LOUIS MOINET – Mechanical Wonders 1816 Chronograph Titanium 'Champagne' Edition

 

LOUIS MOINET – Mechanical Wonders 1816 Chronograph Titanium  'Champagne' Dial 210th Anniversary Special Edition - 2026

1816 is one of the key dates in watchmaking history. It was the year in which Louis Moinet, the great watchmaker, completed the world’s first chronograph. To celebrate the 210th anniversary of this invention, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet unveils a new edition of the 1816 Chronograph in a warm champagne colour.

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This hue accentuates the dial’s complex construction and its different levels. It reappears on the middle links of the bracelet, underscoring their shape and structure.

In another nod to the original 1816 piece, the chronograph hour totaliser makes use of Roman numerals.

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“To celebrate the 210th anniversary of the first chronograph, we chose a special colour for a new 1816 Chronograph edition. It echoes that of its unique calibre and naturally evokes the mechanical tradition and codes of haute horlogerie. It’s a way of letting the mechanics themselves define the character of the piece.” — Nathanaël Schaller, Creative Product Manager

Reinventing Heritage: The 1816 Chronograph

Louis Moinet originally designed his novel instrument to carry out celestial observations, which required precise calculations of the speed at which the stars moved. This «thirds counter» (compteur de tierces) was the first of its kind and a testament to the genius of its creator. Moreover, it turned out to be the first chronograph ever built. Louis Moinet’s brilliant creation incorporated numerous innovations, some of which would not be repeated until a century later.

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With the 1816 Chronograph, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet has extended this legacy through a timepiece in a resolutely contemporary style. The DNA of Moinet’s compteur de tierces, with its sober, functional – for its time avant-garde – design, emerges in every detail. The aesthetic codes of the original model have been totally reinterpreted in a manner always in keeping with the traditional codes of haute horlogerie.

A Champagne Edition for 210 Years of the First Chronograph

To mark the 210th years of the first chronograph, this latest edition of the 1816 Chronograph was given a luminous champagne hue. This colour reflects the mechanics of the piece: an integrated, brand-new calibre engineered especially for this chronograph, which, naturaly, evokes the mechanical tradition and haute horlogerie.

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On the dial, this shade adds depth and warmth to the composition and creates a refined contrast with the blued steel hands. The rhodium-plated rings on the counters establish a visual structure on the dial to enhance the legibility of this design, which is inspired by the historic timepiece. In another nod to the original, the chronograph hour totaliser features Roman numeral.

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The champagne colour appears again on the intermediate links of the grade 5 titanium bracelet. It highlights the distinctive U-shape of their architecture and accentuates the relief of this sculptural construction.

A Louis Moinet Calibre In The Finest Watchmaking Tradition

The challenge faced when designing the LM1816 calibre for the 1816 Chronograph was to preserve the DNA of the original Louis Moinet chronograph while building a brand-new movement that would meet the standards of haute horlogerie. From the outset, the architecture of the movement was dictated by the unique position of the counters on the 1816 model.

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The movement has 330 components, including 34 jewels, and runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour.

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The exhibition case back reveals the interplay of carefully finished parts, the overlapping planes and bridges, interweaving gears, and chronometric controls. The contrasts are striking: the white of the steel, the satin finish and brassy hue of the bridges, the blue of the fixing screws, and the deep red of the rubies.

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Watch enthusiasts wishing to have a physical connection with their timepiece will appreciate the manual winding ritual, which ensures 48 hours of autonomy. The instantaneous minute counter, the column wheel control, and the swan-neck regulator are other elements that draw the expert eye, as they are hallmarks of authenticity, care and quality of the movement.

A Distinctive Case

The double-gadroon case, in polished and satin-finished grade 5 titanium, measures 40.6 millimetres in diameter and is composed of 51 parts. It retains its original Directoire style semi-bassine design with a smooth case middle. 

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Two sober pushers frame the winding crown, which is decorated with a fleur-de-lys, the emblem of Bourges, Louis Moinet’s birthplace. The elegant and timeless 1816 was made to be very comfortable on the wrist.

Louis Moinet’s avant-garde vision and the 1816 dial

From the end of the eighteenth century, as watch mechanisms became more precise, master watchmakers paid increasing attention to the aesthetics and legibility of their creations. Louis Moinet was no exception. The layout of the subsidiary counters on his compteur de tierces already anticipated the modern configuration of 20th-century chronographs. It established the perfect balance between functionality and design as a genuine measurement interface.

