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, the Excellence Marqueterie is priced at CHF3,900, the same as the brand’s other collaborative models.

This pricing discipline contributes to the sense of continuity across the Excellence collection. More importantly, Excellence Marqueterie is a unique value proposition. It is impressive achievement for Louis Erard that offers 99 collectors a compelling alternative to the mass-produced watches that typify this segment.

A geometric challenge

Louis Erard has made a name for itself in recent years for bringing traditional métiers d’art techniques like grand feu enamel and hand guilloché to a more accessible style and price point. This is its first attempt at bringing marquetry to the masses.

Due to its inherent complexity, marquetry has long been confined to higher price brackets. For example, the Hermès Pégase Paysage, which also features a wood marquetry dial, costs more than US$50,000.

The Excellence Marqueterie has a 42 mm steel case containing the reliable Sellita Sw200 movement

The dial of the Excellence Marqueterie is of course the star of the show. As one of Switzerland’s foremost marquetry artists, Bastien Chevalier adapted time-honoured techniques to suit modern sensibilities. His graffiti-style signature at six o’clock reflects his irreverent flair.

The intricately cut wood blocks are arranged in a geometric trompe-l’oeil checkerboard motif that creates an optical illusion of three-dimensional space reminiscent of the works of M.C Escher.

This eye-catching pattern has been used by Louis Erard in the past in the Excellence Guilloché Main. The repeating theme illustrates the brand’s thoughtful and sophisticated approach to collaborations, which was the brainchild of Manuel Emch, a consultant to Louis Erard and the one responsible for its current success.

But while the aesthetic is contemporary, the construction is classical. The tiny pieces of wood was individually sliced by hand and then applied one by one, again by hand.

Mr Chevalier notes that the geometric pattern was especially challenging to execute in marquetry, since the slightest error would break the pattern and be obvious to the naked eye.

Slicing the paper templates used to shape the wood

Applying the paper templates to the sheets of wood

To overcome this challenge and produce 99 perfect dials, he had to incorporate conscious breathing into his technique to ensure that no unintended vibrations disrupted his pattern. In terms of sensitivity to error, marquetry has a lot in common with traditional guilloché.

Piecing together the motif

The dials themselves are comprised of more than 70 pieces of wood stained in four different colors. The grey tones are made from willow, while the three distinct shades of blue sare made from the Liriodendron or tulip tree, the official tree of my home state of Kentucky.

Overall, the Excellence Marqueterie is an impressive achievement for Louis Erard that offers 99 collectors a compelling alternative to the mass-produced watches that typify this segment.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Excellence Marqueterie
Ref. 34237AA58

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW261-1
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Limited edition: 99 pieces
Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: CHF3,900 excluding taxes

For more, visit Louiserard.com

Having made collaborations a habit, Louis Erard’s latest joint venture is with Massena Lab, an American brand that is equally adept at collaborations. Together the two have put together the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Massena Lab.

In contrast to its recent abstract or Bauhaus collaborations, the Louis Erard’s new regulator is resolutely classical. It takes inspiration from the aesthetics of 18th century timepieces, which were all brass, steel, and frosted gilt, explaining the colours and granular dial finish.

Initial thoughts

Demonstrating Louis Erard’s versatility when it comes to collaborations, the Massena Lab regulator is basically a new dial style for the brand’s signature model yet it manages to look different enough that it’ll please someone who already owns a Louis Erard regulator.

Although the grained dial is produced with industrial methods, it is a good approximation of a traditionally frosted dial and looks good on the wrist. Between the two I favour the gold-plated dial for its contrast, though the large case size means the rhodium version is appealing for its restrained palette.

But because the new pair are essentially the standard regulator model at heart, they also has the dimensions of the standard model, which is bigger than would be ideal, especially in terms of thickness. At the same time, the two watches are priced in an accessible fashion typical for Louis Erard – just under US$3,900 in this case – making them well-priced propositions.

Classical leanings

Inspired by 18th century clocks and pocket watches, the dial is a two-level, two-tone affair. The chapter rings and registers are silvered and raised, while the base is stamped with a pronounced graining that evokes frosted finish.

Interesting, the dial relies on a mix of Roman and Arabic numerals

The more classical of the pair is undoubtedly the version with a bright, yellow-gold plated dial. In contrast, the version with a rhodium-plated dial is almost monochromatic save for the blued steel hands, resulting in a more contemporary appearance. The two versions look quite different, despite being exactly alike save for the dial colour.

While the dial is unique to this model, the template is standard Louis Erard. The case and movement are identical to the regular-production regulator model, which is a largish 42 mm in diameter.

