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
Grenage

Grenage

Is a method used to create watch dials that was popular in the 1800s but is not commonly used today. With this technique, the dial is made of solid silver and is engraved with intricate designs such as numbers or minute markers. The engraved areas are then carefully filled with lacquer by hand, and once the lacquer hardens, it is polished using diamond paper to create a smooth and shiny surface. Essentially, grenage involves engraving patterns on a silver watch dial and filling those patterns with lacquer to enhance their appearance.