INTRODUCING: The Louis Erard Excellence Régulateur dazzles with a trio of exotic dials

Thor Svaboe

Are the bold, dazzling stone dials of yesteryear making a comeback? After the unexpected releases from H.Moser earlier this year it does seem like it, and I for one am applauding. I mean why be wrist-shy, when one of the main reasons for a wristwatch in 2021 isn’t to tell the time, but more as an appreciation of wrist-worn craftsmanship.

These attention-grabbing pieces will brighten up your day and include the natural beauty of exotic materials like malachite and lapis lazuli. Louis Erard are known for a brilliant mix of traditional craftmanship and dial art, and the Excellence Régulateur is a perfect example.

The classical layout of a Régulateur hails from marine chronometers with the minute hand becoming the central pivoting hand on the dial, while the hours and seconds are shown in a charming figure-eight of overlapping registers. In an attempt to keep our attention on the time rather than the deep gloss of polished stone, the large elongated spear shape of the minute hand does an exquisite job. The silvery white of the snailed, overlapping registers are a delicate touch on the glass-like stone, and the seconds register at 6 is simply masterful.

With a pin-sharp detailed outer track and an applied crosshair design it works exceptionally well in setting it apart from the hour register at 12, actually it’s a strong enough design to work on a full dial (make a note of that Louis Erard). Meanwhile each of the individual hands is cleverly distinguished by the length and width of the arrowheads on their pointers.

But the main dial surface area is what sets these apart, and while the polished case is perfectly proportioned and will wear larger than its 42mm due to the slim bezel, this is all worth it. What a shame it would be to constrain this dazzling spectacle to a sub 40mm case. The absolute beauty of the intense sparkle in aventurine makes the registers pop off the deep dial, like two overlapping moons in a galaxy of stars. Aventurine is essentially glass mixed with tiny metallic flakes, creating a glossier depth than any top tier lacquer could even attempt to muster.

Lapis lazuli and the charmingly flowing waves of green malachite will render no two dials the same, such is the charm of natural stone. The visceral sparkle of bright blue in the lapis offers a superb counterpoint to the more architectural vibe in the dark green horizontal pattern malachite. On their matching soft suede leather straps, this trio is rather breathtaking, and at CHF2,900 + taxes actually rather good value. The movement is the trusted Sellita SW266-1 beating at 28,800 beats per hour, with a 38mm power reserve. If you’re falling for the colourful charm of these watches I’d be quick, as the Louis Erard Excellence Régulateur is limited to 99 pieces each.