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The contemporary version of the dial remains faithful to this functional architecture. It adopts the same layout as that designed by Louis Moinet himself. The subsidiary dials for the small seconds and the 30-minute instantaneous totaliser are arranged horizontally on the top half of the dial on either side of the central chronograph hand. They overlook the 12-hour totaliser. The satinpolished hour totaliser of this new edition uses Roman numerals, reflecting those of the original piece created by Louis Moinet in 1816.

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The entire dial is composed of twenty-three elements, including ten blackened nickel cabochons. The base and centres of the three champagne-coloured counters feature a bead-blasted finish. True to the original, the flange, which is divided into increments of six, is mounted onto the watch with four blued-steel screws.

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 Engraving has made it possible to precisely inscribe the dial markings, the name of the timepiece – 1816 – and the name Louis Moinet, reproduced in the typography of the original creation.

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The central chronograph hand and the counters’ hands are made of heat-blued steel. The hours and minutes are indicated by Louis Moinet-style openworked hands, with tips coated in a luminescent substance.

2026: Two Historic Milestones for Louis Moinet

The year 2026 marks the 210th anniversary of the first chronograph in history. It was completed by Louis Moinet in 1816. And it also corresponds to the 220th anniversary of 1806, a date that is deeply embedded in the identity of Les Ateliers Louis Moinet.

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 It was in that year that Louis Moinet created an extraordinary clock for Napoleon, the recently crowned emperor of France. A creation that marked a turning point in Louis Moinet’s work. It paved the way to prestigious orders from a number of important personalities of his era.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Collection:  Mechanical Wonders

Model:  1816 Chronograph Titanium 'Champagne' Edition

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Reference: LM-150.20.30  

CASE
Material: Polished and satin-brushed grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 40.6 mm
Thickness: 14.7 mm
Sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective treatment
Water-resistant to 30 meters
Dial
Rhodium dial and champagne
Construction : 23 parts
Finishing: bead-blasted
Markings: engraved
10 cabochons, blackened nickel
4 blued-steel screws
Counters: Satin-brushed ring, bead-blasted centre
Flange: Bead-blasted
Hours and minutes: Facetted and skeletonised, with luminescent matter
Blued-steel chronograph hand and totaliser hands
MOVEMENT
Calibre LM1816

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Column-wheel chronograph
Hand-wound mechanical
Frequency: 4 Hz, 28'800 vph
Number of jewels: 34
Power reserve of 48 hours
Functions/Indications
Hours, minutes, seconds
Chronograph 60-second & 30-minute & 12-hour counter
STRAP
Polished and satin-brushed grade 5 titanium with champagne DLC coating (Diamond-Like Carbon)

  🔴 Price: CHF 28’900 /USD 35.900 / EUR 32.000 (excl. taxes) 💰

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LOUIS MOINET – Metiers d'art Tourbillon FIRE HORSE Gold and Titanium - Unique Piece

 

LOUIS MOINET – Mechanical Wonders Métiers d'art Tourbillon FIRE HORSE 40.7mm Gold and Titanium - Unique Piece - 2026

 A timepiece celebrating the Chinese New Year

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The year 2026 begins under the sign of the Fire Horse, a pairing that occurs once every sixty years in the Chinese calendar. It heralds a year imbued with intense and assertive energy. This sign inspired the creation of a unique artistic timepiece by Louis Moinet: the Tourbillon Puzzle Fire Horse.

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A. Soldatov©

To pay proper tribute to this spirited astrological sign, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet workshops draw on a craft they have already become famous for: the puzzle dial. A true feat of métiers d’art wizardry, this stunning watch reveals a very vivid Fire Horse interpreted using micro-painting by hand on a meticulously assembled 81-piece jigsaw puzzle.

“The element fire amplifies the horse’s power. This creation called for an artistic eye capable of capturing this vital force. And, indeed, the horse as it appears on the puzzle dial matches this energy." -
Nathanaël Schaller, Creative Product Manager, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet.

The Fire Horse | An artistic vision

The Fire Horse is interpreted here through a powerful and effective aesthetic expression. The horse appears engaged in a dynamic movement, its head slightly thrown back, its mouth open as if in triumph. Its lively, focused gaze reinforces the impression of momentum and determination.

