To celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Louis Moinet inventing the chronograph, and in salute of their founder's indomitably brilliant creative genius, Louis Moinet are proud to present the Memoris, in honour of the spirit that created the brand.
For this unprecedented occasion, Ateliers Louis Moinet has unveiled an anniversary version of its Memoris timepiece, created for the bicentenary of the Chronograph.
“We were keen to have a highly exclusive new edition to celebrate the bicentenary of the chronograph,” explains Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO of Ateliers Louis Moinet. “Following on from the first Memoris watches, unveiled in 2015 to celebrate our tenth anniversary, this bicentennial edition opens up a whole new chapter of celebrations – and the next decade of Louis Moinet creations.”
A new rose gold case
For this very special edition, Memoris is housed in a 46 mm rose gold case, whose 52 parts are held together by six visible, functional screws on the bezel. Especially created for Memoris, the case sports alternating brushed and polished finishes, and bears the Louis Moinet signature on the side. In homage to the watchmaking skills of our forebears, it features chevé concave crystals, now made from scratchproof sapphire.
Within the case sits the chronograph – moved to the fore, on the dial side. When the pusher is depressed, every single aspect of the chronograph’s action can be admired in its entirety. The column wheel orchestrates the graceful ballet of the mechanism of steel and gears, passing information to the hands. To ensure no part of the chronograph mechanism is obscured, the counters are made from a specially-manufactured translucent material.
The innovative movement, meanwhile, is neither a skeleton nor a supplementary module: rather, it has been designed for and around the chronograph. Indeed, Louis Moinet has opted to place the time mechanism on the back of the automatic movement, beneath the plate.
Memoris universalis
The bicentennial edition also sports all-exclusive decoration, the centrepiece of which is a special shade of midnight blue for the chronograph plate, mirroring the actual colour of the sky at night. A host of individually hand-engraved stars shine forth, each crafted using a brand new fixed graver technique. This involves attaching a specially-made lathe to a traditional rose engine (also known as a guillocheuse).
The idea is to combine the power of the rose engine with the precision of a handheld graver. The end result differs from that produced by milling or stamping: while it resembles the effect traditionally associated with a guillocheuse inasmuch as material is removed, here the process focuses on a tiny area with varying levels of depth – two characteristics that traditional engine turning seeks to avoid at all costs.
What is more, individual stars are all fashioned with different angles and depths, so that each and every one captures as much light as possible. This requires the fixed graver to be used many times – an unprecedented technique in watchmaking. The outstanding result gives the novel impression of stars actually shining, twinkling with unique splendour against the backdrop of the night-blue plate beneath them.
Technical specification
MEMORIS
The first chronograph-watch. A spectacular and innovative chronograph, displaying the 147 elements of the chronograph function on the dial side.
Caliber LM54: The automatic movement boasts 302 parts – and the “Energie Plus” System.
Movement: Automatic, «Energie Plus» System
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Water resistance: 50 metres
Power reserve: 48 hours
Strap: Alligator
Jewels: 34
Width between lugs: 24 mm
Case diameter: 46 mm
Buckle: folding clasp
Case material: 18K Gold