Louis Erard releases a second collaboration with Romaric Andre (Seconde/Seconde/) in a special release exclusively for Singapore. Limited Edition of 99 pieces.
Press Release information with commentary in italics. Live photographs will be added on Friday Mar 16 (tomorrow), as we will be at the reveal event in Watches of Switzerland when the embargo lifts at 7pm SGT, Mar 15.
New: Louis Erard Excellence Long-Awaited Email Grand Feu
The new Louis Erard Excellence Long-Awaited Email Grand Feu Ref. 34238A55 will retail at SGD 6,400 inclusive of GST and is exclusively available at Watches of Switzerland in Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Commentary
An interesting three way collaboration for this edition, which can be seen as the second version of the first model between Louis Erard and seconde/seconde. The first was the Louis Erard La Petite Seconde Louis Horror x seconde/seconde/ released in October last year. This new version offers the input from Watches of Switzerland Singapore which replaced the rotating tombstone with the motif of the hour glass. This is more than just a hint that time used to be measured by such a device, but also a nod to the fact that Watches of Switzerland Singapore is a subsidiary of The Hour Glass.
The watch was first discussed between The Hour Glass and Louis Erard to have the text with a Wikipedia url at 6 o’clock. Louis Erard even went to the trouble to get permission from Wikipedia to use the url. But after the first 15 dials were made, Manuel Emch, the head honcho of Louis Erard thought that it would be even cuter to play on the French word “email” which means enamel, with the English word email (yes, electronic mail), thus came up with the catch phrase which became the name of the model – “LONG-AWAITED EMAIL GRAND FEU SUISSE” for the rest to make up the total of 99. Nice touch!
Other input from the WOS team is the green indices, hands and strap. In real life, the green has a tinge of olive green, and is rather attractive. As can be seen in the photograph below with the Email II, the dial has a light beige hue, and distinctly different to the pure white of the former. The other aspects remain the same as the other versions of the standard Email Grand Feu II in the 38mm case, as opposed to the first Email Grand Feu which had a 42mm case.
Also unchanged is the Sellita SW261-1 movement and the use of a polished stainless steel case.
Release information
A DARING FIRST
Watches of Switzerland brings together Louis Erard and seconde/seconde in an original three-way collaboration. This limited edition of 99 watches brings together Swiss watchmaking tradition with contemporary humour, available exclusively at Watches of Switzerland in Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Presenting the Louis Erard × Watches of Switzerland × seconde/seconde Excellence Long-Awaited Email Grand Feu This three- way collaboration features the classic Louis Erard Excellence with its enamel dial and fir- shaped hour and minute hands as the canvas.
The seconds subdial at 6 o’clock takes the motif of an hourglass, an instrument used to tell time since the 8th century, which coincidentally represents The Hour Glass, the parent company of Watches of Switzerland.
The green indices, hands, and strap being a nod to the forests of the Jura mountains, the home of Louis Erard.
Email Grand Feu requires vear to master the craft and days t actually make it. and still, even with patience and talent, you still get a high rejection rate working with Email Grand Feu.
At the bottom of the enamel dial, the inscription “LONG-AWAITED EMAILGRAND FEU SUISSE” is a t o n g u e – i n – cheek play on the overlap betweenFrench and English, where email refers to enamel in French, and also the modern internet mode of communication in English. This beige enamel dial derives from Donzé Cadrans in Le Locle, an enamelling specialist workshop with over half a century of history and experience. Each dial is made by hand, with artisans applying the vitreous powder on metal dial bases before being fired at high temperatures in a dedicated kiln. This process is repeated several times to achieve the even colour and texture.
Romaric Andre
“IN LIFE, YOU NEED TO BE PATIENT…WHEN YOU FINALLY KNOW THINGS, YOU STILL DON’T KNOW THEM COMPLETELY.. YOU ARE STILL PROCESSING.. CONSTANTLY PROCESSING”
With an infinitely turning hour-glass, it sums up the situation of our human condition, which means “you won’t find the final answer and you will probably never find out” – by Romaric Andre (seconde/seconde/) Limited to 99 pieces, the Excellence Long-Awaited Email Grand Feu will be available at Watches of Switzerland in Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Recommended price is SGD 6,400 inclusive of prevailing taxes.
Louis Erard Excellence Long-Awaited Email Grand Feu Specifications
M o v e m e n t
Automatic, Sellita SW261-1 calibre, 3 hands with small seconds at 6 o’clock, élaboré grade movement, meticulously decorated, special openworked oscillating weight with black lacquered Louis Erard symbol, 31 jewels
Frequency
28.800 v/h – 4 Hz
Power Reserve
38 hours
Functions
Central hour and minute hands, second hand at 6 o’clock counter
Water Resistance
5 ATM
Case Material
Polished Stainless steel
Case Size
Width: 39mm: length: 46.48mm; thickness: 12.25mm
Dial
Beige Grand Feu enamel, made in the traditional way by Donzé Cadrans S.A., counter at 6 o’clock, green enamelled transfers
Strap
Green grained calf leather and polished stainless steel pin buckle
Edition
99 pieces (exclusively available at Watches of Switzerland Singapore)
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