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The mane, drawn as stylized flowing flames, envelops the horse’s silhouette and prolongs the feeling of movement. Undulating forms alternating between sharp and blurry, contrast the animal’s clear lines with surrounding energy. Warm tones dominate, heightening the dynamism and amplifying the composition’s inherent power.

Métiers d’art | The jigsaw puzzle dial

Thanks to expert micro-painters, the Fire Horse from Chinese astrology comes alive with vitality on a puzzle dial.

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This complex construction comprises 81 meticulously interlocking pieces arranged across four levels. To ensure harmony, the craftsman must fully dismantle the puzzle, paint the edges of each element, then reassemble it. This patient process brings the legendary creature to life, piece by piece.

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The Tourbillon Puzzle Fire Horse demonstrates once again how Les Ateliers Louis Moinet is able to take the fine art of watchmaking to new heights of expression.

Haute Horlogerie | An exceptional calibre in a sculpted case

At the heart of this timepiece beats a hand-wound movement equipped with a flying tourbillon in an off-centre cage. It is powered by two serial spring barrels that are arranged head-to-tail using the «volte-face» system, allowing them to discharge simultaneously, ensuring a 96-hour power reserve. Positioned behind the tourbillon cage is a fire opal, an ancient symbol of inner strength, transformation, and creative energy. It echoes the fire element of the 2026 horse and thus place astrological symbolism at the very heart of the movement.

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 This unique timepiece is enhanced by an 18-carat red gold case, 40 millimetres in diameter, with flowing and taut lines. The sapphire dome, a true technical feat, allows the richness of the puzzle dial to be appreciated from all angles, including from the sides. The openworked lugs perfect the balance of the piece and elegantly emphasize the integration of the strap.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Collection:  Mechanical Wonders

Model:  Métiers d'art Tourbillon Puzzle Fire Horse - Unique Pieces

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Ref. LM-135.50.FH

Unique piece 1/1

Case
Material: 18k-caratred red gold, grade 5 titanium (inner case)
Polished and satinated
Diameter: 40.7 mm
Domed sapphire crystal glass
Water resistance: 30 metres
Movement
Hand-wound movement with double barrel and flying tourbillon 
Caliber LM135

 

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Complication    Flying tourbillon
Oscillations: 28,800vibrations per hour
Rubies: 26
Power reserve: 96 hours
Functions
Hours, Minutes and Flying tourbillon
Dial 
Dial: Puzzle composed of 81 pieces on four different levels  / Micropainting in acrylic / Fire opal
Hands: Facetted and skeletonised, with luminescent matter
Strap 
Black alligator strap with yellow stitching

 

🔰Edition:  ❱❱❱ Unique Pieces, Number 01/01 each
🔴 Price: on Request : CHF 140'000 (excl. taxes)💰 

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LOUIS MOINET – Cosmic Art GALATA BLUE Tourbillon Edition

 

LOUIS MOINET – Cosmic Art GALATA BLUE Tourbillon 40.7mm Gold and Titanium Edition - 2025

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  Louis Moinet’s horological homage to the art and history of Istanbul

Those who know Galata are always inspired by its beauty. Perched on the heights of Istanbul, it overlooks the banks of the Bosphorus. It is a neighbourhood that brims with history and is steeped in a rich diversity of influences. 

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As such, it embodies the very soul of a city at the crossroads of many worlds. The GALATA BLUE was born here, between the heights of Galata and the coastline of the Bosphorus.

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    “Light, energy, a subtle balance between the modern world and an ancient heritage. With the GALATA BLUE, I wanted to translate these deep-felt qualities into a timepiece conceived as a work of art, a sincere tribute to the fascinating city of Istanbul.” Jean-Marie Schaller
CEO & Creative Director 

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Galata and the Bosphorus on the dial

The intense colour of the turquoise at the centre of the dial and at the back of the tourbillon cage immediately draws the eye. Around it is a guilloché pattern, an undulating motif that recalls the rippling waters of the famous strait. 

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The waves of this mechanical decoration seem to shuttle from one index to the next, as if carried by the rhythm of the hours. The inspiration for the markers comes from the Ottoman numerals on the clock of the Tophane-i Amire Sanjak Tower, an emblematic building that is an integral part of Istanbul's cultural heritage.

