In 1929, Louis Erard founded his eponymous company in the watchmaking city of La Chaux-de-Fonds. In the early 1990s it was acquired by new owners and relocated to Le Noirmont in the Swiss Jura.
For a number of years, the company was dormant. However, in 2003, Louis Erard was purchased by private investors and the brand was relaunched. The Swiss Maison has since gained a reputation for making quality, affordable watches. In 2019, Manuel Emch was appointed Artistic Director and Strategist before joining the brand’s board of directors in 2020.
Emch, an industry veteran, has initiated some interesting collaborations, creating co-branded models with the likes of Alain Silberstein and Vianney Halter. Moreover, Emch has democratised hitherto expensive artistic crafts, including grand feu enamel, guilloché and marquetrie dials; all delivered at comparatively keen prices. Today, many Louis Erard models are limited-editions and are quickly snapped up by brand devotees.
