Louis Erard brings fine watchmaking to the world of contemporary art, with its latest collaboration with a historic and rebellious figure in abstract art, Swiss artist Olivier Mosset.
A manufacturer of fine mechanical timepieces. A contemporary artist, figure of 60’s abstraction, gestures, objects, attitude. A meeting point between the two worlds lies somewhere between the Franches-Montagnes and Arizona, between Noirmont and Tucson. The result is more than a watch. An essay. A compendium. A few grammes of polysemy, a bit of artist Olivier Mosset (below) in a watch that strives not to become all art, but to keep telling the time. This watch is a frontier. On one side, the land of signs; on the other, the land of watchmaking.
Everything is black: case, bracelet, hands. A pure work of art, with no labels, no logos. Only the dial contrasts, decorated with silver glitter. The hands are batons, hour, minute, second, three times the same, same length, same width, same rounded ends. There’s just one detail: the size of the hole that gives the direction, a minimalist reference, just enough to ensure that you don’t lose the sense of reading altogether.
The artist’s codes have been translated into the watch’s design. Geometric reduction. Chromatic reduction. Flat colour tints. Then comes the dial, which takes up another aspect of Olivier Mosset’s work. The artist loves street culture, including motorbikes and cars, all of which have a place in his work. This collaboration was initiated by Manuel Emch, director of Louis Erard and a keen connoisseur of contemporary art, of which Olivier Mosset is a leading figure since his participation in the B.M.P.T group – founded in Paris in December 1966 by Daniel Buren, Olivier Mosset, Michel Parmentier and Niele Toroni.
Created as a work of art, each of the 178 timepieces comes with a red seal bearing the words “work of art – do not wear”. Two interchangeable bracelets complete the case, one signed by the artist. Shaking up the codes of watchmaking is the direction taken by Louis Erard through its artistic collaborations, which delight collectors and contemporary art lovers the world over.
With Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset, the watchmaking brand continues its extraordinary journey. Other collaborations are to come, involving artists, craftsmen and independent watchmakers. Always limited to 178 pieces. This number holds significance, representing strength in unity.
Technical Specifications:
Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset ref. 85237NN62
Limited edition of 178 pieces
Recommended retail price: SRP CHF 3,750.00
Movement: Automatic regulator, Sellita SW266-1 calibre, 11½’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.60 mm, 31 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), élaboré grade movement, meticulously decorated, special openworked oscillating weight with Louis Erard symbol, approx. 38 hours of power reserve
Functions: HMS. Hour hand at 12 o’clock, central minute hand, second hand at 6 o’clock
Case: Sand-blasted stainless steel with black PVD treatment, Ø42 mm, lug width: 22 mm, lug to lug: 49.60 mm, thickness: 12.25 mm, 3 pieces, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, movement visible through the transparent black caseback, water resistant up to a pressure of 5 bars (50 m/165 ft), signature fir tree crown, caseback engraved with “Olivier Mosset x Louis Erard Limited Edition 1 of 178
Dial: Shiny black lacquered dial inlaid with silver glitter
Hands: Satin-finish hour, minute and seconds hands with black PVD treatment
Strap: Two black Baranil calf leather bracelets with tone-on-tone stitching, black calf leather lining, sandblasted stainless steel pin buckle with black PVD treatment, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly. Handwritten signature of artist Olivier Mosset on one of the two straps
Dimensions: 22/20mm width, 80/115mm length
Collaboration: Watch developed in collaboration with atelier Olivier Mosset in a limited edition of 178 pieces