When I think of Louis Erard, two things tend to spring to mind: regulators and collaborations. As a brand, they have mastered each of these, and they have contributed to some of my favorite releases in recent years (the brand’s whimsical collaborations with Alain Silberstein spring to mind as a high watermark). The consequence of this success is it can be easy to ignore the other things Louis Erard does well.
With the new Louis Erard 2300 Sport Chronograph, the brand is trying to remind us. When compared with mother-of-pearl dialed regulators, this latest trio of limited edition sports watches — each of which will be available in a “99-piece limited edition numbered in multiples of 3” — is a more down-the-middle release than we’re used to seeing from Louis Erard. But as one might expect from the brand, a closer look will reveal Louis Erard’s signature touch.
On its surface, the 2300 Sport Chronograph is a fairly by-the-number Valjoux 7750-powered sports chronograph, with a large case (44mm across, 52.4mm lug-to-lug, and 15mm thick in well-finished Grade 5 Titanium) reminiscent of straight-lug Speedies and Carreras, a black ceramic bezel, and the very familiar 6-9-12 layout with day and date that most often accompanies the iconic movement. But the signature Louis Erard touch is there and, as with so many of their other watches, the magic here comes with the dial.
When you take a moment to step back and think about it, chronograph dials — with their multiple registers and broken down divisions of time — are basically just regulators with a different focus. Here, Louis Erard is building on that idea, emphasizing the chronograph function with a vertically stacked layout reminiscent of many of their regulators. The running seconds and day-date are still present here, but the focus on the 2300 Sport Chronograph is on, well, the chronograph.
Building on this idea, there are three options to be had here, each offering a distinct and fresh spin on 1970s racing dials, and each with a decidedly different character. The black dial option is the most straightforward, though with its rainbow minute track it’s not without flair, but I have a feeling many will gravitate toward the more vibrant blue and green options (for my money the orange-accented “Khaki” green option is the clear winner here). Each watch in the lineup comes on a color-matched FKM rubber strap with a titanium buckle.
All three versions of the limited edition Louis Erard 2300 Sport Chronograph are available to order now for CHF 3,333. Louis Erard
