The New Louis Erard Marqueterie de Paille, an Attainable take on the Straw Marquetry

It’s fair to say that since Manuel Emch joined Louis Erard in 2021, the brand has blossomed. Whether it’s the wide range of collaboration watches produced with esteemed watchmakers (Silberstein, Chaykin, Halter) or its lineup of beautiful dials, often crafted with traditional decorative techniques at accessible prices, Louis Erard has become a go-to brand for original content. For Geneva Watch Days, Louis Erard proposes a limited edition showcasing the rare craft of straw marquetry. Handcrafted by Portuguese artist Bernardo d’Orey, a humble material is elevated to the status of contemporary art on the dial of the new Marqueterie de Paille.

In addition to disseminating and democratising traditional métiers d’arts among a wider public, Louis Erard’s handcrafted models translate these hallowed techniques into contemporary contexts. Models like the Grand Feu by Donzé Cadrans illustrate this philosophy perfectly, as do the Excellence Guilloché Main I and II, which employ the traditional craft of engine turning to create hypnotic Op-Art dials.

Venturing further afield, Louis Erard created an extraordinary piece with Wire Art, resulting in a micromechanically embroidered gold-thread dial made with repurposed machines originally designed to bond microcircuits. And three years ago, Louis Erard teamed up with artisan Bastien Chevalier for the Excellence Marqueterie, a stunning miniature wood marquetry dial.

The collaboration with Bernando d’Orey transforms rye straw into a mesmerising abstract composition animated by a rich palette of blues and fascinating textures. The first step involves selecting rye straw; only those with the richest colours, textures and reflections pass muster. Once selected, they are opened and flattened by hand. The geometric pattern is built from 28 sections, each different in shape, size and fibre direction, producing a constantly changing interplay of light and texture. Once the composition is ready, Bernardo applies the different shades of blue to create an even more pronounced layered effect and capture the abstract “Broken Ice” theme.

Working within tolerances below 0.1mm, each element has to be positioned perfectly from the start. Given the subtle variations of the natural material and the artisanal element, no two dials are identical. As Bernardo describes, he works almost in a state of “apnea” and absolute concentration, meaning the 12 hours of handiwork required to create each of the 25 straw marquetry dials have to be spread over several days. To enjoy the artwork, there are no logos or indices on the dial, just the sword-shaped hour and minute hands.

The artwork is housed in a polished 39mm stainless steel case with a height of 12.82mm and the brand’s signature fir tree crown. The dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment, and the caseback has an exhibition window.

The movement is a Sellita SW266-1 élaboré-grade automatic with a special openworked rotor and a 38-hour power reserve. The watch is paired with a beige, grained calfskin strap with tone-on-tone stitching, a black calfskin lining and a polished steel pin buckle. Fitted with quick-release spring bars, the strap can be switched in a jiffy. The Marqueterie de Paille is a limited edition of 25 pieces and retails for CHF 4,500 (excl. tax). More information at louiserard.com.