Introducing: The Louis Erard × Monica Bonvicini “Not For You” Limited Edition Of 178 Pieces
How do you feel about the combination of art and watches? The mix of the two is almost always polarizing. Quite often, an art-themed watch raises the question, “Is it for me?” A straightforward answer to that question comes in the form of a watch, the Louis Erard × Monica Bonvicini “Not For You.” There you have it — case closed. But wait. Maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s take a closer look at this strongly opinionated watch, limited to 178 pieces.
For the 14th edition of Art Genève, Louis Erard introduces its third artist-edition watch in collaboration with Monica Bonvicini. The watch is graphic, architectural, and even slightly provocative. It shows one of Bonvicini’s emblematic sculptures adapted for the wrist. It’s a rock-chic watch designed by an Italian-born, Berlin-based artist that might need a short introduction.
The Louis Erard × Monica Bonvicini “Not For You”
As a watch fan, you might know that Louis Erard is a watchmaking brand founded in 1929. Even if you didn’t remember the year of its establishment, you will certainly know that the house loves to collaborate, and I’m sure you remember the pieces made with Alain Silberstein, Vianney Halter, and Konstantin Chaykin.
Monica Bonvicini
Monica Bonvicini is an artist whose work explores architecture, power structures, gender dynamics, and space. Through architectural, text-based, and light sculptures, her provocative, darkly humorous, and politically charged work engages viewers. Like it or not, you will form an opinion on the work she’s been internationally exhibiting since the early 1990s. Bonvicini has participated in major biennales and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale and the Oskar Kokoschka Prize. Now that you know who Bonvicini is, let’s look at the watch she created with Louis Erard.
Is it art?
Things might become a little fuzzy, but we’re talking about an art watch, after all. It’s a miniature sculpture. Usually, Bonvicini’s sculptures dominate space. A watch only dominates a small, private one. Still, the 39mm timepiece provokes a thought. “Not for you,” it says loud and clear. Since it’s a limited edition of 178 pieces, that’s true for most people. During the watch’s presentation in Geneva, Bonvicini said the watch is not an elitist statement of ownership that mocks people who don’t own one. The watch reminds you that time is ticking — although it doesn’t have a hand showing the seconds ticking away — and not just for you, or maybe exactly for you. Still, we’re dealing with a limited-edition watch, so it is a rarity, much like a piece of art. Bonvicini won’t go so far as to call the collaboration a piece of art; she prefers to call it an “edition.”
The watch and its message are enigmatic. Bonvicini describes the watch, priced at CHF 3,990 before taxes, as a quiet act of resistance, defined by the exclusivity of thought rather than price. The number of pieces itself carries meaning: in Chinese culture, 178 can symbolize “stronger together,” a fitting counterpoint to the confrontational message the watch emanates.
For him, her, and everyone
The 39mm case fits most wrists, and to ensure it does, the watch comes with two strap sizes (S and standard). Although it might sit comfortably on the wrist, its look is unapologetically raw. Black and steel dominate the look, evoking a rock-like intensity that mirrors Bonvicini’s visual language. The dial is matte black and textured with Clous de Paris guilloché, echoing the nails, leather, and industrial repetition found throughout Bonvicini’s work. At its center, mirror-polished appliqué letters spell out a phrase that simultaneously leaves little and much to the imagination: “not for you.”
Turn the watch over, and the statement “not for you” appears again. This time, it’s in mirror-polished metal, joined by “Louis Erard × Monica Bonvicini” and “Limited Edition 1 of 178.” The case back seals the idea: this is a collector’s object, yes, but also a philosophical one.
Tell me what you think of this mix of Swiss watchmaking and radical contemporary art that doesn’t try to please but loves to provoke. Would you consider buying this as a watch or as a statement of art? Please let me know in the comments.
