Louis Erard extends the range of one of the flagship models of its Excellence collection, the Petite Seconde, with three colours inspired by the codes of contemporary high-end watchmaking: midnight blue, purple and ice blue. In a new 39 mm steel case.
Press release information with commentary in italics.
New: Louis Erard Colours of Time
All three novel Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde The Colours of Time have a retail price of CHF 2,222. Limited production of between 100 to 150 pieces a year.
Commentary
The Excellence Petite Seconde line from Louis Erard is the classic collection, respecting the traditional watchmaking sensibilities and aesthetics. This new collection comprise of three new models in the range, with three new dial colours – in midnight blue, purple and ice blue.
The new series is also in the smaller of the two cases offered in the launch models. At 39mm case, vs the larger 42mm case of our Excellence Petite Seconde Terracotta review..
The case was first seen in the Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine and the Excellence Email Grand Feu II. The 39mm case is perhaps the perfect size for this classical and very traditional layout.
The movement remains the same Sellita SW261-1 – a well known workhorse which is èlaboré grade movement with the open worked rotor with the Louis Erard symbol.
Release information
This Petite Seconde (small second) is definitely only small in name. And it is far from second best. It could even be considered the opposite, because this Petite Seconde has become the flagship of fine watchmaking in the Louis Erard’s style. Manuel Emch, Director of Louis Erard, decided to give it another distinguishing feature: colour. After the silver and terracotta versions, the watch is stepping into high-end pop colours.
This model, equipped, as its name suggests, with a small second, housed in its fitted dial located at six o’clock, therefore continues its path in the world of colours, with three new variations of dials and straps: midnight blue, purple and ice blue. A series accompanied by the new Excellence case, aesthetically reworked and refined — and still completed with its signature components, signature fir tree crown and hands.
Midnight blue marks the return of a great classic. A colour that has become the long-standing travelling companion of prestige watchmaking, which is obviously part of the long history of Louis Erard, and which now returns to the heart of the collection, on a dark blue grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone attachment points, and its blue grained calf leather lining, now a classic of the House.
The colour purple is a subtle reminder that contemporary watchmaking, even if it remains centred on its values of durability, is also made up of trends and sometimes allows itself to go beyond its normal codes. Purple, enhanced by the contrast of polished hands and indexes, embodies this ability to reinvent oneself. This colour came from the top of the range; Louis Erard makes it accessible. The watch is finished with a purple grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone attachment points and blue grained calf leather lining.
The third colour has also become a rallying point for high-end and even very high-end watches: ice blue. A flashy colour to which Louis Erard adds its touch of harmony, with a hint of colour on the dark blue and polished hands, an ice blue grained calf leather strap with dark blue attachment points and its lining in blue grained calf leather. Here again, Louis Erard takes up the challenge of proving that the codes of luxury should not remain perched on unaffordable segments.
So these three colours go beyond colour. They are indeed a message, the confirmation that fine watchmaking, however strict it may be in terms of quality of execution and reliability, knows no limits in its creativity. To which Louis Erard adds a third dimension: accessibility. Not just in terms of price, but also in terms of watchmaking content.
These three new models of the Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde are available in a 39-millimetre case, retail price 2,222 Swiss francs. In limited series of between 100 and 150 pieces per year.
Excellence Petite Seconde Bleu Nuit ref. 34248AA05 
Movement
Automatic, Sellita SW261-1 calibre, 3 hands with small seconds at 6 o’clock, 111⁄2’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.60 mm, 31 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), élaboré grade movement, special openworked oscillating weight with black lacquered Louis Erard symbol, approx. 38 hours of power reserve
Functions
HMS
Central hour and minute hands, second hand at 6 o’clock
Case
Polished stainless steel, Ø39 mm, lug width: 20 mm, lug to lug: 45.90 mm, thickness: 12.82 mm, 3 pieces, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, movement visible through the transparent caseback, water resistant up to a pressure of 5 bars (50 m/165 ft), signature fir tree crown
Dial
Matt midnight blue with circular satin-finished zone, snailed counter at 6 o’clock with diamond-cut zone, white transfers, glossy silver indexes
Hands
Rhodium-plated signature fir tree hands
Strap
Midnight blue grained calf leather with tone-on-tone attachment points, blue grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly
Dimensions: 20/18mm width, 80/115 mm length
Excellence Petite Seconde Violette ref. 34248AA06
Dial
Matt purple with circular satin-finished zone, snailed counter at 6 o’clock with diamond-cut zone, white transfers, glossy silver indexes
Strap
Purple grained calf leather with tone-on-tone attachment points, blue grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly
Excellence Petite Seconde Bleu Glacier ref. 34248AA08
Dial
Matt ice blue with circular satin-finished zone, snailed counter at 6 o’clock with diamond-cut zone, anthracite transfers, glossy blue indexes
Hands
Polished blue signature fir tree hands
Strap
Ice blue grained calf leather with dark blue attachment points, blue grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly
Dimensions: 20/18mm width, 80/115 mm length
2 Comments
While it’s nicely done with intriguing colored dials elevating what has become over time a rather pedestrian design of a field watch, with a serviceable, but even with a modified rotor, still a run of the mill Sellita movement, it loses its credibility with its knuckle-headed asking price. For what it’s offering, it should be somewhere around a thousand dollars less. Another missed opportunity by a brand appearing avaricious.
Pingback: New: Louis Erard Colours of Time – Horopedia.ch