BOUTIQUE
LOUIS MOINET
Acasta & Dhofar
Jean-Marie Schaller continues to look to the heavens for inspiration as shown by his most recent horological forays into space and time . In the Dhofar edition , Louis Moinet has integrated a slice of an incredibly rare lunar meteorite as the dial , while the Acasta ( far left ) looks to a more Earthbound source and crafts a dial from stone formed and preserved over four billion years ago .
Dhofar 457 , named after the southern region of Oman where it was discovered , is no typical stone – even by meteorite standards . Launched into space from a celestial impact on the lunar surface , Dhofar 457 eventually found its way to Earth and was discovered in the desert . It is from this cosmic rarity that Louis Moinet has cut and formed a dial of galactic import .
Acasta gneiss is a fragment of Earth ’ s early crust discovered in Canada that has somehow remained intact by chance and circumstance and has withstood the forces of erosion and tectonics for more than four billion years .
These two exceptional timepieces share the same amazing twin tourbillion movement . Suspended in mid-air , the two tourbillon cages weigh a mere 0.4 grams each and in addition to controlling the time they also rotate a lattice of blued titanium over the rare dials .
Rotating in opposite directions , the two tourbillons are housed in exceptionally large cages of almost 15 mm each making them the largest double tourbillons we are aware of .
IW RATING
Design : 8 ( out of 10 ) Intricately carved case surrounds an ethereal dial execution .
Innovation : 9 Large , ultra-light and counter rotating twin tourbillions speak to the complexity in a first of its kind movement .
Finissage : 8 Multiple finishes layered in an enviable exposition of watch finishing are a delight under the loupe .
Legibility : 8 Sublimated filigree does not distract from beefy hour and minute hands .
Rarity : 9 Only three of each version will be made .
Value : 9 Although expensive at $ 337,000 each , demand for Louis Moinet continuously exceeds supply across almost all variations .
Overall iW rating : 51 ( out of 60 )
32 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SUMMER 2018