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 natural stones and hand-crafted glass Technical Specifications
Movement
- Automatic, Sellita SW261-1 calibre
- 3 hands with small seconds at 6 o’clock
- 11½’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.60 mm
- 31 jewels
- 28,800 VpH (4Hz)
- Elaboré 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”
Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine
Ref. 34238AA32 – Limited edition of 99 pieces, Recommended retail price: CHF 2,500
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, Recommended retail price: CHF 2,500
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, Recommended retail price: CHF 2,500
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
ABOUT LOUIS ERARD
Based in the Jura mountains, the birthplace of watchmaking, Louis Erard embodies the values of Swiss mechanics, the tradition that keeps its promises. Combining luxury, timelessness and elegance, this independent brand is renowned for its mechanical watches and, in particular, its iconic regulators. A collection on which the brand, founded by Mr. Louis Erard in 1929, built its reputation.
Today, continuing the work of its founder and honouring watchmaking tradition, the Maison is reinterpreting the codes in a contemporary language. Louis Erard continues to set itself apart from mass-market brands. Inspired by high-end watchmaking, the brand draws on its values to enhance its mechanical timepieces.