly impractical art objects that also tell time. I wrote about one quite extensively here, and if you follow me on Instagram or have chatted with me in real life or in the Worn & Wound+ Slack community (which, to be fair, is technically “real life”) you know that I gravitate more and more toward the avant-garde, and love challenging designs that try to break what a watch even is. The new limited edition regulator from Louis Erard fits into this category nicely, and indeed was made in partnership with a Swiss abstract artist with a reputation for this type of challenging work. The new Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset is perhaps the brand’s most purely abstract creation yet. Let’s start with the obvious question: how do you tell the time on this thing? This is not an unreasonable query – many who have encountered this watch on Louis Erard’s Instagram feed since its unveiling on Tuesday morning have been confused enough to send their question into the void. I won’t say it’s “simple” because even I have to admit that telling the time on this thing is probably difficult in a pinch, but the idea is straightforward. It’s a regulator, with the top hand reading the hours, the middle the minutes, and the bottom the seconds. But the task of actually reading the time is intentionally (I’m assuming) made more challenging for a few reas...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard, a brand well-known for its affordable collaborations with notable figures across different industries, has just dropped a wristwatch designed by a Swiss contemporary artist known for his abstract style. A variant of the brand’s classic regulator model, Le Regulateur Louis Erard x Oliver Mosset tells the time, but in an extremely minimalist, almost redacted manner, with just three hands rotating on a dial that evokes outer space. Initial Thoughts The design is clearly the work of an abstract artist; time-telling instrument it is not. In fact, it is not especially recognisable as a watch, particularly for someone unfamiliar with a regulator-style dial. The striking design will be polarising, particularly since it comes at the expense of function. It is, however, appealing in its own peculiar way and more broadly reflects the wide-ranging aesthetic adopted by Louis Erard thanks to Manuel Emch, now the brand’s creative chief and himself a collector of contemporary art. The only downside of the watch is the chunky case, which is shared by all Le Regulateur models. It’s thicker and bulkier than such a minimalist watch should be, but necessarily so due to the no-frills movement inside. But that also means the Oliver Mosset regulator is an affordable CHF3,750, as is typical for the brand. It’s a value proposition for a little bit of contemporary on the wrist. Not a watch That the watch was conceived as an artwork, rather than a timepiece is indicated by the l...
Monochrome
An exceptional collaboration between renowned Swiss abstract artist Olivier Mosset and watchmaker Louis Erard results in a minimalist black-on-black model destined to become a sought-after collector’s piece. Translating the artist’s abstract, reductionist codes into the miniature canvas of a watch, the Louis Erard Regulator flaunts the monochromatic palette of the rebellious Swiss artist. Produced in […]
Worn & Wound
This week, Louis Erard caps a fruitful, multiyear relationship with Alain Silberstein that has had a profound impact on the stock of both parties in the larger watch space. Silberstein, after a period where his watches were all the rage, had faded somewhat from our collective memory by 2021, and Louis Erard, too, was adrift. They made very high quality and unique watches for the money, but weren’t really the focus of enthusiasts and collectors. Now, through a series of collaborations with Silberstein and others, Louis Erard occupies a very different niche in the collector arena, and we’ve seen a renewed interest in Silberstein’s work as well in the years since his design language has been put spotlighted by these collaborations. Now, in what feels like a culmination of the work they’ve done together, Louis Erard has released a limited edition box set that adds a new color option to a prior collaboration, and, oh yeah, a tourbillon. No big deal. The Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Khaki is a new spin on their second collaboration, a collection of three watches (available as a collector’s set) featuring a unique titanium case framed with brancards. The watches in that collection featured a regulator, a day-date complication, and a chronograph, all with the hallmark Silberstein combination of colorful shapes in lieu of traditional hands. For this set, the black dials have been swapped for a dark green khaki, and the chronograph is now a tourbillon. It...
Deployant
Louis Erard releases yet another triptych with Alain Silberstein in an exclusive 3 watch set with La Semaine Louis, Le Régulateur & Tourbillon Régulateur.
