Is there a limit to imagination? Philosophers are still pondering this. Watchmakers express their opinion with the facts. The watchmaker’s latest creation joins the debate.

The Astronef Techno designed by Louis Moinet looks like nothing else that exists. The dial on this unique timepiece is captivating. An original, intensely-colored composition made from a silicon wafer and engraved with microelectronic circuits, serves as the canvas for an impressive moving mechanical sculpture. Two independent tourbillons weighing just 0.25 grams each rotate around a central axis, one in 10 minutes, the other in five minutes. The pair are perfectly aligned every three minutes and 20 seconds. The hour and minute hands adorned in solar yellow and Super-LumiNova^® rotate on this with precision. So that you can admire the display in the best conditions, the watchmaker has opted for a case crafted from two materials. The grade 5 titanium 43.5 mm-diameter base is topped by a 41.6 mm-diameter sapphire upper part.

This translucent case protects the complicated LM 105 caliber, which boasts 16 ceramic ball bearings. To accumulate the power needed to orchestrate the whole with precision and deliver a power reserve of 48 hours, the manual wind is double-barreled. A selector perfectly integrated into the case back of the Astronef Techno makes it possible, depending on its position, to turn the crown to wind or set the watch.

The post ASTRONEF TECHNO appeared first on Watches News.

Discover and be amazed. Such are the powers of these exclusive editions crafted using precious, one-of-a-kind materials. Creations that are exceptional in more ways than one.

For Louis Moinet, luxury isn’t just a marketing buzzword. As such, with its Jules Verne Tourbillon model, the independent brand offers us much more than a simple limited series. Bespokeness is at the very heart of this watch and its dial. The future owner can actually choose a fragment of lapis lazuli, opal or even lunar meteorite as the centerpiece. And, for each material, eight alternatives are proposed.

Whichever option is chosen, it’s married with a special delicate hand-engraved guilloché design. Solar hues blend in the Mystery Island version, ocean blues come into play in the Under the Sea model, and enigmatic green variations jazz up To the Moon. The relief created under transparent lacquer comes to life with play on shade and light. And, whilst the hour and minute hands tick over their respective revolutions, a flying tourbillon whirls and twirls meticulously at 6 o’clock. This harmonious ensemble reigns in a 40.7 mm-diameter polished and satin-brushed 18-karat red gold case. Each Jules Verne Tourbillon is issued in just eight pieces. All are complemented by a black leather strap. A high-performing manual-winding movement nestles inside this elegant case. Two barrels arranged head-to-tail, one over the other ensure the piece stores a considerable amount of energy. Once fully wound, this device delivers 96 hours of power reserve. A perfect way to head off on a fascinating journey far from industrial standards.

The post JULES VERNE TOURBILLON appeared first on Watches News.

This unique timepiece, crowned with the honorary title as the watch with the “most meteorite inserts” by Guinness World Records^TM, dazzles with a fascinating constellation.

As a collector of meteorites, Jean-Marie Schaller has a particular passion for these fragments that travel from the far reaches of space. And, as Louis Moinet’s Founder and Creative Director, he regularly infuses the watches he imagines with a dash of this passion. The new Cosmopolis keeps it alive. Better still, it takes it to the heights by flaunting an hour chapter devoid of numerals, but comprising eleven different stones. A larger one reigns in the center of this one-of-a-kind scenography. Each of these stones comes from a rock found on Planet Earth: Dhofar 461 – Moon (Oman), Dhofar 1674 – Mars (Oman), Allende – Meteorite shower (Mexico), Erg Chech – Asteroid (Algeria), Jbilet Winselwan – Asteroid (Morocco), Isheyevo – Asteroid (Russia), Aletai Armanty – Asteroid (China), Aguas Zarcas – Meteorite shower (Costa Rica), Gibeon – Asteroid (Namibia), Toluca – Asteroid (Mexico), Sahara 97093 – Asteroid (Sahara), and Black L5 Chondrite – Asteroid (Sahara). A backdrop as dark as space showcases these fragments whilst the hour and minute hand duo adorned with luminescent material hovers over them.