Combined with its 12.25 mm high, the case is chunky though it has elegant lines. The height is due in part to the Sellita SW 266-01, which is a clone of the robust but thick ETA 2824.

Key Facts and Price

Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Massena LAB
Ref. 85237AA75 (gold-plated dial)
Ref. 85237AA76 (rhodium-plated dial)

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Sellita SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: 178 pieces each
Availability: Direct from Massena Lab or Louis Erard and its retailers
Price: US$3,950 before taxes

For more information, visit louiserard.com.

Since recruiting Manuel Emch, best known as the former chief executive of Jaquet Droz, to advise on strategy and design, Louis Erard has rolled out interesting collaboration watches at a steady pace. To date, the brand has worked with Alain Silberstein and also Vianney Halter, both of whom added their idiosyncratic flair to the brand’s trademark regulator wristwatch.

Now Louis Erard has just unveiled its fourth collaborative edition, the Le Régulateur x atelier oï. This time, however, the brand looked outside the watch industry for aesthetic direction. Founded in 1991, Atelier Oï is a design studio with a diverse repertoire ranging from furniture for Louis Vuitton to perfume bottles for Bulgari. The new regulator is the first wristwatch penned by Atelier Oï.

The three founders of Atelier Oï: Aurel Aebi, Armand Louis and Patrick Reymond

Initial thoughts

Like the earlier collaborative editions, the Le Régulateur x atelier oï is all about design – essentially a new dial to go with the standard case and movement. Strikingly distinctive, the latest regulator is radically minimalist, with the dial doing away with all scales, indices, and branding.

The dial markings consist only of straight lines arranged in a radiating spiral that create a hypnotic pattern. At the same time, the radial nature of the lines give the dial an expansive feel. Add to that the industrial, monochromatic finish and the effect is magnificent, evoking the fan-like structures found on cable-stayed bridges.

Interestingly, the Le Régulateur calls to mind the work of another designer, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Both designs rely on pure geometry for visual effect. While the approaches are tangibly different – concentric circles versus radial lines – the results are similar with an appealing look that brings to mind the raw concrete and clean lines of Brutalist architecture.

Original, novel design that remains coherent is unusual at this price point. Also, that it’s a regulator dial with separated hours, minutes, and seconds hands, instead of the typical triple-axial format, helps distinguish it from competition. It is good value, given its design and regulator display, as well as the fact that only 178 pieces will be made.

At just under US$3,800, the latest Le Régulateur is priced exactly the same as its immediate predecessor designed by Vianney Halter, which is identical aside from the dial. The Atelier Oï is arguably more compelling, since it’s an original creation by a studio that has never before designed a watch. In contrast, the earlier collaboration editions are essentially simplified, more affordable versions of high-end watches.

Distinctive style

Despite the seemingly seamless and borderless design, the dial is actually bisected into left and right halves with a straight line that passes through the three axes of the hands – one of many details that reveals its clever design.

Two sets of lines radiate from the hours and seconds hands at 12 and six o’clock respectively. Intriguingly, the radial lines segment the dial circumference into 60 spaces of equal length, forming a minute track, which is really the only necessary scale to tell the time. Hours can be approximated easily, while the seconds hand merely serves to indicate the movement is running.

The hand at the centre indicates the minutes, which can be read more precisely with the de facto minute track

Inside is the SW266-1 that’s standard for Louis Erard’s regulator. While based on the ETA 2824, it is modified by Louis Erard with the addition of the brand’s own regulator module that separates the hands into three different positions.

The strap has simple, quick-release spring bars

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Le Régulateur x atelier oï
Ref. 85237AA53

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Sellita SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: 178 pieces each
Availability: Direct from Louis Erard and its retailers
Price: 3,500 Swiss francs before taxes

For more information, visit louiserard.com.

Louis Erard has embarked on a journey into the realm of special dials lately, starting with grand feu enamel and followed by hand-made guilloche – done affordably as is typical of the brand. And now Louis Erard is continuing apace with Excellence Régulateur featuring dials in lapis lazuli, malachite, or aventurine glass.

But this time, however, the special dials are different. Louis Erard has opted for its signature regulator-style display, instead of the time-only format used on earlier editions, adding more character to the exotic-material dials. 

Initial thoughts

Regulators have long been a specialty of Louis Erard, and it’s a complication that’s uncommon this price point, especially a regulator with in-line hours, minutes, and seconds. The regulator watch has been the base for several interesting limited editions, especially the collabs with Alain Silberstein and Vianney Halter.

