Want to Wear the Moon on the Wrist? Louis Moinet Magistralis

Louis Moinet watchmakers have used a 2000 year-old lunar meteorite for the moon-phase display of a truly sophisticated watch movement that boasts such remarkable complications as the minute repeater, perpetual calendar and mono-pusher chronograph. The outstanding mechanism is housed by the Louis Moinet Magistralis watch - an extraordinary creation by itself.

The real pieces of the moon applied by the moon-phase complication were taken from a meteorite brought from the moon 2,000 years ago. The authenticity of the lunar meteorite was affirmed by the University of California. It is interesting to mention that the meteorite was taken from a place never visited by the Apollo missions. Lunar meteorites are the rarest of all and their price greatly exceeds that of gold and platinum.

The 18K rose gold case of the timepiece features Louis Moinet signature design easily distinguished by the crown guard and the chronograph button guard found at 12 o'clock. The complex case construction comprises 90 parts. The correctors feature the Louis Moinet symbols to make their purpose absolutely clear.

The Cotes-du-Jura-adorned dial reveals four hollowed counters featuring 'old rose' shade providing supreme readability of the indications with help of the flame-blued steel hands.

The 100-year-old movement was designed in the Vallee de Joux and produced in Geneva. Marked by the prestigious Poincon de Geneve quality hallmark, the mechanism incorporates a double-bladed self-compensating balance and a flame-blued balance spring from Breguet. The flat-polished moustache lever escapement is manually chamfered. The movement is beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour.

The striking mechanism has two hammers responsible for sounding the hours, quarter-hours and minutes. It also has an 'all or nothing' lever. The pressure-controlled striking-mechanism lever is developed to make the repeater slide easier to handle.

The striking mechanism requires extreme accuracy of the manual adjustments, coming literally from the watchmaker's hand, ear and heart. No wonder, two identical striking mechanisms will produce different sounds, simply because they are manually adjusted.

The mono-button column-wheel chronograph incorporates a spring-assisted lever. The instantaneous jumping minute hand operates by means of a cam used to stabilize regulator operation when the chronograph is activated.

The perpetual calendar shows the day, date and month over four years. The unique characteristic of this complication is its small size, as the perpetual date mechanisms of the period used to be much larger.

The Magistralis is unveiled in a highly creative presentation box. The box is manually crafted from curly maple by luthier Claude Bourquard, working in the Jura. Claude has acquired an extensive knowledge of resonance while he was making guitars and violins of the top quality by hand.

Now, the luthier has applied his knowledge to create a one-of-a-kind musical instrument with the watch support. When the striking mechanism has been activated, the instrument amplifies its sound to allow everyone to so fully appreciate the beauty of the tone. It is made of curly maple and varnished spruce.

Claude Bourquard strictly keeps the secrets of the unique instrument's manufacture.

The presentation box also includes an original of Louis Moinet Traite d'Horlogerie, the second edition, dated 1856, the most beautiful book of its century. It narrates about the best watchmaking techniques and offers illustrations of watch movements hand-drawn by Louis Moinet.

Comments:

” posted by: SRD-BCCM / Feb 20, 2009 11:11 AM

A product the result of scientists from UCLA who have committed scientific misconduct and fraud by falsification and fabrication cannot be trusted. I'm talking specifically about Alan Rubin

” posted by: Adam / Dec 03, 2008 11:35 AM

The Lunaite looks very much like NWA032/479 to me which suits itself fine to this application. It is not NWA 5000, the most impressive and handsome lunar meteorite in the world. NWA 5000 was declared the best and most valuable meteorite ever found, destined to become legendary.

” posted by: Selene / Nov 19, 2008 07:28 AM

Dave -
OK could be right about the check on the claimed classification but I haven't read all this too carefully, does he really claim UCLA did the classification or just looked at it at some point for 'authentication'.

