Louis Erard Makes a Fine Introduction to Independent Watchmaking
We have long sought a brand that would fit into Stephen Silver’s lineup of independent watchmakers while also being more accessible to newer collectors. With the addition of Louis Erard watches, we believe we have found the perfect fit. This fall Stephen Silver will be Louis Erard’s first retailer in North America, and we believe all of our customers will enjoy what they have to offer.
Like so many companies on Switzerland’s watchmaking scene, Louis Erard has a long history with many transitions leading up to its current range of watches. Louis Erard founded the company in the early 1930s as a high-end maker in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The brand continued to produce watches as well as cases for other brands in the years following World War II while moving to its current location in Le Noirmont in the northern extremity of Switzerland’s French-speaking region. like many other watchmakers, the brand suffered in the wake of the 1970’s quartz crisis and was purchased in 2003 by a group of investors headed by Alain Spinedi who refocused the company on affordable timepieces.
What makes the company interesting to us is the new direction the company has embarked upon in the last three years. Working with industry veteran and Louis Erard shareholder Manuel Emch, the company has begun to collaborate with significant figures in Swiss watch design, some of whom you may recognize. Its Excellence Regulator—a style of watch that has a long association with Louis Erard—was designed by Eric Giroud, one of Switzerland’s most prolific talents who has a longstanding association with MB&F. Last year the company launched a series of limited editions with the telltale livery of the irrepressible Alain Silberstein, one of the most well-liked cult watchmakers in the industry. These editions became highly sought after. Also in demand was another limited edition featuring the aesthetic touches of legendary independent watchmaker Vianney Halter.
Among the brand’s most recent creations are regulators with exotic mineral dials and a collaboration with Swiss architectural design firm atelier oï. The company’s collections are rounded out with contemporary takes on three-hand watches, regulators and sports models. Each, like all parts of the Louis Erard collection remains accessibly priced.
“We’re pleased to be the first retailer to bring Louis Erard to this country,” says Stephen Silver president Jared Silver. “We know our customers will appreciated the watches, because Louis Erard plays in the same sandbox as the rest of the makers we’ve curated. And for a collector just getting into the independents, I can’t think of a better start.”
Contact us for more information on Louis Erard timepieces, available in the San Francisco Bay Area exclusively at Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry.