Louis Erard has introduced the Gravée Main, a new watch in their Noirmont Métiers d’Art collection. This hand engraved watch is a collaboration with Maksym Shavlak, a Ukrainian watchmaker and artist “known for transforming antique timepieces into modern hybrids. Using his tools, he gives new life to steel.” The Gravée Main is a limited edition of 99 pieces.
The artist and his creation. Left: Maksym Shavlak. Right: Gravée Main. Its design is inspired by baroque floral motifs from the 18th century. Each Gravée Main is hand-engraved in Ukraine.
“Case engraving is more than decoration; it’s a way to make metal speak. What began as a series of design exchanges over a year ago became a full creative partnership. Gravée Main is the result. It all started with a meeting, a conversation, a spark of shared vision. I showed Louis Erard what I was doing. They saw something raw and real in my work. They didn’t just want to use engraving as a visual decoration; they wanted to rethink the entire watch around it. Give it space. Let the steel speak.” – Maksym Shavlak.
Functions
Central hours and minutes. Small seconds at 6 o’clock with a stop seconds function.
Dial
Image: I love the dial details and symmetry. The choice of Roman numerals is perfect for the design theme of the watch.
Polished black lacquer dial. Shiny anthracite and black colour transfers.
Hands are rhodium-plated and pear-shaped.
Case
Image: The case features “traditional hand engraving using burins, drypoints, hand shading.” The entire case, bezel, fluted crown, lugs, and buckle are engraved – a task that involves more than 50 hours of work. No two watches are alike.
3-piece polished stainless steel case. Hand engraved. Diameter: 42 mm. Thickness: 12.25 mm. Lug-to-lug distance: 49.90 mm. Lug width: 22 mm. Dial side features a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Caseback features a sapphire crystal. Water resistant up to 5 bar or approximately 50 feet.
Watch comes with a black grained calf leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching and black grained calf leather lining. It is fitted to a pin buckle made from polished stainless steel. The straps features quick release spring bars enabling the owner to change straps easily.
Image: The dial against the backdrop of the beautiful case engraving.
“It all begins with design: the artist sketches and refines the pattern, then transfers it freehand or with a stencil. Tools are chosen with care, different burins for different depths. The surface is first drypoint-etched to guide the engraving. Then comes the carving, line by line, millimetre by millimetre, adapting each movement to the shape and contours of the watch.
Once engraved, details, shading and textures are added by hand and eye. The case is cleaned and polished to bring out contrast and depth. Finally, quality control: visual balance is checked, structural integrity tested.
The minimalist architecture of Louis Erard becomes a canvas for centuries-old ornamentation, extending even to the dial. Inspired by baroque clocks, it pairs Roman numerals and pear-shaped rhodium-plated hands in a modern reinterpretation. Intentionally understated, the dial features a glossy black lacquer finish with anthracite and black transferred prints.”
Movement
Image: The Gravée Main uses the same movement as the Louis Erard La Petite Seconde x 75th Anniversary Seddiqi. Apart from the black lacquered Louis Erard logo on the open worked automatic winding rotor, I find the movement finishing uninspiring. I hope the brand improves this aspect of their watchmaking.
Powered by Sellita SW261-1, a mechanical automatic movement that drives the hours, minutes, and small seconds with stop seconds function. Diameter: 11 ½ lignes or 25.60 mm. Thickness: 5.60 mm. Jewels: 31. Frequency: 28,800 vph or 4 Hz. Power reserve: 38 hours (approximately). This version of the Sellita SW261-1 is an Élaboré grade movement, which means it is adjusted in 3 positions, as compared to the Standard grade’s 2 positions.
Our Thoughts
Image: The Gravée Main once again showcases Louis Erard’s ability to churn out watches created in collaboration with renowned independent watchmakers (such as Vianney Halter and Konstantin Chaykin) and artists (such as Sylvie Fleury) accessible to a broader segment of watch collectors.
The intricate hand engraving on the Gravée Main is more the realm of brands such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. It is rarely seen on a watch in the CHF 5,000 range. Yet Louis Erard has made it a reality, enabling collectors to add a genuine object of horological art to their respective collections.
Additional Details
Name: Gravée Main
Reference: 34237GA82.BVAG170
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 5,450 (excluding taxes)
Limited edition of 99 pieces.
Please visit the brand’s website and Instagram page for more information.
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