Le Régulateur Louis Erard x seconde/seconde/ : The “404 Error”
3 min read
“Disruptive, provocative, rebellious? No! A little dissonant, maybe, and undeniably spontaneous.” Romaric André better known as seconde/seconde/ prefers his adjectives more old-fashioned than overused. The Parisians signature, the hand swap principle is “a watchmaking game, aesthetically radical but technically harmless, where you replace one or more hands on an existing watch” adding a playful vibe to the serious business of Vintage watches.
This time we see a fun collaboration with Le Régulateur Louis Erard. It's almost like a taboo has been lifted in the world of fine watchmaking: the internet takes its place at the heart of the mechanism, with the dreaded “404 Error” reinterpreted as a minute hand. For those who have followed the recent shift in Louis Erard watches towards a mechanical triptych, artistic crafts and collaborations, this will come as no surprise. A few that come to mind are Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein and Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter, both of which made quite a few heads turn.
Now coming to this particular Louis Erard “404 Error”. For those climbing on the bandwagon, rest assured that no one will be left waiting on the platform — except, perhaps, for latecomers. The watch comes in a limited edition of 178 pieces: a symbolic number signifying that we are always stronger together. Louis Erard has put its famous regulator back into play and gives carte blanche to the rising star of ultimate customisation, with seconde/seconde/.
Funny, clever and mischievous, his designs command attention and serve as a reminder that watches are not only functional. They must still tell the time, of course, and in the most beautiful way possible — Louis Erard is on-hand to make sure of that — but watches are also a marker of identity, an object that looks at us.
A 42mm steel watch with the signature fir tree crown houses the Sellita SW266-1 calibre visible through the open caseback engraved “Limited Edition 1 of 178”. The Opaline matte silver dial perfectly compliments the blue signature fir tree hour and second hands, central blue minute hand and finally that white signature seconde/seconde/ “404” transfer
From Louis Erard to Louis Error. Le Régulateur, le régule à tort (wrongly regulates). Quelle erreur est-il? (What error is it?). Find the Error. 404 Error: just like faulty addressing in computing, there’s an error in the fitting — this hour does not exist. 404 Error: except that this hand returns to cross the dial with a blue line each time the minute strikes quarter to the hour. And Louis Erard has the courage to say so: human beings wouldn’t be complete without a good dose of humour and self-mockery. One small change, one big difference.
Le Régulateur Louis Erard x seconde/seconde/ comes on a chocolate calf nubuck leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching with functional catch spring bars for a quick strap change if required.
And the price? Two thousand... and 404 Swiss francs, of course.
