his Petite Seconde (small second) is definitely only small in name. And it is far from second best. It could even be considered the opposite, because this Petite Seconde has become the flagship of fine watchmaking in the Louis Erard’s style. Manuel Emch, Director of Louis Erard, decided to give it another distinguishing feature: colour. After the silver and terracotta versions, the watch is stepping into high-end pop colours.

This model, equipped, as its name suggests, with a small second, housed in its fitted dial located at six o’clock, therefore continues its path in the world of colours, with three new variations of dials and straps: midnight blue, purple and ice blue. A series accompanied by the new Excellence case, aesthetically reworked and refined — and still completed with its signature components, signature fir tree crown and hands.

Midnight blue marks the return of a great classic. A colour that has become the long-standing travelling companion of prestige watchmaking, which is obviously part of the long history of Louis Erard, and which now returns to the heart of the collection, on a dark blue grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone attachment points, and its blue grained calf leather lining, now a classic of the House.

The colour purple is a subtle reminder that contemporary watchmaking, even if it remains centred on its values of durability, is also made up of trends and sometimes allows itself to go beyond its normal codes. Purple, enhanced by the contrast of polished hands and indexes, embodies this ability to reinvent oneself. This colour came from the top of the range; Louis Erard makes it accessible. The watch is finished with a purple grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone attachment points and blue grained calf leather lining.

The third colour has also become a rallying point for high-end and even very high-end watches: ice blue. A flashy colour to which Louis Erard adds its touch of harmony, with a hint of colour on the dark blue and polished hands, an ice blue grained calf leather strap with dark blue attachment points and its lining in blue grained calf leather. Here again, Louis Erard takes up the challenge of proving that the codes of luxury should not remain perched on unaffordable segments.

So these three colours go beyond colour. They are indeed a message, the confirmation that fine watchmaking, however strict it may be in terms of quality of execution and reliability, knows no limits in its creativity. To which Louis Erard adds a third dimension: accessibility. Not just in terms of price, but also in terms of watchmaking content.

These three new models of the Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde are available in a 39-millimetre case, retail price 2,222 Swiss francs. In limited series of between 100 and 150 pieces per year.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Movement: Automatic, Sellita SW261-1 calibre, 3 hands with small seconds at 6 o’clock, 11½’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.60 mm, 31 jewels, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), élaboré grade movement, special openworked oscillating weight with black lacquered Louis Erard symbol, approx. 38 hours of power reserve.

Case: Polished stainless steel, Ø39 mm, lug width: 20 mm, lug to lug: 45.90 mm, thickness: 12.82 mm, 3 pieces, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, movement visible through the transparent caseback, water resistant up to a pressure of 5 bars (50 m/165 ft), signature fir tree crown.

Dial: Functions HMS. Central hour and minute hands, second hand at 6 o’clock. Matt midnight blue with circular satin-finished zone, snailed counter at 6 o’clock with diamond-cut zone, white transfers, glossy silver indexes.

Hands: Rhodium-plated signature fir tree hands.

Strap: Midnight blue grained calf leather with tone-on-tone attachment points, blue grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly.

Recommended retail price: CHF 2,222.