This composition, topped by a sapphire-crystal dome, features in a 40.70 mm-diameter polished and satin-brushed rose gold case, set off by an alligator strap. This precious holder protects the LM135 caliber with flying tourbillon, whose cage is visible at 6 o’clock. This hand-wound movement boasts two barrels arranged head-to-tail, one over the other. These double barrels deliver a substantial 96-hour power reserve. Enough time to delight in the subtle hues and textures of each cosmic fragment scrupulously.

The post COSMOPOLIS appeared first on Watches News.

Craftsmanship and ever-so precise gestures inspire amazing animal paintings exclusively showcased at the Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023 by the independent brand.

A watch dial boasts a miniature surface that’s perfect for craftspeople to express their immense talent and unbridled imagination. For its Savanna Tourbillon trio, Louis Moinet whisks us off to another realm where acrylic micro-painting reigns on the 81 pieces of a wonderful puzzle. In a nutshell, thanks to the meticulousness of an artist’s expert fingers, an elephant, a leopard and even a lion come to life in a lush green scenescape inspired by the African savanna. All the brass-sculpted elements to be assembled are finalized one by one before being perfectly interlocked. Once this work is completed, the puzzle with its fascinating details is recreated and poised delicately on the dial. These outstanding compositions are protected by a polished- and satin-brushed-finished, 40.7 mm-diameter, 18-karat 5N rose gold case topped with a sapphire-crystal dome.

A hand-wound movement comes into play inside this elegant case. Its flying tourbillon, visible at 6 o’clock, provides precision and corrects the negative effects of gravity; its twin barrels release their energy simultaneously and deliver a generous power reserve of 96 hours. This caliber drives the slightly-skeletonized hour and minute hands featuring luminescent-painted tips. To ensure this work of art is worn on the wrist in the best possible conditions, each Savanna Tourbillon is complemented by a comfortable leather strap attached to openworked lugs.

The post SAVANNA TOURBILLON appeared first on Watches News.

With this variation unveiled during the last Watches & Wonders Geneva show, the independent brand invites us to discover a one-of-a-kind display illustrating time passing by.

How can we breathe life into the unstoppable passing of seconds? The 360° revolution of a direct-drive has become a must on our dials, yet alternatives exist. One of these is showcased in Louis Moinet’s Tempograph Spirit watch. So, what’s the idea then? To remind us that every second counts! In a nutshell, on the dial, a slimline red hand hovers over a semi-circular segment featuring a 0 to 20 scale. 4,320 times a day, it runs to and fro using a retrograde mechanism. This expert ballet is magically performed thanks to the existence of an ingenious geartrain. A silicon-crafted return spring takes pride of place ensuring constant force and accuracy over time. A counter boasting three colors, black, red and blue, compiles the three 20-second periods making up a minute. The scenography is complemented by a subdial offset at 4 o’clock displaying the hours and minutes.

The exquisitely-elegant-looking ensemble is hosted in a 40.7 mm-diameter rose gold case enhanced with polished and satin-brushed finishes. This precious capsule protects the caliber embellished with traditional adornments such as circular Côtes de Genève. Its oscillating weight is decorated with a highly-attractive concentric Clous de Paris design. This selfwinding movement delivers a power reserve of 48 hours to the captivating complication. To exalt this timepiece’s exclusive personality, the Tempograph Spirit attached by a black rubber strap is produced in only 28 pieces.

The post TEMPOGRAPH SPIRIT appeared first on Watches News.

This model from an independent watchmaker combines the very best of fine craftsmanship, with the addition of major complications, a seductive design, and impeccable finishing.

For the first time, Louis Moinet combines in its creations a tourbillon with a push-button chronograph in the Impulsion watch. A total of 301 components bring the complex LM114 caliber to life. Many of these components play a part in the aesthetics of this exceptional timepiece thanks to the absence of a dial. The column wheel can be seen in action at 12 o’clock during each time measure initiated by means of the push-button located at 2 o’clock. The reading of the chronometer is achieved with the help of the 30- and 60-minute counters positioned respectively at 3 and 9 o’clock, as well as with the invaluable second hand. All of these fine watch hands coated in bright red stand out clearly against this mechanical architecture. Upon this airy composition, the machined rose gold hour and minute hands enhanced with Super-LumiNova^® are equally striking with their warm hue. At 6 o’clock, the gyrations of the flying tourbillon accentuate the appeal of this harmonious scenography. This precise hand-wound movement is equally efficient. Thanks to its two cylinders coupled as a series, it offers 96 hours of power reserve for all temporal information.

