Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB Watch Review
Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB builds on the success of last year’s Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Massena LAB. The resultant watch features a chronograph with monopusher and a richly appointed dial encompassing colours, depths and textures. Angus Davies looks closely at this refined timepiece and marvels at its accessible price.
Louis Erard x Massena Lab
Further to the resounding success of Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Massena LAB, the brand from Le Noirmont has, once again, collaborated with Massena LAB.
William Massena
William Massena founded his eponymous ‘platform’ in 2018, eager to collaborate with watch brands in order to create accessible, classically-styled timepieces. Having worked for Antiquorum for several years, William is often inspired by timepieces from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Image – William Massena
Louis Erard collaborations
In Louis Erard, William has found the perfect partner. In recent years, Louis Erard has worked with an array of artisans, creative types and watchmakers, including atelier oï, Bastien Chevalier, Eric Giroud, Vianney Halter, Alain Silberstein, seconde/seconde/, and most recently, Konstantin Chaykin.
Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB – 19th-century influences
It is by working with others that Louis Erard enjoys collaborative synergies, fusing two sources of creativity to produce an outcome greater than the sum of its parts.
Image – William Massena
In this instance, the talents of both parties have led to the creation of a monopusher chronograph, Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB. The model features an up-to-the-minute Sellita SW500MPCa paired with a period-look dial. The grained dialscape resembles that of a 19th-century timepiece, but somehow the overall composition looks contemporary. Moreover, the marriage of different elements proves harmonious and balanced.
Blued hands
Supremely fine, blued leaf-shaped hour and minute hands articulate the time clearly. A 30-minute chronograph register, framed with a chemin de fer, sits at noon. Its rhodium-plated epidermis sits in concert with a blued chronograph minute hand. The dominant central chronograph seconds hand, once again blued, features a counterweight and has a lithe profile. It kisses the track encircling the dial and collaborates with crisp markings to impart meaning in a succinct form. The Louis Erard emblem and Massena logo are presented at 6 o’clock, visible but not obtrusive.
At this juncture, the composition may have already seduced many horophiles courtesy of its prepossessing appearance, however, Louis Erard and Massena LAB have gone further, determined to ensnare even the most indecisive consumer.
Grained dial
The central part of the dial is grained, introducing a delightful dose of texture to the ticking ensemble. The grained finish is offered in two variants, limited to 178 pieces in total, a silver-grey rhodium-plated finish or a richer 2N gilded surface. While the two versions look very different, they both doff their hats to pocket watches of the 19th century, albeit the latter option appears a tad more retro. And yet, despite the period influences, the watches are applicable to a modern-day audience. The central area of the dial is encircled with a track, presented on a higher plane, marked with Arabic numerals and lucid strokes. Everything is pronounced clearly, yet modulated to a tasteful degree.
Both versions of Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB are presented on a black grained calf leather strap with contrasting blue grained calf leather lining and are affixed to the wrist with a polished stainless steel pin buckle. Furthermore, functional catch spring bars enable the strap to be changed easily.
Louis Erard Excellence Chrono Monopoussoir
Louis Erard has gained a reputation for delivering much for comparatively little. Brand devotees may possibly recognise that this new model shares some details with the Louis Erard Excellence Chrono Monopoussoir released in 2021. While both watches look different, they share a similar case, crown and movement. By adopting this approach, Louis Erard is able to achieve economies of scale, allowing it to pass on such savings to its clientele.
Who says a luxury watch has to be prohibitively expensive?
In closing, this collaboration between Louis Erard and Massena LAB has yielded a glorious mechanical composition. The dial wonderfully plays with depths, textures and colours while the overall styling references the past but remains eminently modern. By equipping the watch with a monopusher, the case is devoid of clutter and the sole pushpiece provides a one-stop-shop for all of the wearer’s stopwatch needs. And the price? A very reasonable CHF 4,250. Who says a luxury watch has to be prohibitively expensive?
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB
- Reference: 74239AA70 (silver dial)
- Reference: 74239AA71 (gold dial)
- Case: polished stainless steel, diameter 43 mm, height 15.70 mm; water resistance 5ATM (50m), sapphire crystal to front and exhibition caseback
- Functions: Hours, minutes, chronograph
- Movement: Sellita SW500MPCa calibre, automatic movement, frequency 28,800 VpH (4Hz), 25 jewels, power reserve 48 hours
- Strap: black grained calf leather with tone-on-tone attachment points, blue grained calf leather, polished stainless steel pin buckle
- Price: CHF 4,250 (RRP as of 27.6.2023)
- Limited Edition: limited series of 178 pieces (100 gold and 78 silver)