Louis Erard has unveiled their first new watches of 2023, and they build on one of the brand?s key developments from last year. Usually when this brand comes to mind, enthusiasts think of their watches with regulator layouts, and the many interesting collaborations they?ve undertaken in the last few years as they?ve really gained traction with collectors. The Petite Seconde, part of their Excellence collection, is perhaps a little slept on by comparison. These are simple three handers, and not as flashy or unusual as the regulators (well, except for this one), but they have a charm of their own and represent a kind of simple, elegant watch that used to be quite common but is now harder to find in an environment dominated by sport and tool watches. The new watches introduced today all use plenty of vibrant color, and come in a case size that collectors have been asking for. 
The 39mm Petite Seconde case seen here made its debut just about a year ago with the Petite Seconde Terracotta, a coppery, earthy spin on a traditional format. Until that point, the Petite Seconde had only been available in a 42mm case, which while not enormous by most standards, certainly stretched the limits for a watch of this type, which is at least attempting to approach a certain level of refinement. Notably, the Terracotta was available in either a 39mm or 42mm case, while no such option has been made available for this colorful trio. We?re not sure if that?s a signal that Louis Erard m...