Hands-On The Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur

The Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur arrives with the same distinct steampunk aesthetic that’s shared with the Bulgari project, which has been a signature of Halter since he debuted his most famous watch, the Antiqua (produced from 1999 to 2016). When the covers were first pulled off the Antiqua, there were very few other independent makers creating quite such daring wristwatches, other than perhaps Urwerk (founded in '97). Its bold form caused quite the stir in an industry that’s traditionally a little conservative when it comes to watch design, but the Antiqua paved the way for countless other watchmakers wanting to bring their own bold, unconventional visions to life.

Over the last decade, Vianney's fans have seen him shift from originator to collaborator, bringing his ethos to other brands rather than resting on his laurels or churning out Antiquas. This has included brands as diverse as Massena LAB, HK-based Behrens, the aforementioned team at Bulgari, and Louis Erard, where Vianney Halter has been working with CEO Manuel Emch since 2020. The sixth year of their creative friendship has brought us the piece everyone wanted them to make - one that properly channels the Antiqua.

The Futur Antérieur is named after a French future-perfect tense for what will have happened. It’s a cheeky wink from a watchmaker whose aesthetic imagines a past that dreamed of the future, and arrives in two dial flavours: a warmer gold-toned version and a cooler silver, each limited to Louis Erard's signature run of 178 pieces.

These unusually shaped cases measure a discreet 38mm diameter, with the diagonal distance across the case being 44mm, confirming that for most wrists, they're very wearable. The 8.85mm thickness of the case is impressive, especially when you consider that it includes the raised porthole dials, meaning the majority of the case is only about 6.5mm. 

The integration of the case and ostrich leather strap might look to be soldered-on lugs, but as you can see from the flat lay image, they are actually the ends of an S-shaped steel piece that runs straight through the middle of the case, providing a connection point for twin articulating components that connect the strap. These offer dramatic downward angles, ensuring the watch hugs your wrist despite its broad and flat case back, which is a clever move from Louis Erard and Vianney Halter that also makes it wear slightly smaller than the 44mm case length suggests.

The two porthole-shaped dials are the most Antiqua-inspired elements of the watch, but rather than the regulator-style display you might expect, Halter and Erard have made things even simpler, with the dial at 10:30 offering hacking seconds and the dial at 4:30 holding the signature Halter hour and minute hands. This is made possible thanks to the watch being driven by two independent automatic Sellita movements controlled by a crown on each side of the case, with both SW100 calibres offering about 38 hours of power reserve. 

Both dials are impressively complex in their construction, featuring a circular-brushed outer chapter ring, a delicate grained inner dial, and a slim bevel, while all three hands are blued. The 12 bezel rivets on both versions are crafted in yellow gold, matching the six that ring the push-pull winding crowns of each dial (the crown system ensures 50m of water resistance).

Once on the wrist, the soft ostrich leather strap is comfortable due to the black grained calf lining, with the silver dial arriving with a blue strap and the gold dial with a black strap (unlike the prototype I have here). They’re secured with a brushed-and-polished steel pin buckle engraved with the Louis Erard symbol, and connect to the watch via quick-change spring bars.

As much as I love Vianney Halter's recently revealed work with Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, it’s hard not to appreciate the clean symmetry of his collaboration with Erard even more. Plus, the Bulgari reference in titanium is more than 14 times the price of the Futur Antérieur (nearly 22 times for the rose gold), which, while also considering the typical sum an Antiqua trades for today, means a wider audience than ever before has the chance to own a piece of watchmaking from Halter. 

My first thought when I saw that the twin movements were separate was how I’d love it if they were linked (though they’d also become much more expensive), or even if they remained separate, it would also be interesting for both movements to feature hour and minute hands, creating a Jules Verne-inspired travel watch. I'll keep my fingers crossed that there’s room for a follow-up collaboration that sees this happen.

Suggestions aside, with the comfort of the articulated lugs, the soft ostrich strap, and the remarkably slim Halter vision, my wrist did miss the Futur Antérieur when I sent it back. It’s a great take on a modern-day icon, cliché as that may sound, and is sure to introduce new fans to the unconventional world of Vianney Halter, while adding another feather in the cap of Manuel Emch, deservedly so. 

The Gold and Silver versions of the Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur are available in an edition limited to 178 pieces each, each priced at CHF 4,950 from Louis Erard. In addition, 78 lucky hardcore collectors can secure a box set of both pieces for CHF 9,900.

Brand: Louis Erard
Model: Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur Gold / Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Futur Antérieur Silver
Reference Number: 22243AA01.BOA02 (Gold) 22243AA07.BOA05 (Silver)
Diameter: 38mm X 44mm
Thickness: 8.85mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Colour: Silver, gold
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 5 atm / 50 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Black ostrich leather (gold), Blue ostrich leather (silver) 

Calibre: Sellita SW100, Sellita SW100 (two movements)
Functions: Hours, minutes / central seconds
Diameter: 17.2mm
Thickness: 4.8mm
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,000 VpH (4Hz)
Jewels: 25 (each movement)
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Dual automatic movements

Price: CHF 4,950 for the silver or gold model. CHF 9,900 for a box set with both
Limited Edition: Yes, 178 pieces of each plus 78 box sets

For more, click here.