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Worn & Wound
It’s no surprise that after the successful launch of the Time Eater, the viral collaboration between Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin that launched in April, that the two would attempt a follow up. In fact, not only is it not a surprise, it was expected by anyone who paid close attention to the marketing materials we saw earlier this year, which teased another release to come. Well, like the horror movie franchises that this collaboration sometimes evokes, the sequel has come quickly. The Time Eater II: From Dusk to Dawn, is a pair of watches that use the same basic design as the original Time Eater, but in a darker (literally and figuratively) execution. I don’t know if a “Halloween watch” is actually a thing, but given the aesthetic of the new Time Eater and the season we find ourselves in, it makes a strong case. Like the first drop, this release sees two different versions of the watch in two different case sizes, released alongside one another. Instead of the silvery white dials of the first pair, here we have black (for the 39mm watch) and anthracite (on the larger 42mm version). Both have bright red minute hands that match the major aesthetic shift on these new Time Eaters: a truly gross bloodshot eye hour register. It’s paired with the same sawtooth seconds register at 6:00, and when everything is put together it certainly gives off a spookier vibe, making the original watches with hints of purple and green seem downright playful by comparison. The ...
Worn & Wound
If you had told me a few weeks ago that Louis Erard’s new collaboration with Amr Sindi, AKA, The Horophile, would be an Art Deco inspired watch with a quite literal approximation of the Empire State Building within the handset, I probably would have let out an audible groan. Not because I don’t have faith in Louis Erard (their run of limited editions over the past few years is basically a parade of nonstop hits) or The Horophile (whose Instagram feed reveals his exceptional taste), but because it just all seems so on-the-nose. Art Deco inspired designs are a pretty niche interest in 2023, but calling out the Empire State Building, perhaps the single most well known symbol of the design and architecture movement as a major point of reference, seems to me like a recipe for something that you’d find in the building’s gift shop. Well, I should have known better. Because the new watch from Louis Erard is beautifully subtle, and surprisingly modern in its sensibility. The Petite Seconde Metropolis incorporates a number of Art Deco hallmarks into a clean design that takes advantage of a Louis Erard platform that we’re starting to see used more frequently. As you might expect given the Art Deco themes, there was a large focus on the typeface used for the hours around the dial’s perimeter. Each numeral is very subtly “openworked,” and they’re presented in an uncommon circular fashion, which mimics the circular motif at the dial’s center. Importantly, these hou...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard gained a cult following collaborations with partners ranging from independent watchmakers to industrial designers. Now, the brand has teamed up with Switzerland-based watch influencer Amr Sindi, better known by his Instagram handle The Horophile. Their project, the Le Petite Seconde Metropolis, draws direct inspiration from Art Deco with its clean, distinctive dial. Initial thoughts Following their recent collaboration at Raketa, it comes as no surprise that Louis Erard chief Manuel Emch (who’s also helping run Raketa) and Mr Sindi have once again united their creative forces. While deviating from the contemporary design accented by Mr Sindi’s trademark purple that characterised his past creations, the trio of timepieces represent a unique interpretation of 1920s style. The watches evoke the era without being remakes of 1920s watches. They are distinctive yet unbranded, enabling the design to be conveyed clearly. Aside from the Art Deco hour numerals, there is absolutely no text on the dial whatsoever. In my view, this exemplifies how watch brands should design a retro watch, rather than simply generating a remake based on archives. While the dial is new, the rest of the watch is identical to the regular production model. That means a relatively thick case, which is the only major shortcoming of the design. The Le Petite Seconde Metropolis is priced at US$2,900, which is roughly in the same price range as the standard version of the model. Although the pr...
