Emmanuel Curti, the head watchmaker who founded Geneva's Label Noir, redesigned this regulator around his own order of reading a dial: hour, then minute, then seconds.
Louis Erard introduces the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Label Noir, a collaboration with the Geneva customisation atelier, limited to 178 pieces. It is Label Noir's read on the brand's regulator, built on the Excellence case and the signature fir-tree hands.
The small hour dial is the only glossy black element on the watch, ringed in mirror-polished steel. The rest of the dial is vertically brushed and matte, and the case stays matte black too. A thin seconds hand, in the shape of the watch's signature fir tree, splits the dial with an acid-green tip, echoed in the case back glass and the strap stitching.
Curti worked through repeated exchanges with Manuel Emch, Louis Erard's director and artistic director, testing several prototypes before this version was chosen. Inside is the automatic Sellita SW266-1, arranged as a regulator, its rotor lacquered black with the Louis Erard symbol and its power reserve about 38 hours.
Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Label Noir reads as built by both workshops at once: the case and movement from Le Noirmont, the colour and contrast from Geneva.
The Basics
Brand: Louis Erard
Model: Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Label Noir
Reference: 85237NN57
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 12.25mm
Case material: Sandblasted stainless steel, black PVD coating; domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective both sides; transparent green case back
Dial: Black, vertically brushed matte; glossy black hour counter at 12 o'clock, mirror-polished ring; seconds counter at 6 o'clock with green accents; “Louis Erard x Label Noir” logos at 3 o'clock
Water resistance: 5 bar (50m/165ft)
Strap: Black Cordura woven fabric, green stitching; sandblasted steel pin buckle, black PVD coating
Limited edition: 178 pieces
The Movement
Calibre: Sellita SW266-1, automatic regulator, élaboré grade
Functions: Hour hand at 12 o'clock, central minute hand, seconds at 6 o'clock (regulator)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: Approx. 38 hours
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
Jewels: 31
Images courtesy of Louis Erard.