Louis Erard Unveils the Limited-Edition Gravée Main

Since 2021, Louis Erard has been redefining the boundaries of Métiers d’Art, from Grand Feu enamel and guilloché to wood marquetry, and soon, gold wire inlay. Now, Gravée Main opens a new chapter, paying tribute to one of the oldest crafts in watchmaking hand engraving.
Gravée Main represents a new milestone in Louis Erard’s Métiers d’Art series. This limited edition of 99 unique timepieces places hand engraving at center stage, with every metal element entirely engraved and finished by hand, a meticulous process that requires more than 50 hours of work.

Glossary

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Glossary
fusee and chain

fusee and chain

Mechanism is an old mechanism used in mechanical watches to solve the issue of uneven distribution of power from the mainspring as it transitions from fully wound to relaxed state. The fusee consists of a cone-shaped device connected to the mainspring barrel by a chain.

The purpose of the fusee and chain mechanism is to maintain consistent torque during the movement of the mainspring and ensure equal power distribution. The cone-shaped fusee allows the chain to wrap around it in a way that compensates for the decreasing torque of the mainspring as it relaxes. This results in equal power distribution to the gears of the watch, leading to improved timing accuracy.

Simply put, when the chain is tightened with the necessary force, it supplies the gears with sufficient rotational power to maintain timing accuracy. When the mainspring is in a relaxed state, the effect directed to the gears decreases, allowing the chain to compensate and distribute power evenly to the gears, ensuring the continuity of timing accuracy.