Not a Petite Seconde. Not a Régulateur. Not even a collab. Louis Erard has just released three new chronographs. You probably didn’t even know the brand made chronographs. To be fair, the existing line-up of the chronographs (still named “La Sportive,” but now under the “2300” heading in the brand’s catalog) are all limited editions, most of which were introduced in 2020. That tells you plenty about the lack of priority given by the brand to these watches, but perhaps that’s changing. New for 2024, three limited-edition Louis Erard 2300 Chronograph Sport watches join the family.
For all intents and purposes, the new trio shares its case with the previous limited-edition titanium 2300 chronos. The cases measure 44mm and are made of grade 5 titanium. The titanium appears to be very nicely finished, with a combination of brushing, polishing, and crisp transitions. As far as form goes, there’s nothing special happening here, just a classic streamlined chrono design with pump pushers and a screw-down crown. The flat bezel and ceramic insert are sure to make the 15mm thickness even more prominent, but hopefully, the sloped lugs balance this out. The case is completed with an AR-coated sapphire box crystal and each model is paired with a color-coordinated quick-release FKM rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp. The watch has 50m water resistance, which is undeniably adequate for most people, but lags behind modern alternatives, most of which offer at least 100m.
The dials are where all the intrigue lies. Three options are offered: a black dial with a rainbow minute track, a very hunter-friendly green and orange, and a seafaring blue and yellow. All three feature matte central dials with oversized silver chronograph subdials at 12 (30 minutes) and 6 (12 hours); both of those subdials have azzurage finishing while the subtler running seconds subdial at 9 is simply sunken into the dial. The effect is a vertical bicompax look without sacrificing any functionality. At 3 o’clock, the day and date displays have a beveled window and white wheels. The blue and green dials have contrasting chronograph seconds hands, while the black dial has a polished hand, likely to let the rainbow minute track stand out.
Something struck me when I opened up the release for these new Louis Erard 2300 Chronograph Sport models. We really don’t see many 12-6-9 chronographs anymore. Current trends are heavily weighted towards 3-6-9 (as from Breitling, Zenith, Norqain, Parmigiani, and Tissot) or classic 3-9 bicompax chronographs (as from Bremont, Carl F. Bucherer, Tudor, Brellum and Airain). Of course, there are brands that sill favor the 12-6-9 layout, like IWC and Fortis, but they’re a dwindling portion. Just an observation.
The 12-6-9 chronograph layout on the dial is owed to Louis Erard’s use of the ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movement. Introduced in the early 1970s, the 7750 is perhaps one of the best-known, most-used automatic chronographs ever (though as mentioned above, it seems to be less and less favored these days). It has a cam-operated chronograph mechanism and offers 48 hours of power at 28,800 vph. Louis Erard has fitted the movement with a racing wheel-inspired cut-out rotor, which also makes it less obstructed.
Unlike the existing lineup of 2300 chronographs, the new Louis Erard 2300 Chronograph Sport models offer a bit of fun with the lightweight titanium body. For me, the rainbow is a bit too subtle — if I’m getting the entire color spectrum, I want it to be a bit louder. I’d likely opt for the green, as I’ve found myself drawn toward green dials lately. (I’m a few years late, I know.) All in all, it’s exciting to see the brand show its chronographs a little love. Hopefully, its a sign of a more permanent, non-limited collection to come. The Louis Erard 2300 Chronograph Sport watches are priced at CHF 3,333 and each model is limited to 99 pieces. For more information, please visit the Louis Erard website.
