Louis Erard and watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin turn a regulator into the Frog Princess of Slavic myth, suited in samurai armour.
Louis Erard today introduces the Unfrogettable in Green and Purple. This time the partners went beyond the dial and reworked the case itself.
The regulator display turns on its side: hours sit at 9 o’clock and seconds at 3 o’clock, on rotating discs that form the frog’s eyes. An arrow-shaped minute hand crosses the centre, and the crown at 12 o’clock is shaped like a royal crown. The Grade 5 titanium case is slimmer and smaller than earlier Chaykin collaborations, and the strap is black Himeji Kurozan leather, once used for samurai armour.
“The frog, in Russian tales, is a spell in disguise. In Japan, it symbolizes luck and resilience,” says Manuel Emch, who leads Louis Erard.
A hidden love note, the two names joined by a heart, runs along the minutes ring — a quiet signature on a dial built to look back at you.
The Basics
Brand: Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin
Model: Unfrogettable, Green and Purple
Reference: 85340AA01.BVA191 (Green); 85340AA02.BVA192 (Purple)
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 12.45mm
Case material: Grade 5 titanium, satin-finished and polished; crown at 12 o’clock shaped like a royal crown (2N PVD on Green); transparent case back
Dial: Green: light green grained base, dark green and red hour ring, 2N-plated discs, SLN C5 green lume. Purple: light purple grained base, dark purple and red hour ring, rhodium-treated discs, SLN C1 green lume
Water resistance: 5 bar (50m)
Strap: Black Himeji Kurozan leather, hand-rubbed, Urushi lacquer; green (Green) or purple (Purple) stitching and rabbit leather lining; Grade 5 titanium pin buckle
Limited edition: 178 pieces per colourway
The Movement
Calibre: Sellita SW266-1, automatic regulator, élaboré grade
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; horizontal regulator (hours at 9 o’clock, seconds at 3 o’clock, central minute hand)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: Approx. 38 hours
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
Jewels: 31
Images courtesy of Louis Erard.