Tuesday, October 11, 2022

LOUIS MOINET – MAYA ECLIPSE Tourbillon Gold Edition

 

LOUIS MOINETMechanical Wonders MAYA ECLIPSE Double Tourbillon Edition - Unique Piece  2022

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The MAYA ECLIPSE is a deeply symbolic timepiece that pays tribute to the charismatic Maya people and the rich history of Mexico. 

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Created by Les Ateliers Louis Moinet, this unique and extraordinary piece will be presented for the first time at SIAR (Salón Internacional Alta Relojería) in Mexico, from 18th to 20th October 2022.

THE SPIRIT OF CREATION

The MAYA ECLIPSE embodies the beguiling cosmic phenomenon that is the eclipse, using technology to capture a poetic beauty. It plays out the spectacular encounter between the moon and the sun 18 times per hour, with the magical axis of the Kukulcán Pyramid serving as its centre point.

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Mayan society and culture drew an important association between astronomy, the vision of the Cosmos, religion and politics. Brilliant mathematicians and architects, the Mayans were also fervent observers of the stars and other celestial phenomena. 


They used their observations to create various calendars, some of which were highly complex and extremely accurate. They used these to measure time, enabling them to determine the phases of the moon and the position of the sun during eclipses, solstices and equinoxes.

This unique creation combines striking elements of Mayan culture with the watchmaking expertise of Ateliers Louis Moinet. The concept was developed by the young jewellery artist, Nathanaël Schaller, national winner of the French Prix des Métiers d’Art in 2020.

WHEN THE STARS ALIGN

Pyramidal architecture features in the shape of the watch’s mysterious and complex movement, whose stepped construction projects from the centre. 

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This movement has two satellite tourbillons that rotate in opposite directions, with their counterweights representing a moon and a sun inspired by Mayan symbols. They cross and overlap 18 times per hour, i.e. 432 times per day, with each meeting producing a striking and poetic eclipse, from where the timepiece gets its legendary name: MAYA ECLIPSE.

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At the top of the movement’s mechanical axis sits a fragment of jade. Its position at the top of the pyramid is symbolic, since jade was considered more precious than gold by the Mayans, who used it to make various artefacts to feature in their rites and ceremonies.

CHICHÉN ITZÁ IN A NEW LIGHT

The back of the dial is made from coloured mother-of-pearl, an exquisite and ethereal material which reminds us that the Kukulcán Pyramid is built over a cenote. Cenotes are natural pits primarily found in North and Central America

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Usually filled with fresh water (though sometimes with sea water), they were considered sacred by the Mayans. The transparent flange features hour-markers with Mayan numerals made up of lines and dots. These graphical elements make for easy time reading.

Click, to see the large size. BIG FOTOThe pyramid is made from 18k 5N rose gold and is adorned with guilloché geometric patterns that play with light and shade to stunning effect. This recalls the phenomenon that occurs at the Kukulcán Pyramid itself during equinoxes: the sun strikes the north-west corner of the pyramid, creating the illusion that the serpent is descending the steps of the pyramid.

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The MAYA ECLIPSE depicts the Kukulcán Pyramid seen from the above, with its nine levels and four staircases. This construction symbolises the cosmic axis that links the infraworld, the world of the living and the world of the gods. 

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It is located at the site of Chichén Itzá in Mexico, and is dedicated to Kukulcán, the feathered serpent. Kukulcán was the all-powerful god of resurrection and reincarnation worshipped by the Mayans.

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Technical Specifications  

Collection: Mechanical Wonders Unique Edition

Model:  MAYA ECLIPSE

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  Ref.  LM-105-50.MA

Movement
Ultra-complex mechanism Calibre LM105
Manufacture Calibre with flying satellite double tourbillon
Functions: Hours | Minutes
Winding:
Manual
Function selector:
Winding | Time setting
Finishes on the upper side
Tourbillon bridges:
steel, mirror-polished 
Balances:  
  • Sandblasted, mirror-polished, diamond-polished
  • "Moon" counterweight: polished, rhodium-plated
  • "Sun" counterweight: polished, 3N gilded, diamond-planed rays

