Jewellery & Watch News
Once again, fine watchmaking has been democratized. Louis Erard released the Excellence Email Grand Feu watch earlier this year featuring, as its name suggests, a beautiful grand feu enamel dial. The two-handed model with a small second function is limited to just 99 pieces worldwide and boasts a special dial technique that we would normally associate with a much higher-priced watch, yet this reflects Louis Erard’s ethos perfectly – to create traditional, quality watches at an affordable price. With only 99 versions of this beautiful timekeeping instrument available, the watch is a must-have collectable for die-hard Louis Erard fans or indeed, those who just love the look and feel of a traditionally crafted wristwatch.
You can afford it…
One of the most appealing factors of the new Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu watch is its price tag – there’s no mistaking that. Just to put Louis Erard’s position within the luxury watch industry into perspective - there are some brand’s that will cynically overinflate the retail price of a watch, just to fuel demand, often with very little justification to do so. What keeps Louis Erard’s audience coming back for more is the brand’s ability to do things very differently. In fact, it has been doing its “thing” under the radar for quite a while, but recently that all changed and it has been a welcomed treat to see the manufacturer collaborate with some world-renowned watchmakers and incredible designers to really put its skills and vision out there.
Now… as well as finishes, case materials and complications some other factors can likely ramp up the price of a luxury watch – one of them being artistic crafts like hand guilloche dials, miniature paintings and, of course, grand feu enamelling. Louis Erard manages to keep examples like the newest Excellence Email Grand Feu watch within an affordable price bracket whilst offering such techniques. Even when manufacturing watches from grade 5 titanium or when crafting monopusher chronographs, for example, Louis Erard watches remain affordable but well-built. Louis Erard has worked so hard and come so far in forging this reputation that choosing an artisan capable of producing such a dial was not taken lightly. Donza Cadrans was said chosen one. Founded in 1972, the company is a grand feu specialist and is revered as one of the world‘s finest practitioners within this field of work.
So, how is that dial made?
Of course, part of the allure and fascination of owning the limited edition Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu watch is partly to do with appreciating how it is made. Let’s start by saying that this kind of dial is not achieved easily or quickly. The entire process starts with a copper base fitted to two attached feet. The copper base is dipped into an alcohol-based liquid. Enamel (or in other words, crushed glass in powder form) is then dusted over the top and the underside of the dial. A firing process then fuses the powder onto the dial. After firing the base of the dial in temperatures up to (or around) 800 degrees Celsius, the artisan takes the dial out of the heat and know by instinct when to do so. This skill comes as second nature to someone who has specialized in this work of art for so long and thus should never be taken for granted. These dials are a masterful blend of intuition and meticulous attention to detail.
The blank (or dial) is then dusted again with another layer of fine enamel powder and is subject to several firings thereafter. Around 70% of these dials won’t even cut the grade. They won’t make it onto a watch. Because of the intense heat and the specific method behind this process, many will have inclusions, so the perfect dial must be cherry-picked before passing onto the next stage. It suddenly becomes clear as to why Louis Erard watches like this one are produced in such low quantities, right? The dial is then polished, filed and pad printed after close inspection. The hour markers and brand name will require yet another firing process. A piece of carbon is then used to flatten the surface of the dial before it is trimmed. Not an easy process by any means but certainly one that adds unquestionable character and charm to an already beautifully composed watch.
Other features of the Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu watch
The Grand Feu enamel dial of this limited edition Louis Erard watch has a wonderful depth to its appearance. The stick indexes and Roman numeral hour markers are blued and are pad printed just like the brand lettering and chemin de fer around the outer edge of the dial. The small second display at 6 o’clock features blue and beige enamelled details. The blue fir tree-inspired hands were first seen in a Louis Erard watch last year, inspired by Art Sapin from the Art Nouveau period. These coniferous themed hands are one of the unique selling points of a Louis Erard watch such as this, especially since no other watch features them. The small second hand, also executed in the same fir tree style, circumnavigates the counter while augmenting legibility the whole time.
Considering the Limited edition Louis Erard Email Gran Feu watch is a 42mm model it should pretty much suit all sized wrists. The case is crafted from stainless steel and highly polished. More references to the fir tree Art Sapin technique are provided in the crown and have been engraved into its surface at 3 o’clock. The front of the case is crafted from domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, while on the caseback, the same material affords undisrupted views of the beautiful mechanical calibre operating inside the watch’s case. When not observing this movement in motion, however, the watch can be enjoyed on a coffee-coloured nubuck leather strap and secures comfortably to the wrist with a traditional steel pin buckle.
Propelling those hands around the cream lacquered dial is the Sellita SW261-1, which provides a 42-hour power reserve and beats at a rhythm of 28,800 oscillations per hour. More economical and readily available than most other reliable and robust movements, this Sellita movement without doubts helps keep the watch affordably priced.
For more information on the new Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu watch, you can check the timepiece out in-depth here, or call our team at C W Sellors on 01335 453453.
Technical specifications of the Louis Erard Excellence Email Grand Feu watch
- Case: 42mm – stainless Steel – polished – 50-meter meter water resistant – domed sapphire crystal glass front – sapphire crystal glass caseback – fir tree-engraved crown
- Dial: Beautiful grand feu enamel dial carried out by Donza Cadrans – blued steel fir tree hands – stick and Roman numeral hour markers – small second sub-dial with beige and blue indexes
- Movement: Sellita SW261-1 Calibre – automatic self -winding - 43 hour power reserve – 28,800 v.p.h
- Strap : Coffee brown nubuck calf leather strap – stainless steel pin buckle
- Reference: 34237AA54
- Availability: limited to 99 pieces worldwide
- Price: £3,400