Smells like NWA 482 if you are on the right track - same story, basically same snake oil salesmen, classified by UCLA, and fitting the description of about 2000 years on Earth since it fell. And the sellers always blabbing to high heaven that it is not from an Apollo sampled place, though that could be somewhat deceptive since no one can be sure exactly what part any of the lunar meteorites are from.

Finally, the classification of 'under 50' meteorites is not too erroneous of a claim if you give the benefit of the doubt. There are said to be 50-60 different lunar meteorites vs. the amount you quote which includes probable duplicate pairings where two rockes come from material associated with the same unwitnessed fall.

” posted by: Dave / Nov 18, 2008 10:25 PM

Selene... if poster Ol4 is correct and the "meteorite" in question received its petrography from University of California, then it is not NWA 5000 (petrography from University of Washington).

” posted by: Dave / Nov 18, 2008 10:17 PM

Editor... Actually, there are 122 officially classified lunar meteorites identified in the Met Bulletin database. If you can't get a simple fact like that straight, how can one believe the authenticity of your claim that the watch does in fact contain a piece of a lunar meteorite? Lots of scam artists out there. BUYERS BEWARE!!!!!!

” posted by: Selene / Nov 18, 2008 04:30 PM

Oh, it's most likely NWA 5000. It's no secret that the owner has been having difficulty unloading it and this is something he'd do. Nothing wrong with that, but I'd stick with gold for something classy like a fine watch instead of an ugly rock only distinguishable by geologists from the rock pile behind the house.

” posted by: Selene / Nov 18, 2008 04:23 PM

Hi all,
Sure, Lunar meteorites are classified and the poster Jack is right in some sense. Any potential buyer will hopefully keep in mind that pieces of the Moon from Lunar meteorites are always available for each on eBay and ocassionally sell for ten dollars each. Really, lunar rocks, meteorites or not, are basically identical to Earth rocks since both the Moon and Earth were made from the same source. It is no different from putting a piece of granite in the watch that you need a magnifying glass to see. But it's a good gimmick. Some people will get kicks out of mooning others with their "precious" rock. Guys that are usually irksome like the one from Chicago!!!

” posted by: Editor / Nov 18, 2008 05:40 AM

To Jack, and other interested readers:
The meteorite incorporated by the timepiece is classified. The remarkable fact is that it is the rarest of all meteorites, and there are less than 50 lunar meteorites
classified to date!

The name of the meteorite is kept a secret, as this is a confidential matter, with the information strictly reserved for potential buyers.

Louis Moinet is the first and only watchmaking brand using lunar meteorites for its timekeeping creations.

” posted by: Jack / Nov 17, 2008 04:58 PM

Thank you for your response.

Any meteorite officially classified gets a "name".
Any Lunar meteorite classified would be a well-known name in the meteoritics world, due to their rarity and market.

Specifically - which Lunar meteorite is used in this watch?

Specifically - how much does it weigh? A gram? .005 gram? Can it be seen and appreciated with the unaided eye?

This is a beautiful and expensive watch.
Surely you can document the Lunar meteorite authentication using the classification details from the University of California, and AND the acknowledgement from the Meteoritical Society, which publishes an official recognition of the said meteorite.

Thank you.

” posted by: Ol4 / Nov 17, 2008 04:16 AM

The lunar meteorite has been used for the moon-phase display of the watch.

The meteorite was actualy authenticated by the University of California.

The price of the watch reaches one million Swiss Francs (around 862,000 dollars).

” posted by: Jack / Nov 17, 2008 03:45 AM

Your lack of response is highly suspect...I CALL SHENANNIGANS!

If this was a genuine Lunar meteorite, you would proudly identify it in your ad, considering the high expense.

In addition, is a microscope required to see the "meteorite"? I see nothing on the face that looks like a stone of any description...

Thank you.

” posted by: Jack / Nov 12, 2008 02:16 PM

Hi,
Nice looking watch.

Which Lunar meteorite is used in this watch? Are classification documents included?

Thank you.

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