Louis Erard And Vianney Halter Look Forward With Futur Antérieur

October 30, 2026 MrWatchMaster 0 Comments

Two portholes, two automatic movements and a shared fascination with the unconventional bring a new dimension to this increasingly intriguing collaboration.

There are collaborations in watchmaking that bring two names together, and then there are those that genuinely push creative boundaries. The latest partnership between Louis Erard and independent watchmaker Vianney Halter belongs firmly in the latter category.

Introducing the Futur Antérieur Gold and Futur Antérieur Silver, two distinctive timepieces that take their inspiration from Halter’s celebrated Antiqua while creating an identity entirely their own. With an unusual dual-dial arrangement, two automatic movements and a newly developed stainless-steel case, these watches offer something rather different from the familiar codes of contemporary watch design.

The name Futur Antérieur, the French grammatical tense describing something that will have happened, feels particularly appropriate. Here is a collaboration that looks backwards for inspiration while imagining what watchmaking might become.

“Collectors are not easy to impress anymore. They follow the industry closely. They know the brands, they know the people behind them, and they know when ‘exclusive’ is just marketing language. That’s a good thing. It forces me, as someone building and developing brands, to be better. When Vianney and I started talking about this piece, I wanted to push the collaboration somewhere unexpected. I told him: Let’s go closer to the Antiqua – and let’s make something Louis Erard has never made before.” Manuel Emch, Managing Director, Louis Erard

Two Portholes Into Another World

The influence of Halter’s horological universe is immediately apparent. Raised, riveted bezels frame two separate dials, creating the impression of a pair of mechanical portholes. One displays the hours and minutes, while the other is dedicated to the seconds.

The arrangement is more than an exercise in visual theatre. Each dial has its own automatic Sellita SW100 movement, giving the watch its distinctive dual-movement architecture. Signature crowns and Halter’s blued-steel hands complete a design that feels both industrial and imaginative.

It is a particularly interesting way to revisit the spirit of the Antiqua without simply reproducing its familiar silhouette. Instead, the Futur Antérieur develops the idea into something new, with the dual apertures becoming the defining feature of the watch.

The Devil Is In The Detail

Look beyond the twin dials and the attention paid to the case becomes increasingly evident. Comprising 67 components, the newly developed stainless-steel construction combines circular brushing across the front, vertical brushing along the sides and polished chamfers that accentuate its geometry.

Each bezel carries 12 polished yellow-gilt 1N rivets, while the two signature crowns feature six matching rivets apiece. Grained dial surfaces sit alongside circular-brushed outer rings and polished chamfers, creating layers of texture that reward a closer look.

Perhaps most impressive is the profile. Despite its architectural construction and two separate movements, the case measures just 8.85mm thick. With dimensions of 38 x 44mm, it promises a distinctive wrist presence without relying on excessive thickness to make its statement.

Both dials are protected by sapphire crystals with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, while water resistance is rated to 50 metres.

Gold Or Silver? A Question Of Character

The two editions share the same underlying architecture but offer quite different personalities.

The Futur Antérieur Gold adopts yellow-gilt dials with black transfers, paired with a black ostrich-leather strap. Its warmer palette brings a touch of vintage character to the otherwise futuristic design, while the textured leather introduces another tactile dimension.

The Futur Antérieur Silver takes a cooler approach. Rhodium-plated dials provide a silvery backdrop, complemented by a blue ostrich-leather strap and blued-steel hands. The contrast is subtle but effective, allowing the case architecture and the twin portholes to remain the focus.

Both versions retain the yellow-gilt rivets, providing a common visual thread between the two interpretations. The ostrich leather straps feature tone-on-tone stitching, a black grained calf-leather lining and quick-change spring bars.

For collectors who find choosing between the two impossible, Louis Erard will also offer 78 paired Gold and Silver sets.

A Collaboration With A Purpose

Louis Erard and Vianney Halter have been working together since 2020, and this latest release suggests a partnership that has grown increasingly comfortable with taking risks.

