Louis Erard Unveils Cheap “Grand Feu” Enamel Regulator

Though Louis Erard is biggest acknowledged for its high-profile collaborations with neutral watchmakers like Konstantin Chaykin and Cédric Johner, the mannequin’s specialty is making fascinating watchmaking accessible. Its signature complication is the regulator present complication, which has served because the inspiration for a lot of restricted editions. The mannequin continues to do that with the The Grand Feu Enamel Regulatora regulator wristwatch that features a two-part fired enamel dial in putting ivory.

Preliminary concepts

The model new launch has a fragile ivory dial produced in a normal technique, resulting in a shiny, nuanced finish actually really feel evocative of dials usually found on pricier timepieces. Its trendy typeface and numerals enhances minimalist style.

Dial aside, the latest regulator is the same to the standard model and contains the similar Sellita calibre. In consequence, whatever the elegant styling, it’s a chunky watch that’s almost 14 mm thick. Nevertheless, this retains the Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel moderately priced at CHF4,400, which is highly effective price considering that the majority watches with such dials worth on the very least twice as so much.

Ivory enamel

Louis Erard as quickly as as soon as extra turned to Donzé Cadrans, the enamel dial specialist owned by Ulysse Nardin, for this large fireplace enamel dial. Unsurprisingly Donzé was moreover the supplier for the ivory enamel dial in Excellence Piece of email Grand Feu in 2021.

The time-only Excellence Piece of email Grand Feu

The manufacturing of large fireplace enamel dials has a extreme rejection cost, usually over 50%, primarily based on Louis Erard. This accounts for a superb portion of the worth of a dial that ends in a watch, moreover explaining why they’re usually current in costlier timepieces.

The dial throughout the Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel is produced within the similar technique as dials current in higher-end watches, save for the dial base that is copper as an alternative of sturdy gold.

Starting with a copper base, the dial is painted with layers of enamel powder mixed with water and oil, then baked at over 800°C, fusing the enamel onto the dial. Some dials inevitably crack or warp in the midst of the course of and are discarded. The right dials are then printed with liquid enamel for the markings, requiring but yet another journey to the oven.

The dial construction retains the essential regulator-style present found all through the Louis Erard catalogue. The symmetrically organized sub-dials level out hours on the 12 o’clock and seconds at six.

The dial is printed in a restrained mixture of black and grey: black for the hour numerals, minute monitor, and seconds markers, whereas grey is used for the branding at three and the offset “Swiss made” and fired enamel label between seven and eight o’clock. That’s complemented by “fir tree” fingers in blued metallic.

Save for the model new dial, the watch is the same to the smaller regular regulator model. The metallic case measures 39 mm in diameter and 12.82 mm extreme.

It employs the similar Sellita SW266-1, augmented by a proprietary module for the regulator-style present. Specs are unchanged, with a modest 38-hour power reserve and a 4 Hz steadiness.

Key data and price

The Regulator Louis Erard Grand Feu Enamel
Ref. 85248AA54.BVA153

Diameter: 39 mm
Peak: 12.82 mm
Supplies: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Sellita SW266-1
Choices: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automated
Vitality reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Calfskin leather-based strap with pin buckle

Restricted model: 99 objects
Availability: Direct from Louis Erard on-line
Worth: CHF4,500 (excluding taxes)

For further, go to Louiserard.com.

Once more to excessive.