Upper insert: Jade
Finishes on the underside
Steel parts: polished chamfers and straight graining
Gear trains: circular satin-brushed
Mainplate: vertical “Côtes de Genève” hobnail pattern, polished sinks, polished chamfers
Components:
Two barrels | Six ceramic ball bearings (44 balls)
FLYING SATELLITE DOUBLE TOURBILLON
Tourbillons:
Two tourbillons with reversed rotation direction
18 hourly crossings (every 3 minutes and 20 seconds)
Upper tourbillon:   Hourly rotation | 1 revolution in 5 minutes
Lower tourbillon:   Anti-clockwise rotation | 1 revolution in 10 minutes
471 components
Virtuoso assembly
A single movement crafted per month
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)
Jewels: 56
Power reserve: 48hours 
Dial
Openwork 
Base: Coloured mother-of-pearl
Applique: 18K 5N rose gold, hand guilloché
Display
Hours and minutes
Case
Material:
Ø 43.5mm - 18k Rose Gold, polished and satin-brushed
Sapphire container, diameter: 18.6mm
Water resistance: 10 metres
Caseback: Sapphire crystal and back
Crystals: Two anti-reflective sapphire crystals
Patent-pending crown guard
Width between lugs: 24mm
Strap 
Louisiana alligator leather| Alligator lining, hand-sewn
Clasp: Folding | 18K 5N rose gold | Curved "Fleur de Lys"

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Limited Edition  Unique piece

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Press Release - 2022
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Monday, October 10, 2022

ROMAIN GAUTHIER – Heritage C by Romain Gauthier Platinum

 

ROMAIN GAUTHIERHeritage C by Romain Gauthier Platinum 41mm - 2022

The elegance of modernity, the chic of casualness

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Romain Gauthier is pleased to present the heritage collection of its latest caliber, C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition.

Now featuring a platinum case and 18k white gold movement, C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition resonates with the most discerning collectors in the watchmaking world. Romain brings a touch of refinement to this timepiece with a sporty profile and assertive character, a combination of noble materials that reveals a traditional side to this very modern timepiece.

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Casual in its design but refined in its properties, this new edition is a harmony of elegance and modernity, traditional and contemporary, an evolution of tradition summarized in a single timepiece.  

Always with the objective of preserving the ancestral watchmaking savoir-faire, so precious to Romain, and while evolving it with the capacities developed until now, Romain Gauthier is releasing a technical timepiece that is rich of artisanal craftmanship.

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Inspired by the finger bridges style, the design of the movement follows the watchmaking history of the Swiss Vallée de Joux, with a modern approach, reflecting Romain's vision of the evolution of tradition. 

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This new Platinum edition opens the doors of this Caliber to the personalization and customization of C by Romain Gauthier timepieces 

C BY ROMAIN GAUTHIER IN DETAIL

Flow and continuity to the fore on an atypical dial

Aesthetically, C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition is very close to the previous titanium editions. The movement, entirely decorated by hand, has exceptional polished bevels, hand-frosted finishes on the surfaces, straight graining on the edges, and the interior of the bridges enhanced by a hand-engraved structure. Thanks to the Manufacture's in-house decoration workshops and the savoir-faire and meticulousness of its artisans, Romain Gauthier carries out the most sophisticated hand finishing operations.

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In order to preserve the general spirit of the calibre, the hour-minute hands are off-centred on the horizontal axis and the hour indices taper ever so slightly and are of varying lengths, while the 5-second intervals of the small seconds at 7 o’clock are also marked by tapering lines of differing lengths.

The dial is available in grey and highlighted with blue details, or in blue highlighted with white details.

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Romain explains this purposeful play on perspective, saying: “Rather than a series of enclosed circles, as we often see in watchmaking, I wanted an open, airy dial on which full or part orthogonal lines form vanishing points with the axes of the hands, reinforcing the notion of continuity and freedom.”  

The tapering, three-dimensional hands, numerals and index are made of 18k white gold. For enhanced legibility, the hands are filled with Super-LumiNova. Each index and Roman numerals bring a more traditional feel to the design of the piece – matte-treated and hand-finished with satin-finish that contrasts the overall aesthetics of the piece and harmonizes with the surface of the case.    

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The dial plate is made of 18k white gold. The grey dial has been sand-blasted and treated with a special coating that protects it against UV rays and the blue dial has a blue PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) treatment.

Eye-catching case and detail-rich strap

Framing the dial is a platinum bezel whose eye-catching, geometric profile - characteristic to C by Romain Gauthier - is unlike anything previously seen before on a timepiece from the brand. The bezel is first machined into a round shape featuring a circular bevel, then six straight sides are cut into it to create six facets. While these facets, which have been polished, reflect the light and bring the bezel to life, the rest of the bezel absorbs light thanks to its satin-finishing. The same facetted design is replicated around the sapphire crystal on the back of the watch.  