Under Manuel Emch’s leadership, Louis Erard has developed a reputation for collaborations that bring independent watchmaking and unconventional design to a wider audience. Halter, meanwhile, has long occupied his own corner of the horological world, drawing on astronomy, science fiction and historical watchmaking to create objects that challenge conventional expectations.

The Futur Antérieur brings these two perspectives together in a particularly tangible way. Rather than relying solely on a familiar design with a different dial or finish, the collaboration introduces a new case construction and an unusual mechanical arrangement.

It is an approach that makes the watch interesting beyond its limited-edition status. The details are there to be explored, from the riveted bezels and layered dial finishes to the interplay of brushed and polished surfaces.

Small Numbers, Big Ideas

Each version will be limited to 178 pieces, continuing Louis Erard’s established approach to collaborative editions. The recommended retail price is CHF 4,950, excluding tax, for either model. The paired Gold and Silver set will be limited to 78 sets and priced at CHF 9,900, excluding tax.

In a market where exclusivity is frequently measured by scarcity alone, the Futur Antérieur offers a more compelling proposition: a design that reflects the meeting of two distinct creative minds.

These are watches for collectors who appreciate a little eccentricity, enjoy looking beyond traditional dial layouts and value the personality that an independent watchmaker can bring to a collaboration.

The Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur Gold and Silver are not trying to be conventional dress watches, nor do they need to be. Their appeal lies in the way they combine mechanical ingenuity, considered finishing and a playful sense of design.

Sometimes, the most interesting way forward is to imagine what the future might have looked like.

Technical Specifications

Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur Gold
Limited edition of 178 timepieces
Ref: 22243AA01.BOA02
Recommended retail price, excluding tax: CHF 4,950.-

Movement 1: Automatic, Sellita caliber SW100, 1 hand, 7¾’’’, Ø17.20 mm, thickness: 4.80 mm, 25 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), meticulously decorated, oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” and engraved Louis Erard logo, min. 38 hours of power reserve, typical value: 42 hours

Indications: Central seconds hand

Movement 2: Automatic, Sellita caliber SW100, 1 hand, 7¾’’’, Ø17.20 mm, thickness: 4.80 mm, 25 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), meticulously decorated, oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” and engraved Louis Erard logo, min. 38 hours of power reserve, typical value: 42 hours

Indications: Central hours and minutes hands

Case: Circular brushed stainless steel, vertically brushed sides and polished chamfer; two bezels, each set with 12 polished yellow-gilt 1N rivets; two sapphire crystals with anti-reflective treatment on both sides; two Vianney Halter signature crowns, each set with 6 polished yellow-gilt 1N rivets; solid caseback engraved “Louis Erard x Vianney Halter 1 of 178”, Ø38×44 mm, lug width: 20 mm, thichness: 8.85 mm; water-resistant to 5 bar pressure (50 m / 165 ft). Case made of 67 components in total.

Seconds dial: Yellow-gilt 1N with grained baseplate, applied outer ring with circular brushed finish and polished chamfer, black transfers.

Hours & Minutes dial: Yellow-gilt 1N with grained baseplate, applied outer ring with circular brushed finish and polished chamfer, black transfers.

Hands: Vianney Halter signature hands in blued steel.

Strap: Black ostrich leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching, black grained calf leather lining, brushed and polished stainless steel pin buckle engraved with the Louis Erard symbol, ergot bars for quick strap change. Dimensions: 20/18 mm width, 80/115 mm length.

Collaboration: Watch developed in collaboration with Vianney Halter in a 178-piece limited edition.

Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur Silver
Limited edition of 178 timepieces
Ref: 22243AA07.BOA05
Recommended retail price, excluding tax: CHF 4,950.-

Indications: Central seconds hand

Indications: Central hours and minutes hands

Seconds dial: Rhodium-plated with grained baseplate, applied outer ring with circular brushed finish and polished chamfer, black transfers.

Hours & Minutes dial: Rhodium-plated with grained baseplate, applied outer ring with circular brushed finish and polished chamfer, black transfers.