Despite not being a collab with a notable personality, the latest regularly is equally interesting, because the dial materials are typically found in watches at a much higher price point. Recent examples including the platinum Omega Seamaster 300 or even the multi-million dollar, piece unique Rolex Daytona in platinum.

In contrast, the new regulator is relatively affordable at just under US$3,200. At the same time, the regulator also costs less than the earlier special editions, namely the models with guilloche or enamel dials, making it an even better value proposition.

Though priced lower, the new regulator still looks good, with Louis Erard having smartly focused on the dial, while leaving the rest of the watch relatively simple. Its sub-dials are recessed, concentrically grained, and topped with applied markers and delicately shaped, “fir tree” hands.

From left to right, aventurine glass, lapis lazuli, and malachite

Blues and a green

The regulator trio is made up of dials in blue and green – all colours that are currently fashionable, but executed with classical extravagance.

Set against the background of semiprecious stone or glass, the twin sub-dials form a figure-of-eight that indicates the hours on top and seconds below. The display is powered by the brand’s in-house module mounted onto a Sellita base movement.

The module transforms a conventional, co-axial and central hand display into three separated hands that are arranged linearly and vertically, a feature originally found in regulator clocks that were used as reference timekeepers in watchmaking workshops and factories in the 18th and 19th century.

The most striking of the trio is the malachite dial model, which has a natural banded finish in a gradient of greens.

Between the pair of blue dials the lapis version stands out. It’s is made of a thin slice of blue rock with coppery metallic inclusions, giving it a slightly sparkly finish.

The other blue dial is even more sparkly, but it’s made of glass instead of natural stone. Aventurine is essentially glass that’s been mixed with tiny metallic flakes, giving it a speckled, starry effect.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Excellence Régulateur Stones
Ref. 85237AA32 (Aventurine)
Ref. 85237AA35 (Lapis-Lazuli)
Ref. 85237AA39 (Malachite)

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Sellita SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: 99 pieces each
Availability: Direct from Louis Erard and its retailers
Price: 2,900 Swiss francs before taxes

For more information, visit louiserard.com.

An architect-turned-watch-designer who made his reputation with a distinctive, whimsical style, Alain Silberstein founded one of the most prominent independent watch brands of the 1990s.

Located in Besançon, the historic centre of French watchmaking, the Alain Silberstein brand went under in 2012 but has since enjoyed a revival thanks to a collaboration with Louis Erard that gave birth to an affordable regulator-style wristwatch. More recently, Mr Silberstein designed a charming pendulum clock.

An early Alain Silberstein from the 1990s, this one the uncommon Krono Saphir with a sapphire crystal case

Now the designer is back with a set of wristwatches, once again made by Louis Erard, but this time designed from the ground up as an entirely new model. The Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein is made up of three watches, all having the same case and design cues, but featuring different complications. They are available individually or as a box set.

The top-of-the-line model is the Le Chrono Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, an automatic, single-button chronograph. The other two watches in the set are priced identically but quite different: La Semaine shows the time along with the trademark Silberstein “Smileday” calendar, while Le Régulateur has a regulator-style display.

The Triptyque with the Le Régulateur (left), La Semaine (centre), and Le Chrono Monopoussoir. Photo – Louis Erard

We’re only going up close with the mono-pusher chronograph, but the other two in the set are nearly identical – the diameter is the same, but the chronograph is a little over 2 mm taller. Build quality and finishing is also going to be alike, so the chronograph is a good proxy for the others.

Also, the chronograph costs about US$1,000 more than the other two, a small enough difference that choosing between the three hinges on dial aesthetics, rather than cost.

Le Chrono Monopoussoir

Initial thoughts

Unlike the original Louis Erard and Alain Silberstein collaboration that was essentially a Silberstein dial installed in a standard model, the watches of the Triptyque are entirely new models designed from the ground up.

Though unconventional, the case is recognisable as an evolution of the original Alain Silberstein watch case of the 1990s, which was a one-piece construction shaped like a tall tuna can. It’s a simple design, but made slightly fancier now with brancard lugs. The loop attachment for the strap, however, is a bit dinky, and the watch feels large, but light, on the wrist.

Simple but distinctive, the dial is very much Silberstein in its colours and geometric shapes. Though different, the hands are modelled on the original Silberstein designs of the 1990s.

Admittedly, the hands makes reading the time confusing when they are positioned close together or overlapping. But it’s a thoroughly worthwhile tradeoff for the design.