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    “Light, energy, a subtle balance between the modern world and an ancient heritage. With the GALATA BLUE, I wanted to translate these deep-felt qualities into a timepiece conceived as a work of art, a sincere tribute to to the fascinating city of Istanbul.” 
 Jean-Marie Schaller CEO & Creative Director

Traditional horological art

Guilloché is an equally precious heritage. This craft consists of engraving fine lines on the metal with extreme precision, to form a wave pattern that is complex and lively. For the grade-5 titanium edition, this decoration is coated with grey Neoralith. 

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A translucent burgundy varnish is applied for the 18-carat red gold edition. In both versions, the material captures the light and reveals the full depth of the guilloché.

Turquoise

The turquoise radiates a unique colour, somewhere between sky and sea. For millennia, it has been used as a symbol of protection and is associated with wisdom, clarity of mind, and harmony with the elements. 

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In the GALATA BLUE, it evokes the beauty of the Bosphorus and embodies the spirit of the place. Its presence, rare in watchmaking, gives the watch a strong aesthetic and symbolic visual presence.

Engineering and poetry

Inside the GALATA BLUE, the spectacle is choreographed by high-level mechanics.

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The movement beats to the rhythm of a flying tourbillon. Freed from an upper bridge, the off-centre cage appears to float above the dial, as if defying gravity. It’s a grand technical ballet, both precise and hypnotic.

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The hand-wound movement is equipped with a double barrel. This system, known as "volte-face", enables the two barrels to be arranged head to tail and to discharge simultaneously, offering a power reserve of 96 hours.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Collection:  Cosmic Art

Model:  GALATA BLUE Tourbillon

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Ref. LM-135.20.GB - Grade 5 Titanium - Limited edition of 12 watches

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Ref. LM-135.50.GB - 18K Red Gold - Limited edition of 12 watches

Case
Material: 18k-caratred red gold, grade 5 titanium (inner case)
Polished and satinated
Diameter: 40.7 mm

Openworked lugs
Domed sapphire crystal glass
Water resistance: 30 metres
Movement
Hand-wound movement with double barrel and flying tourbillon 

Caliber LM135

 

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Complication    Flying tourbillon
Oscillations: 28,800vibrations per hour
Rubies: 26
Power reserve: 96 hours
Functions
Hours, Minutes and Flying tourbillon
Dial

Intense colour of the turquoise at the centre
Aventurine

Hands: Hours, minutes: facetted and skeletonised, with luminescent material (SLN)
Strap
Material: Louisiana alligator leather | Alligator lining, hand-sewn

Clasp: Gold triple-blade folding clasp

🔰Edition of 12 watches

🔴 Price: on Request 💰

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LOUIS MOINET – Mechanical Wonders 1816 Chronometre d’Observatoire Titanium

 

LOUIS MOINET – Mechanical Wonders 1816 Chronomètre d’Observatoire Titanium - 2025

1816
homage to a pioneer of chronometry

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“It is essential not to depart from the genuine.” — Louis Moinet
“When we think about measuring time, what is genuine to that art is accuracy, exactness and reliability. This quest for precision guided the work of the great watchmaker Louis Moinet. Today, this quest has found a new echo with the 1806, a chronometer certified by the Geneva Astronomical Observatory. A timepiece that also reminds us that astronomy and watchmaking have been intimately linked for centuries. In fact, it was Louis Moinet's desire to measure the movement of the stars that paved the way for modern chronometry.” – Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO & Creative Director

A pioneer of chronometry

Louis Moinet dedicated his life and talent to a very ambitious goal: the precise, scientific measurement of time. His invention of the first-ever chronograph ushered in the era of high frequency, achieving a phenomenal rate of 30 Hz, which was essential for measuring the tierce, or 60th of a second. As president of the Chronometric Society in Paris, he brought together the era's greatest scientists and watchmakers in their shared pursuit of precision. He later crowned his achievements by presenting a chronometer with several important complications at the 1851 Universal Exhibition in London. 

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Thus, guided by the quest of exact measurement, Louis Moinet laid the foundations of modern chronometry and became its most illustrious pioneer.

The 1806 chronomètre d’Observatoire

Since its founding in 1772, the Geneva Astronomical Observatory has been the historic home of Swiss chronometric certification. It perpetuates the tradition of precision contests that marked the nineteenth century.

