Louis Erard is a renowned Swiss watch manufacturer that has been crafting exceptional timepieces since 1929. With a rich history spanning over 90 years, Louis Erard has established itself as a revered brand among watch enthusiasts around the world. This article explores the various collections, movements, limited editions, and notable collaborations that contribute to Louis Erard's reputation for horological excellence.
From vintage-inspired designs to contemporary offerings, Louis Erard's dedication to fine craftsmanship shines through in each watch. Whether an avid watch collector or someone looking to invest in their first quality timepiece, Louis Erard offers elegant options appreciated by watch aficionados.
Louis Erard History
Louis Erard is an independent Swiss watchmaker carrying on the rich heritage of Swiss watchmaking. Based in the village of Le Noirmont in the heart of the Jura region, Louis Erard embodies the cultural legacy of Swiss horology.
Louis Erard's story revolves around their dedication to the "Made in Switzerland" value proposition. The brand believes that exceptional watchmaking is not just about extensive marketing campaigns and large production capacities, but also about passion, dedication, and transparency.
Louis Erard First Production site (Image source)
Rather than focusing solely on marketing and production, Louis Erard invests in the quality, content, and finish of their watches, aiming to achieve unmatched levels in their price category. Their approach is customer-centric, as they believe that at the end of the day, it's all about the people who wear their timepieces, not just about the brand itself.
This philosophy has guided Louis Erard's journey in the watchmaking industry, allowing them to create high-quality, Swiss-made watches that reflect their passion for horological excellence and timeless design. Since its foundation in 1929, the brand has produced and sold over 200,000 watches worldwide, showcasing its popularity and success in the watch industry.
Best Louis Erard Collections
Louis Erard has five collections and amongst the five, only3 are their top best that cater to different styles and preferences. These collections are:
1. Excellence Collection
The Excellence Collection exemplifies Louis Erard's fine watchmaking with exclusive complications and elegant designs. This collection features Swiss-made mechanical movements, including the regulator with its signature power-reserve indicator.
The Excellence Collection offers automatic watches perfect for formal occasions, with a power reserve up to 42 hours. While the refined craftsmanship comes at a premium price point, the collection demonstrates Louis Erard's identity through sophisticated complications and timeless style.
Features and specifications: Swiss-made mechanical movements, elegant designs, and various complications such as power reserve indicators, moon phases, and chronographs.
Pros and cons: High-quality craftsmanship, exclusive complications, and a wide range of designs. However, the price range may be a limiting factor for some buyers.
Price range: Varies depending on the specific model and features.
2. Heritage Collection
Drawing inspiration from Louis Erard’s rich heritage, the Heritage Collection includes timeless vintage-inspired designs powered by precise Swiss-made mechanical movements.
Take for example the LOUIS ERARD HERITAGE AUTOMATIC 78289AA3- BMA08 WATCH. This elegant automatic watch features a chronograph complication and date window, along with a sleek blue dial in a stainless steel case. The blue leather strap completes the classic, refined aesthetic.
Other models in the collection offer unique features like an open heart design that showcases the intricate movement. Simple yet sophisticated styles are also available, exemplifying the traditional watchmaking craftsmanship that Louis Erard is renowned for.
With prices starting around $1000, the Heritage Collection caters to discerning watch enthusiasts looking for exceptional quality. Each watch demonstrates Louis Erard’s dedication to honoring their longstanding tradition through masterful attention to detail and expert techniques.
Features and specifications: Classic designs, Swiss-made mechanical movements, and various complications such as open heart dial, date functions and chronographs (*depending on the type and model).
Pros and cons: Timeless designs, high-quality craftsmanship, and a range of complications. The price range may be a limiting factor for some buyers.
Price range: Varies depending on the specific model and features.
3. Sportive Collection
The Louis Erard La Sportive collection is a line of sporty watches that are designed for active individuals. The collection features watches with strong horological content while embodying today's essential call for affordability. The La Sportive collection has several models, including the limited-edition watches.
The Louis Erard La Sportive Limited-Edition watches were released in 2020. These watches are expertly crafted and feature a bi-compax chronograph, featuring both a telemeter scale and a tachymeter scale. The limited-edition watches are available in several colors, including blue, green, and black. The watches are made of high-quality materials, including stainless steel and sapphire crystal.
