Once again, Louis Erard entrusts his regulator to master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin, revealing a darker iteration of his renowned Wristmons (wrist monsters) – a grotesque, saw-mouthed cyclops inspired by the Slavic Likho legend. The Likho returns, this time filled with anger. Two variations in limited editions (178 pieces each), in a diptych box (box limited to 28 pieces) or in a quadriptych box (with the first two versions, limited to 8 pieces).mited to 28 pieces).
Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin. Two door openers. Louis Erard, maker of beautiful and accessible Swiss made watches, has become a mentor for cross-disciplinary collaborations under the direction of Manuel Emch, with métiers d’art (guillochage, marquetry, enamel), with creators (seconde/seconde, atelier oï, Label Noir, Massena Lab) and with the great names of independent watchmaking (Alain Silberstein, Vianney Halter) – and others to come.
First and foremost, don’t stare deep into its pupil. The Likho’s malevolent eye could change your life forever. Likho is a legendary monster from Slavic folklore. But when master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin tells the story, it’s time to be wary.
For years now, Konstantin Chaykin, an outstanding practitioner and member of the AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants) with 94 patents to his name, has been peppering his creations with visions of horror.
Horror, you read that right. There is no Erard… no error! Erard, yes, there is. Sorry, that eye… unique, worrying, spinning like an hourglass that drags you deeper into its black soul every second.
But Konstantin Chaykin had a choice. He could have put all his expertise at the service of fine watchmaking, perfectly designed, inventive, traditional watchmaking, with exceptional craftsmanship and finishes, hand guilloché and grand feu enamel. But on the nights of the full moon, it’s a different kind of fire that burns Konstantin Chaykin… he says he has visions… and he makes watches out of them, with monster heads, his Wristmons… and his Wristmons are scary.
This time, Chaykin took it a step further. He awakened the Likho, terror of fairy tales… fairy tales, you bet! Konstantin Chaykin thought he was having fun. Louis Erard welcomed him with open arms, believing that strength lies in unity. To ward off any ill fate, they crafted a watch with the Likho’s face.
You may remember it — a diptych in two sizes, 42mm and 39mm, with a green hour-circle on the 42mm and purple on the 39mm, to soften the terrible face a little, to exorcise fear, to please everyone. Of course, they were limited editions, each with a talismanic number — twice 178 pieces. In numerology, 178 also symbolizes strength in unity.
Everything was ready for the meeting with Konstantin Chaykin. A new carte blanche, but still based on an imposed figure: respecting the architecture of Louis Erard’s signature regulator, with central minute, hour at noon and second at six o’clock. All that was left for Konstantin Chaykin to do was to build the face with one eye. He made it the Likho’s eye as a kind of protective amulet against evil spirits.
Everything was ready for the meeting with Konstantin Chaykin. A new carte blanche, but still based on an imposed figure: respecting the architecture of Louis Erard’s signature regulator, with central minute, hour at noon and second at six o’clock. All that was left for Konstantin Chaykin to do was to build the face with one eye. He made it the Likho’s eye as a kind of protective amulet against evil spirits.
This watch was so popular that the whole world knew the face of the monster. So much so that collectors have hunted it down like a trophy. The set containing the first two versions was auctioned at Ineichen in Geneva during the Geneva Watch Days, fetching a price of 20,000 francs!
We thought we were done with it, but it has been nominated for the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. And Chaykin’s visions? They haven’t disappeared; they’ve worsened — darker, more haunting, after sleepless nights, harassed by collectors. The cannibalistic mouth of the monster resumed ticking, its vengeful finger pointing at the minutes that remained. Its cursed monocle eye with burst veins.
But tell that to watchmakers, and they couldn’t resist. They embraced the vision and crafted a new, even more terrifying monster. If you happen to cross paths with it, don’t look. Legend has it that anyone who meets its gaze at midnight sharp turns to stone or a slug. We still don’t know…
In case you happen to come across it, here’s the description. Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Dusk to Dawn, limited edition of 178 pieces, price excluding VAT: 4,000 Swiss francs. Available in two versions: 42 mm polished steel case or 39 mm sand-blasted steel case with black PVD treatment, anthracite or black lower plate with sunray wave pattern, shiny white hour disc with black pupil and red blood, matt black star-shaped seconds disc and shiny red hand-shaped minute hand. Black toad leather with red attachment points, red rabbit leather lining. Diptych edition set: limited to 28 pieces. Quadriptych edition set (including the first two editions): limited to 8 pieces.
Vade retro monstrum!
