It should come as no surprise to regular readers of Worn & Wound that we are big fans of Louis Erard. Their irreverent and original approach to watchmaking sets them apart in a crowded market and rarely fails to bring a smile (sometimes literally). But for as good as the brand can be on their own, they are at their best when they aren’t going alone.
Collaboration has been the name of the game for Louis Erard in recent years, and this year’s Louis Erard x The Horophile La Petite Seconde Metropolis is an excellent reminder of why. First introduced around this time last year, the first collaboration between Louis Erard and The Horophile (aka Amr Sindi) was a masterclass in updated Art Deco design, and offered collectors a wonderfully understated and modern dress watch.
This latest iteration of La Petite Seconde Metropolis builds on last year’s releases, reimagining the detailed watch with a vibrant green dial. If last year’s trio of Metropoli was Louis Erard reflecting back on 1920’s New York, they would tell you that this year’s release is a more contemporary take on the concept. Nowhere is this more evident than in Louis Erard’s use of color. Where last year’s trio of salmon, slate, and tobacco dials punctuated by rose gold accents were unapologetically old school, the green and silver colorway feels decidedly more modern.
Of course, look to the remaining Art Deco icons of New York or Paris, and you’ll see plenty of green — from the stained glass windows that accent so many Art Deco exteriors to the mosaics which decorate their walls, green has always been a part of the Art Deco look. But mostly, green has become a sign of how Art Deco has evolved and aged over the last century. As the great iron works and shining copper and steel cladding of these grand buildings has aged, a vibrant green patination has taken hold, punctuating the earthen tones we so associate with Art Deco.
Many of the remarkable details that helped set the Louis Erard x The Horophile collaboration apart remain. Still present are the Empire State Building-inspired hands (this time executed in a rhodium-plated finish rather than the rose gold tone found on last year’s models), the slightly openwork numerals, and the circular grooves and brushing that offer the dial much of its character.
This year’s Metropolis continues to use Louis Erard’s smaller 39mm case (45.90mm lug-to-lug and 12.82mm thick) and an automatic Sellita SW261-1 movement with small seconds at 6 o’clock. The watch comes on a 20mm light brown calf strap, and is available now in a limited edition of 178. It is priced at CHF 2,300. Louis Erard
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