Named after the French inventor of the chronograph, Louis Moinet is celebrating not only the bicentenary of the chronograph, but its own atelier’s ten year anniversary. Based in Saint-Blaise, Switzerland, Louis Moinet is known for its quality timepieces, which feature Côtes du Jura guilloche dials, Gouttes de rosée hands and the use of luxurious materials.
Celebrating its anniversary, Louis Moinet introduces one of its most unique timepieces to date–the Memoris. The new timepiece has earned itself the honor of being nominated for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie of Geneva award. Paying tribute to the chronograph, the Memoris realizes time in a storied fashion. Louis Moinet CEO Jean-Marie Schaller shares, “We couldn’t draw inspiration from what had gone before; everyone else worked from the premise that the chronograph was an additional complication on top of the time function.” Celebrating the chronograph’s bicentenary, Schaller explains, “Our starting point was the opposite: sweeping away the past and making the chronograph the heart of our design; the central component to which we then added a time function, rather than the other way round.”
Invented in 1816 by Moinet, the chronograph was developed for working with astronomical equipment. Later it was adapted for mass production, answering the call of a stopwatch that doubled as a display watch. Highlighting the individual gears of a chronograph, which highlights seconds, minutes and hours, Louis Moinet debuts its unique Memoris 46 mm timepiece. Louis Moinet’s Memoris timepiece is available in both pink gold and white gold and limited to three editions of sixty pieces each.
The first chronograph watch of its kind, the Memoris is a beautiful timepiece to take in from its inner mechanical workings to its exterior. The watch utilizes a LM54 caliber that works to the rhythm of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), consists of 302 components and possesses a 48-hour power reserve. Keeping the spotlight on the chronograph, Louis Moinet has designed and created over sixty parts that allow the chronograph to sit as quite the statement piece on top of a movement plate.
Louis Moinet’s Memoris utilizes Energie Plus, which is an automatic pawl winding system that includes a crab claw designed spring that works with a small ceramic ball bearing, which is mounted on a dual-material rotor. The benefit of the elegant system is that the Memoris can be wound in both directions, resulting in effective an ease of movement. Finally, the chronograph’s start, stop and reset function is at the control of a stylish yoke. For more information about Louis Moinet and its Memoris timepiece, visit Louis Moinet.com.
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