Louis Erard CEO Manuel Emch began his career with an internship at atelier oï, and the Swiss design studio has now designed a dial for the brand’s Régulateur.
Louis Erard today introduces Le Régulateur Louis Erard x atelier oï, in shades of gold and blue and limited to 18 pieces. It is launched at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, with the studio’s founders present.
atelier oï was founded in 1991 in La Neuveville, Switzerland, by Aurel Aebi, Armand Louis and Patrick Reymond. Its name comes from the Russian “Troïka”, a team of three.
The studio’s approach was simple: “To radiate from the centre outwards.” The dial, in golden 2N, is engraved with asymmetrical rays that start at the centres of the hands. The light shifts with each movement of the wrist, and not even the Louis Erard logo interrupts it.
Only a discreet circle of 60 segments marks the minutes, with a stronger line every five minutes. The 42mm steel case holds the automatic Sellita SW266-1 in a regulator layout.
The studio began from a question the release puts plainly: how to materialise space and time.
The Basics
Brand: Louis Erard
Model: Le Régulateur Louis Erard x atelier oï
Reference: 85237AA56.BVA175
Diameter: 42mm (lug width 22mm; lug to lug 49.60mm)
Thickness: 12.25mm
Case material: Polished stainless steel; domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides; transparent case back engraved “atelier oï x Louis Erard Limited Edition 1 of 18”
Dial: Golden 2N, matt and polished, engraved rays; 60 planed minute lines; no logo; blue baton hands
Water resistance: 5 bars (50m/165ft)
Strap: Grained blue calf leather, tone-on-tone stitching; polished steel pin buckle
Limited edition: 18 pieces
The Movement
Calibre: Sellita SW266-1, élaboré grade; openworked oscillating weight with black lacquered Louis Erard symbol
Functions: Regulator: hour hand at 12 o’clock, central minute hand, seconds hand at 6 o’clock
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: Approx. 38 hours
Frequency: 4Hz (28,800 vph)
Jewels: 31
Images courtesy of Louis Erard.