Over the past few years, Louis Erard has made a name for itself by producing compelling timepieces at reasonable prices, often including interesting features not commonly found in watches within its price range of CHF 4,000 or less. Their latest creation is a collaboration with Russian independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin, who has infused his signature Joker watch style into Louis Erard’s characteristic regulator watch, resulting in the creation of the Le Régulateur “Time Eater”.

The Low-Down

Louis Erard has gained recognition for its ability to incorporate métiers d’art decoration techniques like enamel, guilloche, and wood marquetry into its watches at an uncommon price point, but also for its collaborations with a range of notable independent watchmakers such as Alain Silberstein and Vianney Halter. Its latest collaboration with Konstantin Chaykin brings his creative, distinctive, and quirky style to a broader audience at a more accessible price point, allowing more people to experience the world of independent watchmaking.

But Louis Erard manages to incorporate these design elements into their timepieces, while preserving its identity. As usual, the newest maintains the brand’s typical regulator display where the hour, minute, and second hands are positioned on distinct points along a vertical axis, dividing the dial. This presented a challenge for Konstantin Chaykin, who fitted his Joker design into the format, resulting in a watch that bears his unmistakable style while remaining distinct from his Wristmons collection.

Chaykin’s signature Joker watch debuted in 2017, featuring displays in the form of eyes and mouth, and has grown into a collection of Wristmons watches that include various characters, such as the Minions. However, in the latest collaboration with Louis Erard, it gets a new face. Instead of the twin-eyes display, the Le Régulateur “Time Eater” features only one eye at 12 o’clock, conforming to the regulator display with the hour indicator at the top. Still, the mechanics of the eye in the “Time Eater” are the same as those in the Joker watch. The hour indicator is made of a disc with a dot near the edge, giving the impression of a rolling eye while indicating the hour.

Chaykin did not see it as a compromise, but rather as an interesting exercise. As he explains, “Every Halloween, I created a new type of monster, such as the pumpkin head watch and the Dracula watch, for example. [When I was] looking for ideas for this story, I turned to the one-eyed Likho character from fairy tales.”

Chaykin also drew inspiration from stories for the seconds at six o’clock. The second indicator resembles a mouth with pointed teeth and is inspired by The Langoliers, the time eaters from a Stephen King short story, which gave rise to the nickname of this watch.

Interestingly, the “Time Eater” features a minute hand, setting it apart from Chaykin’s Wristmons collection, which avoids a hand altogether. The minute hand on the “Time Eater” is wavy and quirky with a tip in the form of a hand gesture, resembling the hand of a monster that forms the dial.

IMHO

Like other Louis Erard collaborations, the Le Régulateur “Time Eater” presents an opportunity for the watch community to own a piece of creative independent horology at an accessible price, which is something to be cheered. The watch is available in either a 38 mm or a 42 mm case, each priced at CHF 4,000, a fraction of the retail price of the Wristmons watches. Notably, the Louis Erard “Time Eater” is not a basic incorporation of Chaykin’s style but rather a new take on the Joker watch, resulting in something instantly recognisable yet different.

Tech Specs

Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Le Régulateur

Movement: Sellita SW266-1; automatic; 38 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Case: 42 x 12.25 mm or 39 x 12.82 mm; steel; water resistant to 50 m
Strap: Black toad leather with pin buckle
Availability: Limited edition of 178 pieces in each size and 28 box sets
Price: CHF4,000 for each size and CHF7,900 for the set