Louis Moinet presents two versions of its Impulsion model, each limited to 28 watches. This duo is built around a refined 42.5mm diameter rose gold case with blue or black grade 5 titanium inserts. Depending on the version, one features a black plate with an onyx cage bridge, the other offers an alternative in aventurine. For added exclusivity, three watches bear the words “Artist’s proofs”.

The post IMPULSION appeared first on Watches News.

At the time of the Mayas, every eclipse was marked by a grand ceremony. This astronomical phenomenon is brought to life in an exclusive timepiece presented during the SIAR, the Mexican watchmaking trade show.

A great deal of mystery surrounds the Mayan civilization. Why did they adopt two calendars, one of 365 days, the other of 260. What role did the pyramids play? How were they able to learn so much about the cosmos? These fascinating enigmas continue to captivate to this day. It is known, more or less, that the stars, religion, and politics were deeply entwined. To pay tribute to the mathematicians and architects of the Mesoamerican people, Louis Moinet invited a young jeweler, Nathanaël Schaller, the national recipient of the French Craft Prize in 2020, to collaborate on the creation of a unique timepiece, the Maya Eclipse. The work of the talented artist unfolds on a tinted mother-of-pearl dial. The multiple shades of color achieved create a vaporous pattern on which a pyramid of rose gold applique seems to float. From a subtle interplay of light and shadow emerges a scenography all in relief, representing the Kulucán Temple seen from the sky.

At the apex of this construction, finished with a clever guilloche geometry, is the upper part of a surprising caliber, the LM105, equipped with two satellite tourbillons. This pair features the original characteristic of rotating both clockwise and counterclockwise, completing one revolution in 5 and 10 minutes respectively. One bears a counterweight in the shape of the sun, the other in the shape of the moon. Every day, the two celestial bodies overlap 18 times, creating a dreamlike eclipse. To reinforce the exclusive aesthetics of the timepiece, the complex hand-wound movement is housed in a refined 43.5mm diameter rose gold case. The secret is well kept.

The post MAYA ECLIPSE appeared first on Watches News.

A timeless athletic look, a mechanical feel, and a single push-button automatic chronograph caliber, such is the rule of three for this new, decisively appealing model.

In the world of Louis Moinet, timekeeping holds a very special place. Not without reason! The eponymous watchmaker is quite simply the original inventor of the chronograph. The brand also consistently distinguishes itself by introducing exclusive timepieces endowed with a high-precision mechanical architecture. The Time to Race watch unveiled this year is one such example. The distinctive aesthetics of this timepiece draw their inspiration from motor racing, from a time when national colors were displayed on the bodywork. Three colors set the variations apart, Rosso Corsa, Green Racing, and Bleu de France. Each color is featured on the tachymeter scale as well as on the textured rubber wristband. Each watch can also be equipped with an XL size number adorning an off-center dial at 6 o’clock, on which the hour and minute hands are positioned. This is not a limited series, but rather a set of unique timepieces that the owner can personalize by selecting a lucky number and one of the colors. The design also gives pride of place to the mechanism. The 30-minute counter along with the small seconds in the bicompax position round out the scenography. The openworked case enables one to appreciate many of the 311 components of the LM96 caliber. The self-winding movement delivers 48 hours of power reserve. As with the oscillating weight embellished with a concentric clous de Paris pattern, the exemplary finishing is revealed through the 40.7mm diameter grade 5 titanium case. It is a spectacular sight!

The post TIME TO RACE appeared first on Watches News.

The Mars model by Louis Moinet offers us a maiden voyage to the red planet. With this exceptional timepiece, the exploration of its surface can begin.

Long before the spectacular Perseverance robot, NASA first sent up Mariner 4 in 1964. For the first time, this probe performed a flyby of the fourth planet of the solar system. During this sidereal journey, it took the first images of the Martian soil in 1965. Based on these highly accurate pictures, the dial of the Mars Mission watch by Louis Moinet was designed. This series continues the aesthetics of the Super Moon presented at the beginning of the year. To ensure the most faithful reproduction, a hand hammering technique gives the desired texture. A patina adds shadow and light, and a copper plating creates a warm, red soil-like tone. At 3 o’clock, a round shaped disc integrates a real fragment from a meteorite that escaped from our cosmic neighbor, arriving millions of years later in the Omani desert. For a balanced visual harmony, in symmetry, a small off-center seconds at 9 o’clock enlivens this original composition with its gyrations.

