Alain Silberstein's Promised Return!

Alan Silberstein is a watchmaker and designer who makes it hard not to notice him. Now he's given people another reason to talk about him.

Silberstein's microbrand is famous for its kitschy, bright Bauhaus signature style, and for its numerous collaborations. Another watch manufacturer was added to his list of collaborations this year. Like all the previous collaborations, the new joint brainchild is certainly easy to spot from its use of the primary colors Silberstein's has adopted. He seemed to have lost interest in watches after his company was closed down.

The only exceptions were the original versions of the MB&F HM2.2 Black Box and Legacy Machine watches released in 2009 and 2016. But from 2019 onwards, people started talking about him again thanks to an unexpected collaboration with the brand Louis Erard. This brand which was recently reconceptualized has an interesting philosophy: to only create limited series with the stars of watchmaking and design.

The 2019 Le Régulateur turned out to be so successful that two series with 178 pieces were snapped up in a matter of hours, and the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein project was extended for a Triptyque in 2021. The three models can be bought individually for 3,500 CHF a pop, and the full set can be purchased for 11,111 CHF. There were 78 sets prepared for collectors, and the release limit for each model is capped at 178 pieces.

Buyers of Le Triptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein models are in for a treat: along with the watch, they're being given a fashionable digital token which they can personalize by adding their own private message. But the offer looks very attractive even without this cherry on the top. Without further adieu, the three models are: La Semaine, Le Régulateur II, and Le Chrono Monopoussoir.

They have black dials, conical winding crowns, 40 mm titanium cases, soft nylon straps and the distinctive dashes of color. But each of the watches has it own character, its own movement and its own functions. La Semaine has the most cheerful character with a “Smileday” indicator for the weekdays. The watch's mood improves from the beginning of the week towards the weekend, with a sharp deterioration on Monday.

What a perceptive observation of how people's moods change throughout the working week! The automatic ETA caliber 2836-2 works to keep time. Le Régulateur II is equipped with a Sellita SW266-1, and time has been split in two again: the central blue hand indicates the minutes, the red triangle marks the hours, and the wriggly yellow "worm" at the bottom of the dial takes care of the seconds. The third watch in the trinity is Le Chrono Monopoussoir, a chronograph with a central second hand and a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock.

The Sellita SW500MPCa is the engine of the watch. Alain Silberstein is back in the game. And not just in collaboration with Louis Erard. On June 21 at the Genevan M. A. D. Gallery, you'll be able to see the bright "KB2" clock on a stand— a joint piece by Silberstein and Philippe Lebrun, head of the watch brand UTINAM Besançon. It'll be interesting to see what else Alain's watchmaking comeback will bring.