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Three extraordinary Louis Moinet novelties

A close-up view of the Louis Moinet New York Mecanograph

A close-up view of the Louis Moinet New York Mecanograph

Refounded in 2005, Louis Moinet continues the tradition of its namesake, by creating highly complicated and unusual pieces. Last year, we were presenting their Derrick Tourbillon, a timepiece featuring an oil well pumpjack on the dial.

This year, the Saint-Blaise based atelier, is proposing three remarkable models, the New York Mecanograph, the 20-second Tempograph and the Vertalor.

Louis Moinet New York Mecanograph

Louis Moinet New York Mecanograph

Louis Moinet New York Mecanograph

A genuine anthem to the Big Apple, the New York Mecanograph from Louis Moinet recreates the distinctive ambiance of the teeming metropolis on its dial, with the One World Trade Center as the focal point.

A symbol of the city’s renewal, the highest skyscraper in the United States comes to life beneath the engraver’s skilled hands, alongside such legendary landmarks as the Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.

The New York night is lit up by an exclusive element in the watchmaking universe: authentic fragments of the “New York” meteorite are inlaid into the star-studded sky of the city that never sleeps. This high-precision chronometer can rightly claim to be the only watch from an independent brand to win an award in the prestigious 2013 International Chronometry Contest.

Powered by LM31 automatic calibre, developed by Louis Moinet and Concepto, with 28,800 vib/h, Glucydur balance wheel, ball-bearing mounted high-tech ceramic oscillating weight, “Côtes du Jura” motif and 48-hour power reserve.

Issued in a 60-piece limited edition in each of the pink gold and titanium versions.

MSRP: USD 55,000 (pink gold) / USD 29,900 (titanium)

Louis Moinet 20-Second Tempograph

Louis Moinet 20-second Tempograph

Louis Moinet 20-second Tempograph

Louis Moinet merges traditional watchmaking with modern innovation to reveal the magic of its 20-Second Tempograph. Powered by the new LM39 automatic calibre, composed of more than 260 parts, this astonishing model stages an unprecedented feat.

In a perpetually repeated choreography, the central retrograde hand performs a fascinating dance in 20-second cycles, before returning to its initial position to resume its progress. Meanwhile, an openworked disc at 9 o’clock in subtly graded shades of white, grey and black, marks off three 20-second segments measuring each minute.

The hours and minutes appear on an off-centred subdial at 5 o’clock, while the balance wheel, gear wheels and retrograde mechanism are all clearly visible.

Testifying to the expertise required to give life to such a sophisticated horological composition, the inner bezel ring is adorned with a Clous de Paris hobnail motif in keeping with the finest watchmaking traditions.

This model is issued in a 365-piece titanium edition and in 60-piece iterations of the pink and rose gold variations.

MSRP: USD 49,500 (pink or white gold) / USD 25,000 (titanium)

Louis Moinet Vertalor

Louis Moinet Vertalor

Louis Moinet Vertalor

The Vertalor expresses the aesthetic and technical quintessence of the Ateliers Louis Moinet. It is indeed one of the most accomplished expressions of the inherent singularity characterising these independent Neuchâtel-based workshops.

It is also the first time that a tourbillon carriage is suspended from a three-arm bridge entirely made of gold. This architectural theme extends to the barrel of which the cover is also suspended from a gold bridge.

Constituting the very backbone of the Vertalor, this gold bridge construction heralds an unusual approach to watches with open dials.

These two highly exclusive series embody the power of a design that has become a hallmark of the Ateliers Louis Moinet: a sculptural case framing a dial revealing the technical beauty of a tourbillon.

The latter is ensconced at 6 o’clock and enriched with a new hand featuring a new luminescent star-shaped tip that is no coincidence: it reproduces the design of the César clock created by the mater-watchmaker Louis Moinet in 1825. 28-piece limited edition in each of the pink gold and white gold versions.

MSRP: USD 199,500

More about Louis Moinet at www.louismoinet.com

As a graphic designer, I'm fascinated by the crossroads between technology and aesthetics. Horology is one of these crafts, where art and engineering come together to produce mechanical wonders that grace the eye. WatchPaper was born from the desire to create an online tool where I can share my passion for watches.