The finishing of the case and dial are simple and good enough. A few elements could obviously have been done better, like the plastic pusher in the crown and hiding the stock movement, but those don’t detract much from the appeal of the watch.

There are several chronographs that are clearly better value in tangible terms, boasting superior movements and overall finishing for the same or less money. Notable examples include the Tudor Black Bay Chrono and the Longines Avigation BigEye.

But none have an aesthetic as original as Alain Silberstein’s style, and that makes Le Chrono unique and also a compelling value proposition. Where Le Chrono falls short in fit and finish, it more than makes up for in design and scarcity since only 178 of each model will be made.

Bauhaus with a twist

The Alain Silberstein house style is best described as Bauhaus having fun. It’s most obvious on the dial, which is made up of geometric shapes in the primary colours of red, yellow, and blue.

The central seconds hand is a wavy “S”, the hour hand incorporates the traditional Silberstein triangle by making it the tip of a large, open circle, and the long minute hand takes after the one-handed Pikto – all elements taken from the original designs of the 1990s.

Perhaps the most famous historic Alain Silberstein model was the Krono, which had a conventional dial layout with a Valjoux 7750 or Lemania 5100 movement inside.

This is a return to that, but with twist: the chronograph is a mono pusher with only a single counter. It’s a clean and concise expression of a stopwatch that goes well with the Silberstein style.

The register at 12 o’clock counts the minutes, with the elapsed seconds relying on yellow central seconds hand. Reading the chronograph is easy, since the indicators are clear and large.

Conversely, reading the time is less intuitive when the hands are close enough to overlap, because the hands take a bit of getting used to. That’s due to the width of the hour hand, as well as the length of the minute hand, which makes it seem double-ended.

The dial is straightforward in execution, which suits the style and price. All the elements are cleanly finished, with no elaboration. One detail that’s a useful extra is the raised minute track that also holds the yellow hour markers, which prevents the dial from looking too wide and flat.

Tuna can

Another element of Bauhaus design are rounded corners and metal tubes, which is exactly what the case is. The case middle is a one-piece affair with a flat case back secured by screws, just like the Silberstein watches of the 1990s.

But instead of the stubby lugs of the originals, this has brancard, or “stretcher”, lugs: a pair of arms on each side of the case that secure the strap. While the arms might appear to pivot, they are fixed bars that sit in a recess on the sides of the case.

The design makes the case seem larger, although it is actually quite compact in diameter at just 40 mm. But that is not surprising, since the chunky feel has always been one of the characteristics of Silberstein designs.

The case is thick, just like most of the original Silberstein watches were. The chronograph is 13.9 mm high, and sits tall on the wrist. Its height is accentuated by the position of the brancard, which sits in the middle of the case. Though the other two models in the triptych are thinner, the difference is marginal at a bit over 2 mm, so they are equally thick.

But the case is all titanium, and its walls are probably quite thin, so the watch is lightweight.

Though the material is the same throughout, the components are finished differently. The middle is sandblasted titanium, while the arms are polished.

The two surfaces create a useful contrast between the components, though the polished arms are tumble polished rather than mirror finished, which is the only cost effective solution for a watch of this price.

The part of the case I wish were done better is the chronograph pusher inset into the crown. It’s made of red plastic and feels inexpensive even on an affordable watch.

While I appreciate the cost constraints given the price of the watch, and the utility of colour on the case, I would have preferred a no-frills titanium button just because it has a superior tactile feel.

Another element of the case that doesn’t work for me are the loop attachments for the fabric strap. They are functional and convenient, having built-in quick release for the spring bars, but look odd as they break up the lines of the case.

A conventional strap that attaches directly to the arms on the case would look better in my opinion, but this is a non issue since the strap is easy to replace.

The twin tabs to release the spring bar from the lugs

Single-button 7750

Like many other Louis Erard watches, Le Chrono is powered by a Sellita movement, this time the SW500 MPCa.

Based on the SW500, which is a clone of the ETA Valjoux 7750, the SW500 MPCa has been modified to be a single-button chronograph, with the pusher in the crown responsible for start, stop, and reset.

While the SW500 (or 7750) is common in chronographs in this price range, a mono-pusher variant is uncommon, which makes Le Chrono a standout. It feels like a 7750 in operation, the winding is heavy and the chronograph pusher stiff.

While the modification of the movement to transform it into a mono-pusher chronograph is an achievement at this price, the calibre has not been dressed up at all. Functionally, the movement is no doubt perfect – it will likely run for a long time without a service and then it’ll be easy to service – but it isn’t pretty.

