Louis Erard breaks new ground, bringing its fine watchmaking to the world of contemporary art. A new collaboration with a historic and rebellious figure in abstract art, Swiss artist Olivier Mosset. Olivier Mosset was born in Bern, Switzerland in 1944 and entered the art world in the early 1960s. He worked as an assistant to Jean Tinguely and then Daniel Spoerri. He arrived in Paris in 1963 and began to question the meaning of art and the role of the artist and took up painting. At first, Olivier Mosset painted small formats with the letter "A". Then came some of his emblematic motifs, including a black circle on a white background, which he painted 200 times between 1966 and 1974, his way of reaching degree zero in painting.
In December 1966, he founded the B.M.P.T group in Paris, with Daniel Buren, Michel Parmentier, and Niele Toroni. The group disbanded in December 1967, but Olivier Mosset's art remained radical, culminating in monochromes where "there's nothing left to see" —Jean Baudrillard. He left Paris for New York in 1977. He frequented the counterculture, multiplying his collaborations. Olivier Mosset now lives and works in Tucson, Arizona.
When a manufacturer of fine mechanical timepieces and a contemporary artist collaborate the result is more than a watch. This watch is an invitation to explore an all-black model including the case, straps, hands, everything. A pure work of art, with no labels, no logos. Only the dial contrasts, decorated with silver glitter. The hands are batons, hour, minute, second, three times the same, same length, same width, same rounded ends. There's just one detail: the size of the hole that gives the direction, a minimalist reference, just enough to ensure that you don't lose the sense of reading altogether.
This watch is an abstraction. A minimalist geometric reinterpretation of the regulator, whose three hands — minute in the center, hour at the top, seconds at the bottom— are mechanically separated. Normally, this improves precision and legibility. In this case, though, it is rather a work of art.
Erected as a work of art, each of the 178 timepieces in this limited edition Louis Erard X Olivier Mosset Le Régulateur comes with a red seal bearing the words "WORK OF ART — DO NOT WEAR.” The watch is delivered with a special roll that includes two interchangeable straps signed by the artist.
With Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Olivier Mosset, the watchmaking brand continues its initiatory journey. Other collaborations are to come, involving artists, craftsmen, and independent watchmakers with limited editions always limited to 178 pieces. The Louis Erard X Olivier Mosset Le Régulateur is equipped with a case measuring 42 mm in diameter in sand-blasted black PVD stainless steel with a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, movement visible through the transparent black case back, water resistant up to 50 meters —165 ft—, signature fir tree crown, case back engraved with “Olivier Mosset x Louis Erard Limited Edition 1 of 178” and is powered by the automatic regulator Sellita SW266-1 Calibre élaboré grade movement, meticulously decorated with a special open-worked oscillating weight with Louis Erard symbol, and which provides a power reserve of approximately 38 hours.
The shiny black lacquered dial is inlaid with silver glitter and the satin-finish hour, minute, and seconds hands are black PVD treated. The two straps included are made of black Baranil calf leather with tone-on-tone stitching, black calf leather lining, and sandblasted stainless steel pin buckle with black PVD treatment. Both straps are equipped with functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly.
Sticker Price CHF 3,750 Swiss Francs —approximately USD 4,400. For more info on Louis Erard click here.
