The Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Regulator Time-Eater

If you are in the market for a Konstantin Chaykin Wristmon watch – the ones with the funny faces and spinning eyes – but don’t have a spare 15k euros in your pocket, the news from Louis Erard is going to put a smile on your face today. For the brand’s latest collaboration watch, Louis Erard has handed over its classic Regulator model to independent master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin to interpret in his unique, highly whimsical style. The result is this fun gaping-mouthed cyclops known as the Time-Eater.

Under the guidance of Manuel Emch, Louis Erard has consolidated an original portfolio of collaboration watches and models embellished with impressive métiers d’art dials, all at very competitive prices. Since Louis Erard’s first collaboration watch with Alain Silberstein in 2019, the brand from Noirmont has worked with watchmaker Vianney Halter and a host of design studios and artisans to produce truly original watch content from big names without breaking the bank.

Serious mechanics

Konstantin Chaykin’s menagerie of Wristmons (mechanical wrist monsters), like this Mouse King and Joker/Grimaldi the Clown, is a refreshing take on watchmaking with funny spinning eyes to indicate the time and wide mouths for the moon phases. However, the motion of these funny faces is the result of serious watchmaking, and Chaykin has chalked up 94 patents since he founded his workshop in 2003. His Minotaur model, for example, was nominated in the Calendar and Astronomy category of the GPHG 2021. (Incidentally, Louis Erard also had two collaboration watches nominated in the 2021 edition of the GPHG; the Alain Silberstein Monopusher Chronograph and Vianney Halter’s take on Le Régulateur.)

One-eyed monster

Adapting the classic layout of the brand’s signature Regulator/Le Régulateur model, Chaykin’s one-eyed monster comes to life. Set against a wavy background, the monster’s revolving eye indicating the hours is lodged in the sub-dial at noon, while the black star-shaped mouth (the time-eater) spinning inside a shiny red flange at 6 o’clock is for the running seconds. Like the Joker watch, the pupil of the eye indicates the hours that are transferred on the anthracite flange. A squiggly matte black hand traverses the dial and alights on the peripheral track to indicate the minutes. As the indie watchmaker explains, the minute hand can be interpreted as an arrow with a pointed end and plumage at the other – or the sign of the horns and a pointing middle finger…take your pick.

There are two versions of the Time-Eater, the 42mm version with a green minute track and the 39mm with a purple one. Depending on the colour chosen, the attachment points on the black toad leather strap are stitched in green or purple. While we’re on the subject of the strap, the unusual choice of toad leather is coupled with green or purple rabbit leather lining. Both are fitted with functional catch spring bars to change the strap if the combination of warty toad leather and rabbit does not turn you on. I think it’s kind of fun and in tune with the monster vibe of the watch.

The polished stainless steel case measures 42mm or 39mm across and features a signature Konstantin Chaykin crown. The dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, and the Sellita automatic movement can be seen through the transparent caseback. The élaboré grade movement is decorated, powered by an openworked customised rotor and delivers a 38h power reserve.

Availability & Price

The Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Regulator is a limited edition of 178 pieces in purple and 178 in green and retails for CHF 4,000. The two models are also sold as a set in a special box and are limited to 28 pieces retailing for CHF 7,900. For more information, please visit louiserard.com.