The movement is raw and industrial, so the view through the display back isn’t very enjoyable. That’s certainly a necessity at the price, but given the plain looks, a solid back would have been useful.

The one bit of decor is the open-worked rotor with the Louis Erard emblem

The cam that controls the chronograph

Concluding thoughts

Le Chrono is a fun watch, but designed by someone with a notable history in contemporary watchmaking, which also makes it special. At the same time, the mono-pusher configuration is novel for an affordable chronograph.

Though it does have a few weakness, like the visible movement and plastic button, Le Chrono is a compelling buy, especially since it is a limited edition of only 178 watches.

Key Facts and Price

Le Chrono Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein 
Ref. 74359TT02.BTT88

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: SW500 MPCa
Functions: Hours, minutes, and chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Nylon with velcro closure

Limited edition: 178 pieces (78 of which will be sold as a box set)

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 4,500 Swiss francs

Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein box set
Ref. 11111TT02

Features: All three watches in a presentation box along with an NFT digital artwork by Alain Silberstein

Limited edition: 78 sets

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 11,111 Swiss francs

For more, visit Louiserard.com

Having debuted the first Alain Silberstein collaboration two years ago, Louis Erard is now back with a trio of watches conceived by the designer known for his Bauhaus-inspired, offbeat style – the Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein.

Featuring a titanium case with unusual fixed lugs that form a frame, the watches are rendered in Mr Silberstein’s recognisable style made up of geometric shapes and primary colours. The three are essentially Mr Silberstein’s interpretation of the traditionally-styled Excellence Triptych that Louis Erard debuted last year.

Available individually or in a box set accompanied by a Silberstein NFT artwork, the watches are priced affordably, starting at CHF3,500 for the time-and-date and rising to just CHF4,500 for the single-button chronograph.

Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein II

Initial thoughts

The Alain Silberstein triptych is easy to like. The watches have a distinctive, cheery style while being accessible in price. They are simple in construction and finish – the movements, for instance, are reliable but not much to look at – but appropriate for the price and still good value.

Although the design is entirely new, the case retains the character of Alain Silberstein’s original timepieces, as do the dials. That said, the shape of the hands doesn’t help legibility so it takes a while to read the time.

And although La Semaine is the base model in the line up, it has the bonus feature of Mr Silberstein’s amusing “Smileday” indicator for the day of the week.

Smile, it’s Friday

Titanium and brancard

All three watches share the same titanium case, a tall cylinder that’s 40 mm in diameter (though the chronograph is a bit thicker) with brancard-style lugs – two arched bars on either side the case that hold the strap.

Unusually, the watches are delivered on a nylon strap with a Velcro closure, a first for Louis Erard. The nylon strap is secured to the case with end links that incorporate a quick-release mechanism, making replacement with a conventional strap easy.

While chunky, the case is titanium, which makes it fairly light. All three models have a display back that reveals the movement that’s either Sellita or ETA. Both movements types are equally reliable, but neither has been dressed up.

The ETA 2836 inside the La Semaine

The range starts with the La Semaine Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, which shows the time, day, and date. Priced the same, but slightly more interesting mechanically is the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein II that shows the hours, minutes, and seconds on separate sub-dials, a layout known as regulator after the clocks with the same format.

La Semaine

Le Régulateur

The top of the line model is the Le Chrono Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein. It’s a chronograph controlled by a red button that’s co-axial with the crown, but the button is unfortunately plastic.

Like Louis Erard’s standard mono-pusher chronograph, this has a 30-minute register at 12 o’clock, along with an elapsed central seconds hand.

Le Chrono Monopoussoir

Each of the watches will be available individually, but also together as an actual triptych. Priced about CHF400 less than the total of the three separately, the three-piece set is delivered in a wood box along with an NFT digital artwork illustrated by Mr Silberstein.

Key Facts and Price

La Semaine Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein 
Ref. 75357TT02.BTT88

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 11.6 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: ETA 2826-2
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and “Smileday” day of the week
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Nylon with velcro closure

Limited edition: 178 pieces (78 of which will be sold as a box set)

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 3,500 Swiss francs

Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein II
Ref. 85358TT02.BTT88

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 11.6 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds in regulator layout
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Nylon with velcro closure

Limited edition: 178 pieces (78 of which will be sold as a box set)

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 3,500 Swiss francs

Le Chrono Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein 
Ref. 74359TT02.BTT88

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: SW500 MPCa
Functions: Hours, minutes, and chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Nylon with velcro closure

Limited edition: 178 pieces (78 of which will be sold as a box set)

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 4,500 Swiss francs

Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein box set
Ref. 11111TT02

Features: All three watches in a presentation box along with an NFT digital artwork by Alain Silberstein

Limited edition: 78 sets

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 11,111 Swiss francs

For more, visit Louiserard.com

Correction June 8, 2021: The case diameter is 40 mm, and not 47 mm as stated previously.

