Anytime anyone asks us what luxury watch brand we recommend for a watch that is aesthetically and technically beautiful but still reasonably priced, our minds often go to Louis Erard. Over the last few years in particular, the Swiss watch manufacturer have focused on bringing high-end materials and techniques to a wider audience, creating Louis Erard watches with handmade guilloche dials, enamel dials and stone dials. The latter reoccurs for a second time in their history with the new trio of Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watches dressed in malachite, aventurine and lapis lazuli.
In their quest to create high-end watches at a sensible price, Louis Erard have partnered up with renowned watchmakers and designers who have reinvented some of their famous models like the Excellence Régulateur and the Excellence Petit Seconde. Some of just a few of these collaborations include Alain Silberstein, Vianney Halter and Eric Giroud, who as big names in the luxury watch industry have given Louis Erard their own reputation for premium manufacture. Last year, as part of their Geneva Watch Days 2021 releases, Louis Erard launched their inaugural stone dial with the Louis Erard Excellence Régulateur Aventurine, Lapis Lazuli and Malachite watches. The three gemstones were placed centre stage of their Régulateur model to represent the surrounding sky, fir trees and earth as seen from Louis Erard’s home in the Jura region of Switzerland.
As before, the three new Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watches are sold as limited editions since the task of creating the displays is so painstaking. Cutting the stone into a few fractions of a millimetre is no easy feat, and a technique typically reserved for high-end, high-priced watches. The first in the line-up is the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Aventurine watch which boasts a gorgeous shimmering dark blue dial whose sparkling inclusions resemble a clear night sky. Meanwhile, the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Lapis Lazuli watch elects the nautical blue hue of the lapis gemstone with its golden flecks from the silicate inclusions. Lastly, the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Malachite watch nominates a striped forest green display.
Contrasting to all three stone dials, the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Limited Edition watches present a snailed matte opaline counter at 6 o’clock for displaying the small seconds. There are also Arabic numerals for all but one even number while the odd numbers are replaced by slim tapered indexes. The hands, like so many of Louis Erard’s watches, are moulded into the brand’s signature fir-tree shape and finished in the same silver hue as the markers. There’s also a subtle minutes track around the dial’s circumference and the Louis Erard logo is placed in its usual spot at 12 o’clock.
For the cases of the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watches, you can expect much of the same as other 39mm models. The polished stainless steel cases are perfectly round and sit at 12.25mm in height, dressed in smooth unadorned bezels, short lugs and scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass. The fir-tree crown at 3 o’clock is non-screw locked so only a 50 metre water resistant rating is warranted and on the case back, more sapphire crystal glass is elected for showing off the movement inside.
The movement used to power the Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watches is the automatic élabore grade Sellita SW261-1 movement. Alongside 31 jewels and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, we’re promised a healthy power reserve of 38 hours. Decoration of the movement is typical of the Swiss watch manufacturer and includes an openworked oscillating rotor adorned with a black lacquer Louis Erard logo. Completing each Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watch is a grained calfskin leather strap coloured in the same shade as its display. The strap closes by a stainless steel pin buckle and quick-release levers for when you want to change over to a different strap.
The Louis Erard Excellence Petit Seconde Stone Dial watches are limited edition of 99 pieces each and retail at only £2,600. If you’d like to learn more and shop the collection for yourself, head over to the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 39mm x 12.25mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Crown: Non-screw locked
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Movement: Sellita SW 261-1 automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Jewels: 31
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Aventurine, lapis lazuli or malachite, snailed opaline counter
- Strap: Grained calfskin leather in dark blue, light blue or green
- Limited Edition: 99 pieces each
- RRP: £2,600
- Release Date: September 2022