Features and specifications: The Louis Erard La Sportive watch collection offers a bi-compax chronograph, telemeter and tachymeter scales, high-quality materials, and a neo-vintage design. The bi-compax chronograph is a useful feature for timing events, while the telemeter and tachymeter scales are useful for measuring distance and speed. The watches are made of high-quality materials, including stainless steel, grade 5 titanium, ceramic, bronze, and sapphire crystal. The limited-edition watches in the La Sportive collection feature a neo-vintage design, which is a unique and stylish addition to any watch collection.
Pros and cons: The watches in the La Sportive collection feature strong horological content, including bi-compax chronographs and telemeter and tachymeter scales. The limited-edition watches in the La Sportive collection feature a neo-vintage design, which is a unique and stylish addition to any watch collection. But, the La Sportive collection are limited to just 250 pieces for each design, making them some-how difficult to obtain.
Price range: Varies depending on the specific model and features, the Louis Erard La Sportive watch collection is known for its affordability, with prices ranging from under $1,000 to around $3,000 retail. The limited-edition watches in the La Sportive collection are priced at CHF 3,250 (Swiss Francs) or around £2900 (British Pounds).
Louis Erard Watch Movements
Louis Erard watches are powered by either self-winding automatic movements or battery-powered quartz movements. The Swiss-made automatic movements offer smooth sweeping seconds hands and complications like date functions without needing battery replacement.
However, automatic movements require more maintenance than quartz. In contrast, the quartz movements provide highly accurate timekeeping and low maintenance, though batteries may need periodic replacement. Here are the key features for both movements:
Automatic movements
Louis Erard watches often feature Swiss-made automatic movements, providing reliable timekeeping and a smooth sweeping second hand.
Features and specifications: Self-winding, powered by the wearer's wrist movement, and various complications such as date functions and chronographs.
Pros and cons: No need for battery replacements, smooth sweeping second hand, and a range of complications. However, automatic movements may require more maintenance than quartz movements.
Quartz movements
Some Louis Erard watches feature Swiss-made quartz movements, known for their accuracy and low maintenance requirements.
Features and specifications: Battery-powered, highly accurate timekeeping, and various complications such as date functions and chronographs.
Pros and cons: Highly accurate, low maintenance, and a range of complications. However, battery replacements may be necessary over time.
The choice between the two depends on one's preferences and budget. Louis Erard provides quality and complexity in both automatic and quartz movements, catering to different horology enthusiasts.
Who Makes Movement for Louis Erard
Louis Erard does not manufacture their own watch movements in-house. Instead, the company sources movements from two well-known Swiss manufacturers - Sellita and Valjoux.
Specifically:
Sellita is a Swiss company that produces mechanical movements based on ETA designs. After ETA reduced supply of ébauche movements to companies outside Swatch Group, Sellita stepped in to provide movements to other Swiss watch brands like Louis Erard.
Valjoux is a prestigious Swiss mechanical movement maker that has been around since 1901. It was acquired by ETA in 1930 but continues to produce movements under the Valjoux name. Their high-end chronograph movements are used by top watchmakers.
So while Louis Erard has designed and assembled their own watches in Le Noirmont since 2003, the mechanical movements inside Louis Erard timepieces come from these two trusted Swiss suppliers - Sellita and Valjoux. This arrangement is common in the watch industry, even among reputable Swiss brands.
How to Wind Watch Louis Erard Automatic
If you have a Louis Erard automatic watch, it is important to know how to wind it properly to ensure that it keeps accurate time. Here are the steps to wind a Louis Erard automatic watch:
Put the watch on your wrist or hold it in your hand.
Gently shake the watch back and forth for a few seconds to get the rotor moving.
Turn the crown clockwise until you feel resistance. This is the point where the mainspring is fully wound.
Stop turning the crown once you feel resistance. Overwinding the watch can damage the movement.
Set the time and date if necessary.
It is important to note that automatic watches are designed to wind themselves as you wear them. If you wear your Louis Erard automatic watch regularly, it should stay wound without any additional winding. However, if you do not wear your watch for an extended period, it may stop running and need to be wound manually.By following these steps, you can wind your Louis Erard automatic watch properly and ensure that it keeps accurate time. Remember to wind the watch gently and stop once you feel resistance to avoid damaging the movement.
