Paris, 1816: French master-watchmaker Louis Moinet invents the chronograph. This first chronograph beat at the speed of 216,000 vibrations per hour, meaning a frequency of 10 Hz, a horological feat that is surprising even by today’s standards. To perpetuate the heritage of this pioneer and to celebrate the bicentenary of this invention, the Louis Moinet brand has created Memoris, a timepiece adorned by means of a fixed-graver engraving technique that is unprecedented in the history of watchmaking. Such an exceptional anniversary deserved an equally exceptional creation.
Memoris, the first “chronograph-watch” is a horological gem that resulted from a technical and technological challenge. Not only have the chronograph functions been unusually positioned above the mainplate, but the elements generating the time display now become a complication that is hidden ‘below deck’. Enough to make careful observers lose their grip on reality.
Memoris thus gives pride of place to mechanics. The gear trains are visible in their entirety, with no functional components obstructing the view. The element that naturally draws the gaze is the column wheel, forming a central part of the mechanism.
Unprecedented engraving technique: the fixed graver
This complex principle consists of using a traditional rose engine (guillocheuse) to which a specially made lathe is attached. The effect thus achieved is very different from that produced by milling or stamping, since the required design is a constellation of stars studding the dial base. Each star is individually crafted according to varying angles and depths, so as to achieve a natural and realistic sparkle. The starry backdrop is composed of a brass plate with a translucent blue coating, resulting in the distinct impression that certain stars really are shining.
The beating heart of this creation
The new timepiece is equipped with an in-house LM54 calibre with a 48-hour power reserve. This bidirectional self-winding calibre features a pawl construction designed to derive a maximum of energy from the oscillating weight. The latter’s every movement is captured and passed on to the mainspring, thereby endowing the watch with an additional 30% energy compared with a traditional self-winding mechanism.
Only 180 of these anniversary timepieces will be issued: 60 in 18K red gold, 60 in 18K white gold with a rhodiumed mainplate, and 60 in 18K white gold with a blue mainplate. This first limited edition marks the start of a series of commemorations dedicated to the bicentenary of the invention of the chronograph.
