A Look at the La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB Watch

Revered Swiss watchmaker, Louis Erard collaborates with Massena LAB to produce the new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB. The two versions; one with a rhodium-plated dial base and one coasting a 2N gold-plating, are each limited to 178 pieces worldwide and are expected to be an instant sell-out.

Laboratory. Label. Collaboration. All concepts that the Massena LAB name stands for. Massena LAB is one of the luxury watch industry’s leading collaborative watchmakers. It intends to embody the beauty of horological culture with both historical and future styles, whilst at the same time proposing new and unique ideas or concepts to revered watchmakers within the industry. Its latest collaborative endeavour is with no other than Louis Erard – an innovative Swiss watchmaker most known for its Heritage watches, and its Excellence watch collection. The new development goes by the name of the Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB. It comes in two variations; one with a 2N gold-plated dial base, the other with a rhodium-plated one. Set to sell like hotcakes, both new Louis Erard X Massena LAB watches come in a limited edition of just 178 pieces worldwide.

Massena LAB was founded by Mr William Massena who, from his teenage years, immersed himself in the world of watchmaking. In 2006, he became the auction house’s chief operating officer for Antiquorum and has spent many years in between this period running new and vintage watch shops. In 2018 he decided to launch his own watch brand, Massena LAB, creating an innovative platform for collaborative projects to form with some of the world’s most renowned specialists within the realm of Haute Horlogerie, which brings us to Louis Erard, who has remained at the core of Swiss watchmaking for over 85 years. Louis Erard captures the mechanics of time in a very unique way and from the beginning set out to embody the art of revisiting, recreating and further personalising some of its most exquisite timepieces honestly and openly. Even down to the smallest of details - the quality of Louis Erard’s craftsmanship and its materials are transparent and honest. They indeed show to be a long-term investment, especially limited edition timepieces that are designed in collaboration with a leading name like Massena LAB.

Why is the watch collaboration scene getting so big?

The art of collaborative watchmaking opens up many a new avenue for new and experienced businesses within the industry. Take, for example, the collaboration between Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC Schaffhausen, which subsequently paved the way to A. Lange & Sohne’s success, or the combined efforts between H. Moser & Cie and MB&F, who together produced one of the world’s best collaborative designs, yet are very different companies in their own right. In many ways, the appetite for collaborative watchmaking is only just growing. It demonstrates that two very different watchmaking visions can work together to create something exquisite and exceptionally beautiful, like the new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB watch.

The new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB

Designed to be put on show, the new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB continues with the Swiss brand’s core objective – to create quality wristwatches at an affordable price. When Manuel Emch, CEO and artistic director of Louis Erard met with the former CEO of Antiquorum William Massena, the beginnings of the new Excellence limited edition watch were forged.  William Massena extends on the chance to collaborate with the Swiss master; “A successful collaboration is one that makes sense. Louis Erard allowed me to mix codes, to cite the classicism of a master watchmaker like Antide Janvier, and to democratize a style that’s usually reserved for wealthy collectors”

The design of the Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB is centred around the regulator concept. The mechanical complication ties into the history of chronometry and indeed to the history of Louis Erard as a brand. Its links to the marine chronometer also make the new Excellence watch highly readable and more advanced than ever. Its sophisticated dial is made up of two independent levels and here is where the difference between the two models lies. Both timepieces feature a double sub-counter arrangement, with the central hours read from 12 o’clock and the small seconds located at 6 o’clock. Both of the flanges surrounding these scales are rhodium-plated and boast a stunning satin finish. The centre of each scale, however, is executed in a silver-plated opaline effect. Surrounding the main dial is a rhodium-plated flange for reading the minutes, finished in a circular satin finish to match the trims around the sub-scales. The minute markings are crisp and legible, whilst the lower plate of both watches is executed in a different finish. One features a 2N gold plating, the other is rhodium-plated. Both surfaces boast a stunning grained finish, donating a sense of depth and dimension to the dial. This, in turn, creates a contrasting texture against the hour and second sub-counters, making timekeeping even easier. The large minute hand and smaller second and hour hands are all crafted from blued steel and are leaf-shaped in profile. One key difference to note about this new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB watch is the 3 o’clock crown, which has been beautifully designed by Massena LAB, featuring the brand’s signature logo.

The new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB watches, both with gold-plated and rhodium-plated base dials, are crafted from polished stainless steel in a 3-piece construction. They measure a diameter of 42mm and a height of 12.25mm. A domed sapphire crystal glass lens shields the front of the watch from damage to the dial and has received anti-reflective treatment. The back of the watch also features a pane of sapphire crystal glass where the movement can be viewed in working motion.

The Sellita SW266-1 calibre is a tried and tested automatic movement that sits within the 50-meter water-resistant steel case of this new Louis Erard Excellence watch, beating at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and providing a power reserve of 38 hours once fully wound. The movement also showcases a special open-worked oscillating weight adorned with a black lacquered Louis Erard symbol. The movement also boasts meticulous engravings and decoration, and the surrounding steel caseback is also engraved with the limited edition number of each watch.

The new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB comes fitted on a traditional-looking black grained calfskin leather strap with a beautiful blue grained calf leather lining. A polished stainless steel pin buckle secures the watch comfortably to the wrist, whilst the functional catch spring bars allow for the strap to be quickly and easily changed with an alternative band whenever desired. If you’d like more information on the gold and rhodium-plated dial versions of the new Excellence La Regulateur Louis Erard X Massena LAB watch, you can check the spec details out online by visiting the link here, or call our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453