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In between the bezel and caseback, the one-piece caseband and lugs are geometrically sculpted, with satin and polished finishes as well as aesthetic grooves cleverly deployed to draw out the resulting shapes. Meanwhile, the rubber strap and the platinum pin buckle follow the form of the angular lugs and rounded caseband so it appears as a continuous, organic extension of the case.

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And not for the first time in his work, Romain has placed the crown for winding and time-setting at 2 o’clock, freeing up space for wrist movement. To facilitate handling, the platinum crown can be fluted or surrounded by a rubber ring.

Clever stop-seconds mechanism that uses a snail cam

Romain has endowed C by Romain Gauthier with a stop-seconds – or hacking seconds – mechanism, allowing the wearer to set the time exactly according to a reference time.  

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Like many stop-seconds mechanisms, a brake is placed on the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out. But instead of using a straight or L-shaped balance stop lever to halt the balance, Romain has opted to employ a snail cam that performs a double function: It touches and stops the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out and, when the crown is pushed back in, the snail cam makes a turn, with its increasingly wide form giving the balance an impulse to help it start beating again.

Those familiar with the brand will know Romain has used the snail cam’s unique shape in his past creations: It appears on the watchmaker’s acclaimed Logical One.

In-house movement where design and decoration meet modernity

The themes of modernity and continuity carry over to the manual-winding, in-house movement, which is gloriously on show through the display back.

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Taking centre stage are a number of finger bridges – historically typical of the Vallée de Joux, Romain’s birthplace – but reinterpreted here in a contemporary way. For starters, these bridges are horizontally configured and feature a ‘stepped’ shape – previously seen on some of Logical One’s bridges – that not only provides volume and depth, but also gives the sense that the bridges are literally flowing over the gears and balance wheel, with no clear end to them.  

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The bridges are made from 18k white gold and boast contrasting tones and textures thanks to a variety of finishes. The outer edges of each bridge all feature a double bevel, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are each framed by a raised border that has been hand-frosted. Within these borders, the hand-finishing specialists at Manufacture Romain Gauthier have used a special hand-engraving technique to create a highly original dimpled texture. The movement mainplate beneath has been hand-frosted.

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The impressive decoration doesn’t stop with the bridges and mainplate: Romain’s trademark gears and ratchet wheel featuring circular, bevelled spokes have been circular-grained, while the click, snail cam and screws with S-slot heads – another signature of Romain – have been highly polished. Finally, the lid of the mainspring barrel has been embellished with a superb snailing decoration.  

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C by Romain Gauthier
’s regulator features the Romain Gauthier balance wheel with curved arms and calibrated eccentric weights, plus hand-assembled pallet lever that is triangular for maximum rigidity.  

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection  Heritage

Name:  C by Romain Gauthier Platinum

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Ref.  MON00550 - Blue 

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 Ref.  MON00551 - Grey 

Edition 
Unlimited edition in platinum, engraved with the number of the piece on the back of the movement.


Features and indications
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock
Platinum case, and 18k white gold dial, movement bridges and mainplate
In-house movement featuring stop-seconds mechanism
Sporty rubber strap 
Dial and hands
Dial available in grey, highlighted with blue details or in blue, highlighted with white details.
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock with 5-second intervals marked by tapering bright white or blue lines
Super-LumiNova-filled 18k white gold hands
18k white gold numerals and hour markers

Movement and finishing 
Manufacture calibre C by Romain Gauthier

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In-house, hand-wound movement
Dimensions: 32.10 mm x 5.50 mm
Power reserve: 60 hours
Number of jewels: 24
Number of components: 154
Balance frequency: 28,800 vph / 4Hz

Components made from: White gold, stainless steel, steel, brass, and German silver 
Finishing: Superlative decoration by hand
Case
Material: Platinum
Dimensions: 41mm x 9.55mm, lugs to lugs: 49.5 mm
Water resistance: 50m/5atm/160ft
Crown for winding and time-setting at 2 o’clock
Watch supplied with a fluted crown or surrounded by grey rubber crown rings.
Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection coating, front and display back.
Strap and buckle
Supplied with grey rubber strap with specially developed, satin-finished and polished platinum pin buckle. 

Total weight of the watch: 149g, including rubber strap and pin buckle

Retail price: CHF 78,000 without taxes

 
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Press release - 2022
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