Although best known for its collaborations with independent watchmakers, Louis Erard is adept at introducing elements of high-end watchmaking in its accessibly-priced watches. The recent Excellence Email Grand Feu offered a grand feu enamel dial for less than 4,000 Swiss francs.

Now Louis Erard is moving on to traditional engine turning with the Excellence Guilloché Main. Limited to 99 pieces, the watch features a chequer guilloché dial with an M.C Escher vibe, and an eminently affordable 3,900 Swiss franc price tag.

Initial thoughts

Consistently offering affordable timepieces that punch way above their price point, Louis Erard is fast becoming one of my favourite watchmakers. The Excellence Guilloché Main affirms my thoughts about the brand.

It is an honest representation of a traditional decorative technique, but different. I find the chequer pattern to be even more striking than the standard guilloché patterns like hobnail or barleycorn. Executed to give it perspective, the pattern has a three-dimensional quality that endows the watch with a sense of depth uncommon on dials as wide and flat as this. And, the heat-blued hands add a welcome pop of colour to the otherwise monochrome palette.

The simple functions of just hours and minutes allow the chequer guilloché to be admired in its full glory. I particularly like how Louis Erard prints its brand name on the underside crystal instead of the dial, which further enhances the perceived depth of the watch. That admittedly is also a cost efficient solution, since creating a plaque on the dial would complicate the engine turning process.

Despite its traditional inspiration, the Excellence Guilloché Main will feel modern on the wrist due to its large 42 mm diameter. That also means the dial is wide, with more guilloche to be admired. The watch is a tad high at over 12 mm high, in part due to the thick automatic movement inside.

The dial is undoubtedly the most expensive components of the watch – the movement is a workhorse Sellita, and the case a simple form in steel. The smart focus of resources on the dial means that this, like the Excellence Email Grand Feu before it, is a terrific value proposition, though the small run might make it challenging to land one.

Priced at 3,900 Swiss francs, or about US$4,200, the Excellence Guilloché Main is extremely well-priced. Watches with comparable, traditional guilloché dials from higher end brands cost significantly more.

Checkered Guilloché

The dial is made by Fehr of La Chaux-de-Fonds, an established specialist that supplies dials to major names like Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and Zenith. It’s engraved with an old-school, hand-operated straight-line engine lathe, an entirely traditional decorative technique that is familiar yet painstaking to execute.

The artisan relies on a manually-operated lathe to engrave the pattern

Because the pattern is simple and obvious, a single mistake means discarding the dial

Unusually, the dial is not monochrome as most guilloche dials are. The three-dimensional effect is reinforced by a layer of black varnish applied to the dial prior to engine turning, which removes the topmost surface of the pattern. The final step is rhodium plating that highlights the engraved portions with a bright, silvery finish, giving the chequer guilloché an eye-catching shimmer.

The chequer guilloché dial is more visually arresting than the grand feu enamel of the preceding edition

The large steel case is home to a Sellita SW261-1. Also found on the Excellence Email Grand Feu, the SW261-1 is the small seconds variation of the SW200-1, which is a clone of the ETA 2824.

It’s a notably robust movement, albeit one that’s getting old. Due to the dated architecture of the ETA 2824, the SW261-1 has a shortish power reserve of 38 hours. Furthermore, the movement is plain, which is understandable given the watch’s low price tag.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Excellence Guilloché Main
Ref. 66237AA52

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW261-1
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Limited edition: 99 pieces

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 3,900 Swiss francs

For more, visit Louiserard.com

Best known recently for its collaborations with independent watchmakers – the Le Régulateur Vianney Halter sold out in a matter of hours – Louis Erard has been gaining recognition for making the style of high-end watchmaking affordable. Continuing with that focus, the brand has just announced the Excellence Email Grand Feu, a time-only wristwatch with a traditional enamel dial in a striking ivory hue.

The grand feu, or fired-in-an-oven, enamel dial is fairly difficult to manufacture, resulting in a rejection rate that’s often over half. As a result, such dials are usually only found in high-end watches. It’s Louis Erard’s first use of a fired enamel dial, but true to form, the brand has retained its usual pricing positioning with a retail price of under 4,000 Swiss francs.