Worn & Wound
Last year’s Massena LAB collaboration with Louis Erard, a regulator in an unmistakably classic style with variants in gold and rhodium dial executions, was a success for both brands, with the watch being shortlisted for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This week, that release gets a follow up in the form of the new Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB, a monopusher chronograph that shifts the design language of last year’s release to a new complication. The driving force behind Massena LAB, to make a style of watchmaking typically reserved for only the most well heeled collectors accessible to anyone, is very much apparent in the new monopusher, as it takes both a complication and visual aesthetic that are often associated with a certain level of opulence and made them quite a bit more approachable. The monopusher is an interesting counterpoint to last year’s regulator. In terms of mechanical complexity, the monopusher has a clear edge, yet the design here is striking in its restraint. The regulator shows its time telling information in a busy cluster of hands and subdials, but with the monopusher we only get one additional register, a 30 minute counter at the 12:00 position. It’s a simple and straightforward execution of a complication that can often be something of an eye chart, and with the single pusher that simplicity is carried over to the chronograph’s literal operation as well. Aesthetically, we get a similar treatment on the ...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard has once again joined forces with Massena LAB for another take on a common complication. Le Chronographe Monopoussoir draws inspiration from 19th century pocket watches and continues with the styling from the first time these two brands collaborated. Initial thoughts Louis Erard’s brand identity is continually shaped and defined by its many partnerships. Its latest collaboration with Massena LAB continues this creative streak with a relatively classical complication in the form of a mono-pusher chronograph. Building upon their collaboration from last year, the latest timepiece has kept the distinctive grained dial that is industrially finished but well executed. They have opted for a more restrained design by having just a single register at twelve, deviating from the traditional two- or three-register configuration of most chronographs. Despite the minimalist aesthetic, the watch is very big at 43 mm wide and 15.7 mm thick. The thickness in particular is a lot and the size may turn some people off. The carries a substantial presence on the wrist, arguably too much for a watch of this style. One reason for the size is the movement, which is the same Sellita calibre found in all Louis Erard chronographs, including the Alain Silberstein iteration. For that reason, it also remains in the same price range, with a retail of US$4,950, making it fair value as an interesting yet affordable chronograph. At the same time, this distinguishes itself through the class...
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Time+Tide
Konstantin Chaykin introduces a new one-eyed monster in collaboration with Louis Erard Le Regulateur is available in both 39 and 42mm variants These timepieces are inspired by Stephen King, Goya and the Slavic monster Lykho Louis Erard has always specialised in elegant, fairly affordable Swiss watchmaking. Of late, however, thanks to the guidance of interim … ContinuedThe post Monster mash-up: Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin team up for a fearsome collab appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Louis Erard is continuing their run of impressive and whimsical limited editions with a pair of regulators made in collaboration with none other than Konstantin Chaykin, the AHCI member and independent watchmaker known primarily for his Wristmons series of character watches. With this collaboration, Louis Erard returns to working with a member of the independent watchmaking community (they have previously collaborated with Alain Silberstein and Vianney Halter) after a series of watches made with less likely partners, including an architecture firm (atelier oï) and a miniature marquetry specialist. Like the other collaborative watches before it, the new watch with Chaykin has the bones of a Louis Erard, but has been left with an unmistakable signature by the collaborator. Looking back, a collaboration between Louis Erard and Chaykin seems meant to be. After all, Chaykin’s signature Wristmons series of watches are basically regulators already, featuring separate hour and minute discs representing the “eyes” of the character being portrayed in the watch (personally, I’m partial to the Minion). For this limited edition, Chaykin was inspired Likho, a cyclops figure from Slavic folklore. Likho’s eye is the dial’s focal point, acting as the hour “hand” at the 12:00 position. At 6:00, running seconds are represented by a wheel decorated with pointy teeth, so it serves as a constantly moving mouth, which is both quite clever and a little disconcerting. The extra ...
SJX Watches
With a knack for novel collaborations with partners ranging from industrial designers to guillocheurs, Louis Erard’s latest project brings on board Konstantin Chaykin. The result is Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Time-Eater, a regulator-style wristwatch inspired by the Russian independent watchmaker’s signature “rolling eye” watches. Inspired by a one-eyed monster from Slavic folklore, the Time-Eater has a whimsical vibe that departs from Louis Erard’s more serious offerings like the recent example with a hand-made wood marquetry dial. It is available in either a 42 mm or 39 mm size, or both together in a two-piece box set. Initial thoughts Following its successful collaborations with other notable watchmakers, it’s perhaps no surprise that Louis Erard recruited Konstantin Chaykin. Earlier partnerships, with Vianney Halter for instance, broadened the appeal of the independent watchmakers by making the name accessible at a far lower price point. Despite Mr Chaykin’s specialty in avant-garde or fantastical designs, the Time-Eater is surprisingly restrained compared to his own creations, no doubt because it is based on the existing template of the Louis Erard regulator. As a result, it is not the full-blown Konstantin Chaykin watch that collectors might expect from the Russian watchmaker. But then again, the price of about US$4,000 means the Time-Eater is about the fifth a price of Mr Chaykin’s trademark Minion watch. The Time-Eater watch is...
