Running His Own Race VIANO

Always a step ahead, independent watchmaker Vianney Halter is a true artist whose creative pursuits have given birth to fantastical designs

- Somya Rauthan

King of Steampunk. The Futurist. The Clockmaker from the Stars. These are a few of the monikers that Swiss independent watchmaker Vianney Halter has earned, thanks to the one-of-a-kind timepieces he has created. The most recent example of this is Halter's collaboration with Louis Erard, which has resulted in the Le Régulateur Louis Erard X Vianney Halter II. Marking the second time that the two have joined hands (the first was in 2020, with the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter), the new watch showcases a Steampunk craftsmanship, typical of the codes of Halter's very first creation, the Antiqua, imagined for a regulateur complication that Louis Erard watches are known for.

The timepiece comes in two versions-a red-gilt dial base version with a rhodiumplated, circular satin-brushed chapter ring and counter ring (Ref. 85246AA03.BVA172), and the other a rhodium-plated dial base with a red-gilt, 5N-plated, circular satinbrushed chapter ring and counter ring (Ref. 85246AA02.BVA172). The novelties feature rivets on crown and case, and an asymmetric design like that of Antiqua. The dial at 11 o'clock shows the hour, while the central hand is for minutes, marked on the rehaut, and there's a seconds subdial at 5 o'clock. The hands are blued steel, a signature of the watchmaker, and the markings are black. Louis Erard's logo is at 2 and Vianney Halter's name is at 8 o'clock. Limited to 178 pieces each, the watches are powered by the automatic Sellita Calibre SW266-1, with a power reserve of about 38 hours.