Louis Erard once again extends their modestly priced collection with a new Excellence Petite Seconde, now with aventurine dials. Three limited edition pieces with different colour dials are proposed, each pitched at CHF 2,500 and each limited to 99 pieces.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine
Retail price for the new Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine is CHF 2,500. The three dial options are all limited to 99 pieces each.
Commentary
There are perhaps endless variations which can be made to the Louis Erard Petite Seconde series. The case, dial layout and movement remain unchanged, but the maison has proven that they are experts in manipulating the dial with innovative use of materials, colours, and other design instruments to create beautiful watches. Of course, always keeping the pricing at the corner of the eye, and always hitting the sweet sweet budget spot. This time CHF 2.5k, the same price point as for the Petite Seconde Terracotta which we so loved. The same model was also the base with of the Massena Lab collaboration, which is currently nominated for the 2020 GPHG.
In this novelty, the dials are the focus. Three versions in three different colours. Three different stones are used – lapis lazuli, blue aventurine and malachite are selected. This is also not the first time the maison has issued watches with these dials. We covered the Régulateur in 2021, which featured the same three stones. But instead of the regulator base, which is more expensive, this new release is on the simpler and less expensive Petite Seconde base. But perhaps due to the simplicity of the dial, allows the stones to shine, and in our view, more beautiful.
The movement remains the robust Sellita SW261-1, 3 hand with small seconds beating at 28,800 bph. Louis Erard uses what is the élaboré grade (highest finishing level offered by Sellita) movement, special openworked oscillating weight.
Release details
Excellence Petite Seconde natural stones and hand-crafted glass — All the outward signs of luxury in a fresh and contemporary outfit. All the art of Louis Erard, who pursues his mission: to make fine watchmaking accessible. Not just in terms of price or exclusivity, but also in terms of design and spirit.
Louis Erard makes more than just timepieces: watches with spirit. This new limited edition of Excellence natural stones and hand-crafted glass even contains a touch of philosophy. A little shock of the times. The dialogue of eternity and the immediate, of tradition and the contemporary. What is the contemporary spirit, if not the art of living in the present moment? What better expression than the small seconds to tell this dynamic of immediacy?
Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde comes in three versions — in a limited edition of three times 99 pieces — taking up the codes of the series of precious stone and mineral glass dial Régulateurs of 2021. With the same interplay of materials and colours: the midnight blue of aventurine, the forest green of malachite, the morning blue of lapis lazuli. Three stones charged with positive energies. Three emblematic stones for Louis Erard, House of the Franches-Montagnes, magical region of the Jura ridges, where the sky, the fir trees and the earth are one.
The dials are openworked. The small seconds pierces the flat stone and glass of their opaline dial. The contrast goes beyond the aesthetic shock. It has a meaning: the meeting of times and materials.
Each dial is unique and bears the traces of the millions of years that have shaped the natural stones and mineral glass from which they are made. The precious stone dials recall the long history of traditional watchmaking, of which Louis Erard is the son. Their achievement is in itself a technical feat. Cutting the stones or the glass into discs of a few fractions of a millimetre with all the precision required by the art of watchmaking is a test of patience and delicacy. A sophistication usually reserved for high-end watches.
The small seconds gives tension to the composition and accentuates its balance, both subtle and frank, charged and sober. The new format – 39 millimetres – is no stranger to this. The case has been further refined and all the signature elements are present, metal indexes, fir-tree hands, logo crown. There is nothing more to add, nothing more to take away.
Each watch has a matching seamless grained calf leather strap, but with tone-on-tone attachment points. Deep blue for Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine, morning blue for Excellence Petite Seconde Lapis-Lazuli, forest green for Excellence Patite Seconde Malachite, and Louis Erard blue lining. Complete with a polished stainless steel pin buckle and functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly.
And as usual, the price shock: CHF 2,500. Unprecedented in watchmaking at this level of mechanical mastery, design and craftsmanship. Once again, Louis Erard meets the challenge of contemporary fine watchmaking with art and style.
Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine Specifications
Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine ref. 34238AA32 Limited edition of 99 pieces
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: 20mm, lug to lug: 46.48mm, thickness: 12.25 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, caseback engraved with “Limited Edition 1 of 99”
Dial
Openworked blue aventurine, snailed opaline (matt silver) counter at 6 o’clock, glossy silver indexes, anthracite transfers on the counter and white transfers on the aventurine part
Hands
Signature fir tree rhodium-plated hands
Strap
Deep 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, 80/115mm length
Excellence Petite Seconde Lapis-Lazuli ref. 34238AA35 Limited edition of 99 pieces
Dial
Openworked lapis lazuli, snailed opaline (matt silver) counter at 6 o’clock, glossy silver indexes, anthracite transfers on the counter and white transfers on the lapis lazuli part
Strap
Morning 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, 80/115mm length
Excellence Petite Seconde Malachite ref. 34238AA39 Limited edition of 99 pieces
Dial
Openworked malachite, snailed opaline (matt silver) counter at 6 o’clock, glossy silver indexes, anthracite transfers on the counter and white transfers on the malachite part
Strap
Forest green 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, 80/115mm length