The LM45 caliber beats within the large 45.4mm diameter steel case. This self-winding movement provides 48 hours of power reserve to the pair of hour and minute hands. The presence of a sapphire case back enables an appreciation of the finishing touches on the oscillating weight: a Clou de Paris motif and a lily of the valley. Each of the 100 examples of the Mars Mission watch is worn on a Louisiana alligator leather wristband closed by a folding clasp. The perfect way to continue the space adventure in safety and style!

The post MARS MISSION appeared first on Watches News.

Outer space continues to inspire the independent brand. This limited series with its structured design masterfully highlights the earth’s satellite with a captivating setting.

A very rare phenomenon, the Super Moon usually refers to an event during which the celestial body is at its closest distance to the Earth. While the next rendezvous will not occur until 2034, Louis Moinet is not waiting for this unavoidable date, proposing already the Super Moon model to celebrate it.

As with the Metropolis Moon watch unveiled in 2019, this new creation features an authentic fragment of lunar meteorite on its openworked dial, here in intense black, sculpted and encapsulated, displayed at 3 o’clock. The earth’s satellite also comes to life with the help of a depiction obtained by means of delicate hand hammering. This is inspired by photos taken during the 1968 Apollo 8 mission, during which the first manned spacecraft orbited around the Moon. The result? The pair of hour and minute hands along with the off-center small seconds at 9 o’clock are set against a textured background of harmonious tones.

The ensemble integrates a steel case of 45.4mm in diameter. The time information is powered by the LM45 caliber delivering 48 hours of autonomy.

This self-winding movement is further characterized by its oscillating weight embellished with a concentric Clou de Paris pattern and decorated with a fleur-de-lis, the brand’s symbol. Its sapphire caseback provides an opportunity to admire the multiple finishing touches to the mechanism. Please note! The Super Moon watch is as rare as the phenomenal event it is associated with. Only 100 timepieces are available…

The post SUPER MOON appeared first on Watches News.

Through this modern aesthetic advancement, the independent brand serves as a reminder that being aware of the passage of time focuses us on the essentials.

In 2013, Louis Moinet made displaying time more fun with the 10 Second Tempograph watch. On its dial, a retrograde hand points to a graduating arc of a circle between 12 and 2 o’clock. This ballet is repeated six times a minute, emphasizing the importance of the unit of measurement. The following year, the 20 Second Tempograph reinterpreted this hypnotic choreography on a larger scale. With the Tempograph Spirit, the brand completed its theme by adding a counter at 9 o’clock segmented into three colored periods, red, blue, and black. Each of them is equivalent to a subdivision of the minute. In this openworked setting, we find the off-center dial dedicated to the hours and minutes, and the balance wheel at 10 o’clock.

It is available in two limited editions accompanied by a Louisiana alligator leather wristband, one consisting of 28 pieces in pink gold, the other of 60 in grade 5 titanium. This timepiece has a smaller case, 40.7mm in diameter, compared to 43 or 44mm previously. This change does not detract in any way from the visual harmony. Quite the contrary! The more modern layout focuses on the essentials. All the data is driven by the LM85 caliber assembled with 254 components. This self-winding movement oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour while providing 48 hours of power reserve. The sapphire caseback enables the wearer to appreciate the finishing of its gears and bridges, as well as the oscillating weight decorated with concentric Clous de Paris and the indispensable Fleur de lys, the symbol of Louis Moinet.

The post TEMPOGRAPH SPIRIT appeared first on Watches News.

This model, presented as an exclusive piece during the last Only Watch charity auction in 2021, now boasts two interpretations that enhance the independent watchmaker’s catalog.

