Vianney Halter is an independent watchmaker who was born in France and is based in Switzerland. Natural-born gearhead Vianney Halter loves to engineer dreams. A maverick figure often described as a rebellious, free spirit; he’s known for shaking up traditional horology with his bold, imaginative designs. His work draws inspiration from astronomy and sci-fi as well as historical timepieces. Vianney’s timepieces, such as the iconic Antiqua and Deep Space Resonance, defy expectations, blending vintage craftsmanship with futuristic concepts. As an independent watchmaker since 1984, he’s driven by curiosity and a love for the unexpected. Halter constantly pushes boundaries, crafting watches that feel more like artistic statements than mere accessories. He’s an untamable thinker who values creative freedom. He embodies the idea that watchmaking is both science and art.
With their second collaboration, Louis Erard and Vianney Halter go bold, integrating Steampunk craftsmanship and the distinctive codes of Antiqua into the Régulateur. The design of the Louis Erard Régulateur aligns perfectly with Halter’s unmistakable split-time subdials. The outcome: a piece pulsing with deconstructed energy. This watch orbits between reality and fiction, transcending the boundaries of both time and space.
Inspired by Halter’s Antiqua with a retro-futuristic industrial aesthetic with red-gilded rivets reminiscent of industrial machines, riveted bezel, and crown, the watch has a deconstructed aesthetic with asymmetrical counters and offset crown at 2 o’clock and blued steel hands, a signature shared by the two watchmakers.
“Creating with Vianney is about friendship and defying limits. This piece is a true joint endeavor! It’s got the Steampunk rivets, the off-center dials, as well as bold, intricate details that leave nothing untouched. A watch with all the independent Haute Horlogerie codes... yet still within reach, bold enough to stand out, yet made to be worn every day. With Vianney, it all started with a lucky pocket call in a ski gondola, serendipity that led to something extraordinary.”
Le Régulateur II Louis Erard X Vianney Halter is more than a watch, it’s a tribute to those who dare to dream and venture beyond convention. A salute to Halter’s “Live Long and Prosper” mindset, this timepiece is the perfect blend of Victorian industrial aesthetics and a retro-futuristic vision. Vianney Halter is no ordinary watchmaker. For over two decades, he has been defying horological conventions with bold, Steampunk-inspired designs. His debut independent piece, the Antiqua in 1998, set the stage for a deconstructed vision of time. Now, he’s found a brand that shares his love for breaking the rules of design and the Régulateur is a perfect reflection of that spirit.
In a limited edition of 178 pieces each, comes the Louis Erard X Vianney Halter Le Régulateur II in two different references. One is an e-commerce exclusive with a rhodium-plated base dial, and the other is a retailer exclusive with a red-gilt 5N dial plate. Cased in a generous 43 mm stainless steel case with a polished and circular satin-brushed finish with 12 polished red-gilt 5N rivets around the bezel, the watch is relatively slim at 10.95 mm.
The dial features an hours counter at 11 o’clock, a central minutes hand, seconds counter at 5 o’clock over a rhodium-plated base with a vertical satin-brushed finish, red-gilt 5N, and circular satin-brushed with diamond-polished chamfers chapter ring and counter rings, black transfers, Louis Erard logo at 2 o’clock and Vianney Halter logo at 8 o’clock. Dial designed by Vianney Halter with his artistic identity Vianney Halter signature hands in blued steel. The second model is a reversed version of the rhodium-plated dial one.
The watch features a Vianney Halter signature crown with 24 red-gilt 5N rivets and a case back engraved with the inscription “Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Limited Edition 1 of 178”. The Louis Erard X Vianney Halter Le Régulateur II Limited Edition is powered by the automatic regulator, Sellita calibre SW266-1 with 31 jewels, which provides a power reserve of 38 hours while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.
The watch is delivered on a dark brown grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching, black lining grained calf leather, polished stainless steel pin buckle, and ergot bars for quick strap change.
Sticker Price CHF 4,444 —approximately USD 5,000. More info on Louis Erard here.