Initial thoughts

Given the frequent enthusiast gripe that watch prices (or values) border on the absurd, it would seem that true value propositions are hard to come by. There are a few exceptions – Tudor, Longines, and a few independents for instance – with Louis Erard increasingly being one of them.

The brand offers an honest product, often with one or two elements historically found only in haute horlogerie, for not so much money. The Excellence Email Grand Feu is exactly that. And the dial is particularly appealing in ivory, instead of the usual bright white that is the favoured colour for fired enamel.

Notably, the dial is made by Donzé Cadrans, the well-known enamel dial maker owned by Ulysse Nardin. Historically one of the leading artisanal enamel workshops in Switzerland, Donzé now makes dials on a large scale, resulting in more affordable pricing while still retaining consistent quality. This contrasts with most other affordable watches that utilise enamel dials, like the Anordain Model 1 for example, which rely on niche dial makers.

Priced at 3,900 Swiss francs, or about US$4,200, the Excellence Email Grand Feu is strong value for a Swiss-made watch with a fired enamel dial. For comparison, the Ulysse Nardin Classico Manufacture, similarly equipped with a dial made by Donzé, costs twice as much at 8,800 Swiss francs.

The accessible price of the Excellence Email Grand Feu is partially explained by the pedestrian Sellita movement. Though it’s an off-the-shelf movement, the Sellita calibre is robust and easy to service. Louis Erard is offering a compelling value proposition, albeit very few of them – the Excellence Email Grand Feu is limited to just 99 pieces.

Grand feu enamel

Donzé Cadrans is one of the leading suppliers of fired enamel dials to the watch industry, despite still largely relying on traditional methods to produce its dials.

Starting with a copper blank, the dial is first coated with several layers of enamel powder and baked in a small oven at over 800°C, melting the enamel powder and fusing it to the dial. The firing process results in cracks or warping for some dials, which are then discarded. The unblemished dials are printed with liquid enamel to create the markings, which requires another trip to the oven.

The result is a beautiful ivory dial that has the inexplicable gloss and depth typical of enamel. And the gently spotted surface – tiny imperfections that are usually inevitable with fired enamel – evokes the patina found on some vintage timepiece, a faintly aged look goes well with the traditional style of the enamel dial.

The dial features a sub-seconds at six, along with a railway minute track, as well as the brand’s signature “fir tree” hands rendered in blued steel, all of which bolster the classical look.

Despite its traditional style, the Excellence Email Grand Feu has a contemporary, largish diameter of 42 mm. It’s just over 12 mm high, which is a little thick but not overly so. The style and size make it a good modern-day dress watch.

The Excellence Email Grand Feu is powered by the Sellita SW261-1. Also found in the Excellence Petite Second, the SW261-1 is the small seconds variation of the SW200-1, which in turn is a clone of the eminently reliable ETA 2824-2.

The movement has an average power reserve of 38 hours, which is short by modern standards but explained by the movement’s origins – the ETA 2824 is several decades old. Unfortunately, the movement is sparsely decorated – a trade-off inevitable at this price.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu
Ref. 34237AA54

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW261-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Limited edition: 99 pieces

Availability: Direct from Louis Erard online
Price: 3,900 Swiss francs

For more, visit Louiserard.com

Almost exactly a year after the inaugural limited edition designed by Alain Silberstein, Louis Erard has just unveiled its second collaboration, this time with Vianney Halter, the watchmaker best known for a unique, steampunk-inspired aesthetic.

Designed by Mr Halter and made by Louis Erard, the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter is based on the Excellence Régulateur, but dressed up with many of the independent watchmaker’s signature design elements on the dial.

Initial thoughts

The dial is executed with the distinctive aesthetic found on Mr Halter’s best-known watches, namely the Antiqua and Classic – which were penned by American designer Jeff Barnes. Although the case and dial layout are identical to Louis Erard’s stock regulator model, the typography and hands of Mr Halter are unique enough to make it instantly recognisable.

As it is based on the standard model, the Régulateur Vianney Halter has the same strengths and weaknesses. Most obviously, it is affordable and good value, but the case is thick at a little over 12 mm high, meaning it feels slightly chunky.

Conceptually, this collaboration functioned exactly like the earlier one with Alain Silberstein, but it feels less complete because of the background of the collaborator.

While Mr Silberstein was always a watch designer, Mr Halter is well established as a watchmaker and known as a skilled prototypist. As a result, while the new watch possesses a recognisable Vianney Halter style – and it is an appealing look – it does not feel as complete as the Silberstein collaboration since Mr Halter’s contribution is aesthetics rather than something tangible.