Top 3 Louis Erard Collaborations
Louis Erard has a history of collaborating with respected watchmakers and designers from around the world, creating unique and innovative timepieces. These partnerships showcase the brand's commitment to horological excellence and its openness to new ideas and perspectives. Here are some details about Louis Erard's collaborations and partnerships:
Alain Silberstein:
Louis Erard collaborated with architect and watchmaker Alain Silberstein to reinterpret the brand's regulator watch in two limited editions of 178 watches each. The most prominent product from this collaboration is the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein, which features Silberstein's signature use of elementary forms and primary colors.
The La Semaine Blanche (meaning "The White Week" in French) is a unique collaboration between Swiss watchmaker Louis Erard and renowned designer Alain Silberstein. With reference number 75357TT01.BTT83, this automatic watch combines Louis Erard's watchmaking expertise with Silberstein's iconic avant-garde style.
The most prominent feature is Silberstein's creative representation of the days of the week using colorful emoji-style faces rather than text. The faces evolve from grey on Monday to radiant yellow on Sunday, symbolizing the changing moods and emotions we experience throughout the week. This injects a whimsical character into the weekly calendar display.
The polished 40mm steel case frames a clean white dial punctuated by the vivid day symbols. Blue hands and applied indexes offer a bold pop contrasting the pristine palette. At the 6 o'clock position sits a useful date window, completing the calendar complications.
On the wrist, the integrated steel bracelet provides a comfortable and complementary finish. Powering the watch is a reliable Swiss-made automatic movement. With its blend of ingenuity, craftsmanship and personality, the La Semaine Blanche watch exemplifies the creative spirit of the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein collaboration. It puts a playful spin on displaying the days of the week in a distinctively modern fashion.
Eric Giroud:
Louis Erard partnered with designer Eric Giroud, representing a strong partnership and a prelude to the brand's future direction. The most prominent product from this collaboration is the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Eric Giroud, a minimalist and understated version of the iconic Regulator.
The Horophile: Louis Erard teamed up with Switzerland-based watch influencer Amr Sindi, better known as The Horophile, to create the La Petite Seconde Metropolis watch. This Art Deco-inspired watch features a design resembling the Empire State Building.
Konstantin Chaykin:
Louis Erard collaborated with master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin to create a limited edition regulator watch featuring a grotesque saw-mouthed cyclops. The most prominent product from this collaboration is the unique timepiece called "The Time Eater". This watch is a part of Louis Erard's signature regulator-style timepieces and is inspired by Chaykin's Wristmon concept, which features a one-eyed creature based on a Slavic fable called Likho.
The Time Eater watch has a rotating "pupil" at the 12 o'clock position that indicates the hours, while the small seconds at 6 o'clock represent the mouth of the monster. The central minute hand is designed like a claw, and a wavy pattern serves as the background for this mechanical performance. The watch is available in two limited editions with diameters of 39mm and 42mm, both housed in stainless steel cases. The modified Sellita SW266-1 caliber powers the watch, and the automatic movement is visible through the sapphire crystal case back.
Why Should You Get a Louis Erard Watch?
Louis Erard watches exemplify the brand's commitment to horological excellence and timeless design. With a diverse range of collections, movements, limited editions, and collaborations, there is a Louis Erard watch for every watch enthusiast.
As a Swiss watchmaking brand, Louis Erard is known for its high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail, offering watches that are both visually appealing and reliable. By choosing a Louis Erard watch, you are investing in a timepiece that combines tradition, innovation, and style, making it a great addition to any watch collection.
Conclusion
Louis Erard is a testament to the brand's commitment to horological excellence and timeless design. Offering a diverse range of collections, movements, limited editions, and collaborations, there is a Louis Erard watch for every watch enthusiast. Delve into the world of Louis Erard and find the ideal timepiece to add to your collection. As a Swiss watchmaking brand, Louis Erard provides high-quality watches for watch enthusiasts. By adhering to maintenance and care tips, you can ensure the longevity of your Louis Erard watch for years to come.