Louis Erard | Collaboration with Romaric André

Once again, Louis Erard is putting its iconic regulator to the test of free collaboration with an independent creator. And this time, 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 minutes hand.

This new collaboration with seconde/seconde/, limited to 178 pieces, will come as no surprise to those already familiar with the artist, aka Romaric André, and his modus operandi: Arsène Lupin-style appropriation of vintage watches for the Banksy generation. It will also be no surprise to those who have followed the recent shift in Louis Erard watches towards a triptyche of mechanics, artistic crafts and collaborations, the first of which have already made their mark, featuring Alain Silberstein, Vianney Halter and atelier oï.

seconde/seconde/ has made watch hands his playground and trademark, combining diversion, iconoclasm and a mix of styles. The resulting works showcase contrasts between deliberately ludicrous motifs and their scrupulous execution meeting Haute Horlogerie standards. The creator shamelessly draws from contemporary culture, the internet, the streets and video games. He extracts pop symbols, which he sets on dials like little bombs, exploding the meaning of every watch he lays his hands on.