The Memoris monopusher chronograph, keystone of Louis Monet’s collections, was proposed in different variations until now. What do they have in common? All are fashioned around a 46 mm-diameter case. Yet, with this new Memoris Spirit, the brand has achieved an incredible feat: by incorporating a complex mechanism totaling some 311 components into a case that’s only 40.7 mm in diameter yet perpetuating the original style. Basically, when they’re set side by side, apart from this novel size, the two timepieces look identical. The face still features the same elements. The off-centered hour and minute dial still reigns at 6 o’clock. The monopusher dedicated to measuring time periods sits at 2 o’clock. The 30-minute counter and the small seconds pursue their bi-compax position. The column wheel that powers the actions remains highly-visible at 12 o’clock.

Yet, if you look ever-so closely, you’ll perceive a few differences. The openworked architecture uses much less space. The selfwinding LM48 caliber (48 hours of power reserve) stands out here with its great compactness. The flange has also been redesigned. It’s now relief-style and nestles under a domed crystal where it proposes dual reading. The ensemble gifts the piece with a resolutely up-to-the-minute look. The Memoris Spirit is available in two versions. One, issued in 60 pieces, comes with a titanium case, the other, a 28-piece series, is crafted in rose gold. Both editions are complemented by a perfectly-integrated alligator strap. Less is more!

The post MEMORIS SPIRIT appeared first on Watches News.

In this unique timepiece with its imposing layout, the independent watchmaker plays the role of paleontologist, highlighting the desire to tame the precious source of light and heat.

While Louis Moinet may be renowned for its creations inviting us to travel into space, such as the Hobe Probe Tourbillon, the Swiss watchmaker also likes to transport us back to distant times and lands. Thus, the Heat, a unique timepiece, conjures up the ancestral evolution of man with an impressive engraving representing the skull of an Australopithecus, a bipedal hominid present on Earth between 4.2 and 2 million years before our era. Two pink rubies endowed with 24 facets enlighten its incandescent look. The flames painted as miniatures on a natural stone base, red pietersite surrounding it, are symbolic of the determination to master fire, an act that was accomplished after their extermination by Homo Erectus. This masterfully crafted composition is housed in a brilliant pink gold case measuring 47.4mm in diameter, hand-engraved on the case middle and bezel, and embellished with blue sapphires on the crowns.

In the heart of this refined display is a hand-wound movement equipped with a 60-second tourbillon visible at 6 o’clock. This high-performance mechanical watch, running at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3Hz), delivers 72 hours of power reserve. Awarded the gold medal in its category at the last International Chronometry Competition in 2015, the caliber drives a pair of blued hour and minute hands.

The Heat watch worn on its alligator skin leather strap is packaged in a natural stone box along with a biface, a flint carved in the same way as those dated from prehistoric times.

Price: available on request

By Dan Diaconu

The post HEAT appeared first on Watches News.

To pay tribute to the achievement of this middle-eastern federal state, the independent watch brand unveiled a creation combining fine watchmaking mechanisms and artistic craftsmanship.

Mars is now becoming the destination for countries seeking to strengthen their Soft Power. In addition to the USA and China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also positioned to take part in this new space conquest. On February 9, their probe Al-Amal, “hope” in English, entered into orbit around the Red Planet. To celebrate this grand milestone and at the same time the 50th anniversary of the State’s founding, Louis Moinet commemorated the event with the Hope Probe Tourbillon, a unique and exceptional timepiece, a veritable work of art.

Its 47.4mm diameter grade 5 titanium case houses a mother-of-pearl dial enriched with a hand-painted depiction of a night sky seen from the Northern Hemisphere. The hour and minute hands run in a small off-center circle at 6 o’clock.

At 12 o’clock, the green tourbillon cage, 13.59mm in diameter, rotates in a décor consisting of a shimmering black aventurine plate. Along with a fragment of lunar meteorite, the disc is decorated with a probe on one side and an astronaut on the other that can be viewed through the sapphire back of the case. Both are the fruit of the meticulous work of an artisan-painter. A miniature reproduction of Mars inlaid with Martian aerolite powder serves as a counterweight. The whole assembly is driven by the LM48 caliber with a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour. This hand-wound movement provides the watch with 72 hours of power reserve.

The Hope Probe Tourbillon is worn on a black alligator leather strap with blue stitching.

Price: upon request

By Dan Diaconu

The post HOPE PROBE TOURBILLON appeared first on Watches News.