Louis Moinet Magistralis
Who will be the first man to wear the moon on his wrist? Louis Moinet will answer this question with the one-of-a-kind Magistralis.
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Louis Moinet is the world's first and only brand to create a watch featuring an authentic piece of the moon. Magistralis, which is being offered for $1 million Swiss Francs (CHF), comes in a limited edition of only one watch and will never be repeated.
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Magistralis contains pieces from a lunar meteorite, which was ejected from the moon 2,000 years ago. The meteorite, which has been authenticated by the University of California, Los Angeles, actually added to scientific knowledge of lunar geology, since it came from a place that the Apollo missions did not visit. Of all meteorites, the lunar type is the rarest and is more expensive than gold and platinum combined.
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THE MOVEMENT
The movement was created a hundred years ago. Designed in the Vallée de Joux, it was made in Geneva and bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. It beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour and features a (double-bladed) self-compensating balance and a flame-blued Breguet balance spring. Its flat-polished moustache lever escapement is hand chamfered and mounted on an endstone.
The chronograph
The single-button column-wheel chronograph (6 columns) has a spring-assisted lever. The instantaneous jumping minute hand, a very distinctive mechanism, operates by means of a cam. The function of the cam is to load the minute lever by means of constant friction, thereby stabilizing regulator operation (by avoiding loss of amplitude) when the chronograph function is activated. This technique is no longer used now, given the complexity of its entirely manual fine-tuning.
The striking mechanism
The striking mechanism comprises two hammers that sound the hours, quarter-hours and minutes, as well as an "all or nothing" lever. The mechanism for activating the striking mechanism is operated by pressing a lever, so as to facilitate handling of the repeater slide, which is always a delicate operation on traditional watches.
The making of a striking mechanism will always remain a manual operation that simply cannot be industrialized. Indeed, the extreme accuracy of the adjustments required for this complication can neither be done by machine nor measured; they truly do come from the watchmaker's hand, ear and heart. For this reason, two identical striking mechanisms will sound different, precisely because they are adjusted by hand. The creation of a striking mechanism requires all the experience of a skillful and knowledgeable master-watchmaker.
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The perpetual calendar
The perpetual calendar function displays the day, date and month over four years. Its unique feature is its small size, as the perpetual date mechanisms of the period were usually much larger.
All of the steel parts of the bridges are polished with a tin block to achieve a perfect polish and cold-work the material so as to eliminate any cracks, thus protecting it from oxidation with no need for any additional treatment. That is why these century-old steel parts are still as perfect as ever.
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THE CASE
The case is made of 5N and 3N 18-carat rose gold. Its brand-signature design stands out especially for its patent pending crown guard and chronograph button guard at 12 o'clock. The 90-part case is extremely complex to make. It features a pressure-controlled striking-mechanism lever, which makes the slide easier to manipulate. The various correctors are marked with the Louis Moinet symbols so their purpose is obvious.
THE DIAL
The dial is adorned with the "Côtes du Jura" ® motif, an exclusive creation from the Ateliers Louis Moinet. The four counters are hollowed and their "old rose" shade ensures excellent readability of the indications provided by the century-old flame-blued steel hands.
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THE WATCH BOX
An extraordinary watch deserves an extraordinary box, and the Magistralis presentation box also marks an industry milestone as the first musical instrument for watches. The watch stand serves to amplify the sound of the repeater mechanism. The box is entirely hand-crafted from curly maple by luthier Claude Bourquard, from the Jura. Claude has a thorough knowledge of resonance, acquired by making guitars and violins of the highest quality by hand. He has used this knowledge to design a true musical instrument using the watch support. Once the striking mechanism has been activated, the instrument amplifies its sound so the tone can be fully appreciated.
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An original copy of Louis Moinet's famous Traité d'Horlogerie (Treatise on Watchmaking) is also included in the presentation box. This is the second edition, dated from 1856. Traité d'Horlogerieis regarded as one of the world's most comprehensive books on the subject and contains illustrations of watch movements hand-drawn by Louis Moinet.
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Throughout history, Louis Moinet had a tradition of crafting timepieces for the wealthiest and most influential people in the world, including Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, James Monroe and King George IV. Now, one distinguished watch aficionado can have the honor of being the first and only person in the world to wear the moon on his wrist. "Magistralis is a one-of-a kind-watch to be worn by a one-of-a-kind person," said Michael Brader-Araje, President of Louis Moinet North America. "This magnificent watch is unlike any other, and will never be repeated. It is the ultimate addition to any watch connoisseur's collection."
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If you are interested in learning more about the Magistralis watch, visit
http://lmtime.com/watches/magistralis.php.