SJX Watches
After several consecutive hit collaborations, Louis Erard debuts its first with a wood marquetry dial. Arguably its most ambitious release yet in terms of craftsmanship, the Excellence Marqueterie features a dial inlaid with tiny pieces of wood to form an M.C. Escher-like motif. For the dial, the brand tapped Bastien Chevalier, a Swiss artisan who specialises the art of creating designs and patterns out of intricately cut pieces of wood, although other materials like stone, silicon, straw, and even leather can be used for the technique. Initial thoughts In my view, most watchmakers tend to collaborate only as a last resort, when they’ve run out of ideas. What sets Louis Erard apart is its coherent strategy for collaborations. Whether created by industrial designer atelier oï, or a watchmaker like Vianney Halter, its collaboration editions are still recognisable as Louis Erard thanks to the use of the same steel case. And they are uniformly produced in small runs and priced below CHF4,000. The new Excellence Marqueterie continues this successful formula, bringing wood marquetry to the sub-US$10,000 category for the first time. While brands like anOrdain are doing something similar with affordably priced enamel dials that are designed for modern tastes, there’s never been a marquetry dial at this price point. Not only does the dial look good, it is impressively constructed from dozens of hand-made elements that require careful finishing. Despite the more complex dial...
Worn & Wound
When you write about new watches everyday, it becomes harder and harder to be surprised. Most brands, for better or worse, design watches in an iterative way – new releases might be very, very nice, but truly fresh ideas are few and far between. But that just makes it even more gratifying when something genuinely different comes across the transom, as it did with this absolutely bonkers Louis Erard with a wood dial. To start with, let’s concede that wood dials themselves are nothing new. Luxury brands have been making dials out of different types of wood for decades, with the trend reaching a peak in the 1970s and 80s. But this Louis Erard Excellence Marqueterie is unlike any other wood dial I’ve ever seen. It continues the Louis Erard trend of combining rare and traditional handcrafts with their unique, contemporary sensibility. Up to now, my favorite example of this idea was their work in the art of guilloche dial making, which took a craft that is undeniably difficult and special, but sometimes aesthetically a bit old fashioned, and made it feel extremely modern. That first limited edition guilloche dial serves as design inspiration for this watch, made in the marquetry decorative tradition, which consists of inlaying many small pieces of precisely cut wood. Marquetry is most often used in furniture making – think table tops, the backs of chairs, and so forth. Here, miniature marquetry specialist Bastien Chevalier has produced a dial with an elaborate geomet...
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Deployant
Louis Erard releases their new Excellence Marqueterie, featuring the works of indepedent artisan Bastien Chevalier's wood marquetry work.
Deployant
Louis Erard releases a second collaboration with Romaric Andre (Seconde/Seconde/) in a special release exclusively for Singapore.
Deployant
Louis Erard extends the range of one of the flagship models of its Excellence collection, the Petite Seconde, with three colours dial options.
Worn & Wound
Louis Erard has unveiled their first new watches of 2023, and they build on one of the brand’s key developments from last year. Usually when this brand comes to mind, enthusiasts think of their watches with regulator layouts, and the many interesting collaborations they’ve undertaken in the last few years as they’ve really gained traction with collectors. The Petite Seconde, part of their Excellence collection, is perhaps a little slept on by comparison. These are simple three handers, and not as flashy or unusual as the regulators (well, except for this one), but they have a charm of their own and represent a kind of simple, elegant watch that used to be quite common but is now harder to find in an environment dominated by sport and tool watches. The new watches introduced today all use plenty of vibrant color, and come in a case size that collectors have been asking for. The 39mm Petite Seconde case seen here made its debut just about a year ago with the Petite Seconde Terracotta, a coppery, earthy spin on a traditional format. Until that point, the Petite Seconde had only been available in a 42mm case, which while not enormous by most standards, certainly stretched the limits for a watch of this type, which is at least attempting to approach a certain level of refinement. Notably, the Terracotta was available in either a 39mm or 42mm case, while no such option has been made available for this colorful trio. We’re not sure if that’s a signal that Louis Erard ...
Deployant
Louis Erard stretches their collaboration with Alain Silberstein in a special collaboration with Silicon Valley jeweler Stephen Silver.
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