What a joy and honor it is for XXL World to present the 8 Marvels of the World and to accompany them around the planet on their super-creative artistic journey! By nature a lucky number, the figure 8 is thus entering a new and even more exclusive dimension of uniqueness, insofar as these 8 one-of-a-kind models constitute an indissociable whole united in a tailor-made trunk. They are intrinsically linked by the same creative process and a single purchaser. Who will obtain the ‘open sesame’ to set them on their journey?
For the record, Louis Moinet’s inventiveness goes back to its founder, to whom watchmaking owes the invention of the chronograph. A worthy successor now at the head of the brand, Jean-Marie Schaller has paid tribute to Moinet by obtaining two Guinness Book records in recent years. The horological expertise still cultivated was further substantiated by the Gold Medal awarded at the International Chronometry Competition for its tourbillon movement, further reinforcing the core symbolic strength of these works. The authenticity and originality of Louis Moinet’s contemporary creations are once again confirmed with this approach to enhancing humankind’s universal heritage.
Each creation benefits from craftsmanship and watchmaking skills meticulously chosen to correspond to its inherent nature. The materials for each case and dial are also lovingly selected according to their relevance. By way of example, the turquoise section of the Taj Mahal watch evokes the water of the garden canals. On the dial of the Colosseum model, the center of the onyx arena is surrounded by a magnificent symmetrical gradient array of baguette-cut sapphires in the colors of the rainbow. Mother-of-pearl marquetry composed of 13 elements in different shades of blue forms the base of the Blue Mosque dial, of which the details are highlighted by a miniature painting. The Petra watch is characterized by bas-relief engraving, the grisaille painting technique and frescoes. For the Pyramid of Khufu, the dial was carved from a block of natural Willow Creek Jasper stone evoking sand dunes. The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, the Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu vie with each other in showcasing a mastery of artistic crafts as diverse as their provenance.
