Louis Erard adds to their signature new regulator model with a novelty with a grand feu enamel dial. Introducing the Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel
The Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel retails at CHF 4,500 before taxes. Limited edition of 99 pieces.
Commentary
Louis Erard continues its “money for value” streak with a new grand feu enamel dial watch. This time on their signature Le Régulateur model. This is the first for Louis Erard to have an enamel dial on the regulator.
The watch is the same as the standard Louis Erard Le Régulateur in a steel case. The earlier Le Régulateur models are available in either a 42mm diameter case or 39mm. This novelty is released in a smaller 39mm case. As the name implies, this novelty also sports a grand feu enamel dial. This rather special enamel dial is also not unusual for Louis Erard. And the maison has several iterations featuring these dials in their Enamel Excellence series.
Like the other enamel dials in Louis Erard, Donzé Cadrans makes dial, and the literature describes the dial as an ivory shade with speckles. Visually inspecting the high resolution photographs, the dial looks almost pure white, with a light tinge of beige. , and with two tone enamel transfer printed decals for the markers.
The movement also remains unchanged with the Sellita SW266-1 used in previous incarnations of their regulator.
Release details
Louis Erard unveils its emblematic Le Régulateur model adorned for the first time with a traditional Grand Feu enamel dial. This exceptional timepiece embodies the perfect marriage of craftsmanship and fine contemporary watchmaking.
This is a first for the Louis Erard: the use of grand feu enamel on a watch with a regulator. The polished stainless steel case, 39 mm in diameter, houses an ivory-coloured dial crafted in grand feu enamel using the traditional techniques of Donzé Cadrans S.A. The hour and seconds counters at 12 and 6 o’clock respectively add an extra touch of elegance, highlighting the two-tone enamel details. The numerals are light, fine and discontinuous, echoing the new contemporary identity of the brand. Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel, in a limited series of 99 pieces, returns to the essence of this ancestral craft.
Louis Erard has embarked on a remarkable journey, undertaking both technical and artistic challenges in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans, a pioneering force in this domain since 1972. The utilization of ivory enamel, with its precise formulations, reflects the brand’s unwavering pursuit of perfection.
Enamel is a material composed of several minerals. This mixture is then vitrified, i.e. transformed into glass by fusion, in a process that takes place in an oven heated to around 800°C, hence the name “grand feu”. To obtain a smooth, uniform surface, several successive coats are applied and as many firing cycles. Working with enamel is extremely demanding, requiring years of practice to master. The material is capricious and sometimes unpredictable, which means that despite the expertise of the craftsmen, the result remains uncertain. Each firing can result in imperfections such as roughness, cracks, bubbles and unexpected colour changes. On average, 5-7 layers of enamel are needed to obtain the desired result. The inscriptions on the dial are also made from two-colour enamel, fused together by the final firing, which explains why this process has become so rare. Unlike traditional dials, which will fade over time, the colour of an enamel dial is unalterable.
Grand feu enamel, naturally exclusive and limited, defies mass production. Each dial is meticulously crafted by hand, distancing itself from industrial norms. Consequently, every enamel dial is inherently unique, embodying an artisanal spirit. This approach symbolizes an artistic and romantic ideal within watchmaking, elevating timepieces with grand feu enamel dials to a revered status, often considered as elusive as they are exquisite. Louis Erard breaks this exclusivity barrier, offering accessibility to a broader audience at an unparalleled price of CHF 4,500.
Le Régulateur Email Grand Feu pays homage to traditional craftsmanship and innovative watchmaking, encapsulating the decades-long expertise and fervor that define Louis Erard.
Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel Specifications
Limited Edition of 99 pieces
Movement Automatic regulator, Sellita SW266-1 calibre, 11½’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.60 mm, 31 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), élaboré grade movement, meticulously decorated, special openworked oscillating weight, approx. 38 hours of power reserve
Functions HMS
Hour hand in counter at 12 o’clock, central minute hand, seconds hand in counter 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 black caseback, water resistant up to a pressure of 5 bars (50 m/165 ft), signature fir tree crown, case back engraved with “Limited Edition 1 of 99”
Dial Slightly speckled ivory color made in grand feu enamel in the traditional way by Donzé Cadrans S.A., hours counter at 12 o’clock and seconds counter at 6 o’clock, two-tone enameled decals
Aiguilles Blued steel signature fir tree hands
Bracelet Grey grained calf leather bracelet with tone-on-tone stitching, black grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, ergot bars for quick strap change.
Dimensions : 20/18mm width, 80/115 mm length
