First Look The New Le Régulateur Louis Erard Grand Feu Enamel (Live Pictures)

A regulator watch is a unique type of timepiece designed to offer a clear and exceptional way to read time. Unlike traditional watches, where the hour, minute, and second hands typically share a common central point, a regulator watch separates these indicators onto different axes. 

Louis Erard is one of the few brands that have embraced the regulator complication and executed it with exceptional finesse. An independent watchmaker based in the Jura mountains, often considered the birthplace of Swiss watchmaking, Louis Erard is known for its commitment to traditional craftsmanship and mechanical precision. The company's watches reflect a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, with a particular emphasis on elegant design that we have seen in their releases.

Today, Louis Erard is unveiling the Le Régulateur Louis Erard Grand Feu Enamel, its first timepiece featuring a Grand Feu enamel dial. This watch is housed in a polished stainless steel case composed of three pieces, measuring 39 mm in diameter, with a lug-to-lug distance of 45.90 mm, and a thickness of 12.82 mm, creating an elegant profile on the wrist. It features a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, a transparent caseback that reveals the movement, and water resistance of up to 50 meters. The case also has a signature fir tree crown and a caseback engraved with "Limited Edition 1 of 99."

The dial comes in a beautiful ivory color, crafted using the grand feu enamel technique in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans, a company that specializes in creating enamel dials. The enamel is made from a blend of several minerals, which is then transformed into glass through fusion. This process requires an oven heated to about 800 degrees Celsius, hence the name "grand feu" or "great fire."

Achieving a smooth and even surface involves multiple coats of enamel and repeated firing cycles, making this technique incredibly demanding and requiring years of expertise to master. The dial features hour and seconds counters at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions, with the central hand indicating the minutes. All the hands are crafted from blued steel with the iconic fir tree design.

The watch is powered by the Sellita SW266-1 caliber, an automatic regulator movement operating at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz), offering a power reserve of 38 hours. The movement is elegantly decorated and includes a specially designed openworked oscillating weight. This watch comes with a gray grained calf leather strap featuring tone-on-tone stitching, a black grained calf leather lining, and a quick strap-change system, secured with a polished stainless steel pin buckle. The timepiece is limited to 99 pieces and is priced at CHF 4,500, which is equivalent to AED 18,500.

For more information please visit Louis Erard’s official website.