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The new Louis Moinet timepiece, the 1806, has been certified as an observatory chronometer and is thus a part of that tradition. To obtain this designation, each 1806 movement undergoes fifteen days of trials, during which it is tested in different positions and subjected to various temperature variations. The results of these tests provide proof of the chronometer's precision and reliability.

Historic roots, contemporary look

Inspired by history's very first chronograph, the 1806 case draws attention with its understated power. Its Directoire-style semi-bassine silhouette, highlighted by the double gadroon, combines the sobriety of the historical lines with the contemporary lightness of polished and satin-finished grade 5 titanium. The crown, engraved with a fleur-de-lys, pays homage to the French town of Bourges, Louis Moinet's birthplace. 

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The rhodium-plated dial seems alive thanks to a subtle interplay of satin and bead-blasted finishes. The classic, highly readable numerals convey the rigour of a genuine scientific instrument. The small seconds dial at nine o'clock in the same bead-blasted decor is offset by a polished circular frame, accentuating the depth and clarity of the display.

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The minute chapter is arranged on a peripheral flange with a circular satin finish. It is punctuated by twelve blackened nickel cabochons and four blued steel screws, a crucial detail that further evokes the historical roots of this timepiece.

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The 1806 dial showcases how traditional watchmaking fits in with a modern look. Classic elements pay homage to the original: the name Louis Moinet appears in its historic typography, while Chronomètre d'Observatoire is displayed in the same font used for the hour numerals. 

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 The slender, openworked hands in blued steel maintain the visual clarity that defined Louis Moinet's original timepieces, while their tips, enhanced with modern SLN luminous material, guarantee immediate legibility in any light. The fine seconds hand stands out with its circular openworked counterweight—a detail that bridges historical craftsmanship with contemporary precision. At the dial's centre, the ruby-set barrel, flanked by two polished screws, adds a technical accent that is both rigorous and refined.

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The sapphire crystal caseback reveals an automatic movement certified as an “Observatory chronometer.” Its circular-grained plate serves as a backdrop to the openworked, gilded rotor designed in a purposefully clean, modern, style. As it spins, it reveals the movement's individual number, guaranteeing authentication and official certification. The four engraved symbols on the caseback represent the company’s core values: exclusivity, creativity, artistry, and design.

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As for the bracelet, it was given the name “BRIDGE project.” It is the first grade 5 titanium bracelet by Louis Moinet and takes its name from the distinctive wide links that recall a stylised bridge. It is resolutely contemporary, thanks to a unique design, and was conceived as a seamless extension of the case. Each link seems to flow fluidly into the next, enabling the bracelet to hug the wrist naturally without disrupting the watch's balance. The alternating satin-finished and polished surfaces create a sculptural ensemble that is both graceful and ergonomic.

1806: The prestigious origin

Louis Moinet creations carry extraordinary stories within them, both through the technical advances they embody and the distinguished personalities for whom they were intended. Some were conceived as exceptional commissions, such as the clock created for Napoleon in 1806—a landmark work whose date now inspires the name of this new timepiece.

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To wear the 1806  “Observatory chronometer” is to continue a story that has been evolving for more than two centuries...

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Collection:  Mechanical Wonders

Model:  1816 Chronomètre d’Observatoire Titanium

  Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Reference: LM-160.20.60 

CASE
Material: Polished and satin-brushed grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 40.6 mm
Thickness: 15.5 mm
Sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective treatment
Water-resistant to 50 meters
Dial
Rhodium-plated
Construction : 35 parts
Finishing: bead-blasted
Markings: engraved
10 cabochons, blackened nickel
4 blued-steel screws
Counter: Satin-brushed ring, bead-blasted centre
Flange: Circular satin finish
Hours and minutes: Blued steel, facetted and openworked, with luminescent material
Blued steel second hand with circular openworked counterweight
MOVEMENT
Calibre LM1806
Mechanical self-winding | Screw balance
DIAMETER | HEIGHT  30.4 mm | 6.6 mm
Frequency: 4 Hz, 28'800 vph
Number of jewels: 22
Power reserve of 48 hours
OSCILLATING WEIGHT
New design | Bimetallic | Openworked and gold-plated | Ball-
bearing with 6 balls | Blued steel screws and fleur-de-lys applique
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds
60-seconds at 9 o'clock counter
STRAP
Grade 5 titanium bracelet

  🔴 Price: on Request 💰

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