Vianney Halter

Recognisable style

The dial is a two-level affair: an upper plate finished with a circular-brushed finish for the minute track, and a sandblasted lower plate for the hours and seconds. All of the markings on the dial are printed in Mr Halter’s signature typography.

And the hands are similarly done in Mr Halter’s style – shaped like the nib of a fountain pen – and made of blued steel, which is a first for Louis Erard.

Another element drawn from Mr Halter’s watches is the notched crown, which is modelled on the rivet-studded crown of the Antiqua and Classic.

The rest of the watch is identical to the stock Excellence Régulateur. The case is steel, 42 mm in diameter, and a fairly thick 12.25 mm high.

It has a display back revealing the Sellita SW266-1 movement, based on a clone of the ETA 2824. Louis Erard adds its own module onto the movement, resulting in the regulator-style display.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter
Ref. 85237AA51

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Sellita SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: 178 pieces
Availability: Direct from Louis Erard and its retailers
Price: 3,500 Swiss francs before taxes

For more information, visit Louiserard.com.

Having pivoted to take a more interesting direction – exemplified by its recent collaboration with watch designer Alain Silberstein – Louis Erard is now working on facelifting its more classical watches to give them a more contemporary appearance.

The result is the Excellence Triptych, a trio of watches that are simple yet smartly detailed. Made up of a time-only, regulator, and mono-pusher chronograph, the line up is named after a three-panelled painting, perhaps reflecting the artistic interests of Manuel Emch, the former chief executive of Jaquet Droz who is now a consultant to Louis Erard and responsible for the brand’s renewal.

The Excellence Triptych (from left): Petite Second, Régulateur, Chronographe Monopoussoir

Initial thoughts

The Triptych is fundamentally appealing because of its reasonable and affordable pricing, starting from about US$1,600 for the time-only and rising to a still-modest US$3,800 for the mono-pusher chronograph. The intrinsic value is especially strong for the regulator, as the complication is rarely seen in this price segment (though Louis Erard has made it something of a speciality).

The Régulateur

And the facelift is subtle but significantly, boosting their visual appeal over the earlier generation of watches. Amongst the more obvious tweaks was replacing the Roman numerals with applied Arabics and batons, while also sharpening the lance-shaped hands, giving the watch a more modern look.

While the dials are in a muted silver, they possess a two-tone look created with different surface finishes, including circular graining and fine frosting. All of this gives the watches enough detail to be interesting, while avoiding flashy elements that can look inexpensive.

The Chronographe Monopoussoir

And the case profile has been made more elegant, with a domed bezel and a slightly slimmed-down profile for the lugs – which admittedly brings to mind the Jaquet Droz case designed when Mr Emch was in charge of the brand.

The chronograph pusher mounted co-axially onto the crown, which has a fluting inspired by fir trees

Noteworthy

The cleanest of the trio is the Excellence Régulateur, which is also the most interesting as a watch. Even though the single-button chronograph is more complicated, the Régulateur is uncommon as a complication. With each time indicator on its own axis, the layout is both symmetrical and linear, and easy to read (once you get used to the arrangement).

Hours at top, followed by the minutes and seconds

While regulator watch is a signature model for Louis Erard, the redesigned model differs from its predecessor with its Bauhaus-inspired look. The dial is sparse but not mundane, with the concentric-guilloche sub-dials and minute track giving it a slightly more quirky look. Additionally, compared to the recently-launched smoked dial model, the new Régulateur has more deeply recessed sub-dials, making them more pronounced.

And the new Régulateur also has a new movement. Earlier versions were powered by the hand-wind ETA 7001 movement combined with Louis Erard’s regulator module.

However, the new watch is powered by the automatic Sellita cal. SW266-1, which means doing away with the power reserve indicator, an unnecessary feature on a self-winding movement.

While an automatic movement is perhaps more convenient, it results in increased thickness of the case. The new Régulateur clocks in at 12.25 mm high, compared to 9 mm for its hand-wind counterpart.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Erard Excellence Petite Second
Ref. 34237AA01

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW261-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Availability: Available in November
Price: 1,590 Swiss francs

Louis Erard Excellence Régulateur
Ref. 85237AA21

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW266-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Availability: Available in November
Price: 2,500 Swiss francs

Louis Erard Excellence Chronographe Monopoussoir
Ref. 74239AA01

Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 15.70 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: SW500 MPCa
Functions: Hours, minutes, and chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Calf leather

Availability: Available in November
Price: 3,500 Swiss francs

For more, visit louiserard.com