Greek Luxury Watch Brand Louann Launches Online Crowd Funding Campaign
The Greek luxury watch brand Louann is making a return with an online crowd funding campaign on indiegogo. Founded by Loukas Mainas, an industrial designer from Greece and his girlfriend Ann, the Louann (Lou + Ann) luxury watch brand started its operations in 2002.
In 2004 the company introduced Louann Transparent, the first Greek, entirely hand-made, luxury watch. However due to the economic crisis in Greece, the brand suspended its operations in 2009.
With their crowd funding campaign, the brand is planning to create limited quantities of luxury/bespoke watches especially for the connoisseurs of high end horology. On its indiegogo camapign, Louann is offering two exclusive watch models – Louann Transparent & Louann Balancier.
Louann Transparent
Entirely hand-made in the atelier, the Louann Transparent was the first Greek luxury watch. The watch crafted with solid 18K gold is available in three separate tones to choose from white, pink, or yellow gold. Louann Transparent is available in gem-set versions.
It houses a rhodium plated Swiss automatic mechanical movement ETA 2824-2, specially made for Louann. Open back and screw down crown, sapphire crystal front and back, golden dial with enamel, it is fitted with a hand-made alligator strap or hand-made bracelet at the same color as the case.
It is water resistant up to 5Atm. From the tone of the gold, the amount and type of precious stones, the insignia, the details of screws and dials, the type and color of the band, each watch is bespoke and entirely matched to the customer’s desires.
Louann Balancier
The brand created the second model called Louann Balancier in November 2016. Louann Balancier is also hand-made, in solid 18K gold in two-tone combinations to choose from (white, pink, gold), with a Swiss automatic skeleton ETA 2892A2 or with non-skeleton with closed dial.
This timepiece comes fitted with a hand-made alligator watchband. From the color of the gold, the amount and type of precious stones, the insignia, the details of the screws, the type and color of the band, again each watch is entirely bespoke.
From the stock of 2009, nineteen (19) Transparent and eight (8) Balancier (skeleton) movements manufactured by ETA are left with the atelier. Since ETA SA stopped supplying movements to watchmakers, except to the Swatch Group, Louann has decided to build and offer these twenty-seven (27) watches, with these specific movements mentioned above and offer them at discounted price.
For backers the special price of Louann Transparent with alligator strap is 6,700 Euros (retail price is 13,300 Euros) and for Louann Balancier skeleton version with alligator strap as well, is 10,500 Euros (retail price 19,700 Euros).
These watches will be called “The gratitude watch” and will be numbered from 1 to 27 with a special engraving “GRATITUDE WATCH 1/27” and so on. Also, the name or initials of the owner will be on every watch.
