The new record-breaking COSMOPOLIS timepiece by Louis Moinet was unveiled on Thursday, 21 September 2023 at the Musée d’Histoire des Sciences in Geneva. Adorned with 12 fragments from 12 different meteorites, this is a world premiere and is awarded the prestigious title of "most meteorite inserts in a watch" by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ on that evening.
Ms. Seyda Subaci-Gemici, adjudicator of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, was the surprise guest. She honoured the COSMOPOLIS with the title “Most meteorite inserts in a watch.” It’s the third GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Les Ateliers Louis Moinet and the first fore one of its contemporary works. It celebrates the unique character of the timepiece and highlights the innovation and creativity that went into shaping it.
Ateliers Louis Moinet, a great watchmaker and the creator of the chronograph in 1816, continues the remarkable legacy he established. Holder of the Guinness World Records™ title for he first chronograph (certified by Guinness World Records in 2016) but also high frequency, duly recognised by a new Guinness World Records title in 2020. This “first high-frequency stopwatch” award for his Compteur de Tierces made in 1816 definitively places Louis Moinet in the circle of the world’s most avant-garde watchmakers. Thereafter the company's affiliation with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) was established not long after, following the introduction of magnificent "Mechanical Wonders" series. The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie that was established in 2005 by Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and the Richemont group today includes 43 prestigious partner-brands, like BOVET, Breitling, Bulgari, Carl F. Bucherer, Cartier, Chanel, Chopard, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Greubel Forsey, etc.
The one substance that is unmistakably connected to the passage of time is frequently used in Louis Moinet's several extraordinary and distinctive watches that have been shown throughout the years. The Allende meteorite, which was discovered in the State of Chihuahua, and is the oldest-known material in the world was used in the brands previous Mexican inspired creations including the ‘Only Mexico’, timepiece as part of “Mechanical Wonders” collection.
At other times, Mesoamerican monuments, like the new one-of-a-kind Chichén Itzá tourbillon, were selected to incorporate ancient traditions and references to time measurement. The above-mentioned tourbillon featured the Temple of Kukulkan pyramid in Chichen Itza (from 8th–12th c. AD) and was scaled to occupy the upper half of its spectacular dial. It is depicted in red gold and Burmese jade against a sunset colored with 96 rubies and baguette-cut sapphires. The dials of Louis Moinet feature the most rare materials and the highest symbolism for the collector.
Louis Moinet's COSMOPOLIS
Ateliers Louis Moinet's COSMOPOLIS takes the name of prestigious watchmaker outside the realm of
conventional watchmaking, where its extreme uniqueness will astound people everywhere.
This global record will also attest to Jean-Marie Schaller's limitless imagination, as well as his capacity to stir our emotions and induce dreams. This title also expresses his sincere appreciation for his strong network of friends, devoted admirers, and skilled artisans who daily contribute to the advancement of Louis Moinet watches and the company's long history of fascination with space.
The name COSMOPOLIS itself pays tribute to the connection between our world and the infinite universe. The prefix cosmo- suggests the sheer size of the cosmos, the stars, their mysteries. The suffix -polis suggests the cultural and artistic spirit of the city. Together, the name COSMOPOLIS embodies the very essence of this watch by merging the fascination for space with the timeless elegance of the watchmaking craft.
The stellar constellation of twelve meteors
The dial itself serves as the backdrop for a true cosmic play. Each meteorite shard has been positioned to produce a distinct and intriguing constellation. The most unique and alluring stone of them all, a lunar meteorite, lies in the center. The tourbillon cage, the mechanism's beating heart, is home to one of these exceptional bits, a black chondrite. It serves as a reminder of the strong cosmic forces that shaped the cosmos.
Ten more unusual fragments have been thoughtfully placed, each on a separate foundation that is covertly fastened to the brushed, dark-grey dial. All of the cosmic diamonds are witnesses to the formation of our solar system. They each have a billion-year-old history to narrate, which includes the remarkable journey they took to reach COSMOPOLIS.
These fragments of time, these glimmers of eternity, these slices of the universe, this constellation of meteorites combine space-time and the watchmaking industry to produce the most precious work of art.
The flying tourbillon and haute horlogerie
The COSMOPOLIS has an off-center tourbillon in the subdial at 6 o'clock to defy gravity in a particularly striking fashion. Two barrel springs and a hand-wound mechanism give the movement an astonishing ninety-six hours of power. It comes in an 18-ct, 5N rose-gold case with a diameter of forty millimetres. Its highly technical sapphire crystal dome reveals the many fascinating facets of the meteorite fragments below. As for the openworked lugs, they emphasise the smooth integration of the bracelet.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
WATCH
Unique piece
COSMOPOLIS
CASE
Material
18-carat 5N rose gold, polished and satinated
Diameter
40.7 mm
DIAL
12 meteorites
1. DHOFAR 461 – Moon (Oman)
2. DHOFAR 1674 – Mars (Oman)
3. ALLENDE – Meteorite shower (Mexico)
4. ERG CHECH – Asteroid (Algeria)
5. JBILET WINSELMAN– Asteroid (Morocco)
6. ISHEYEVO – Asteroid (Russia)
7. ALETAI ARMANTY – Asteroid (China)
8. AGUAS ZARCAS– Meteorite shower (Costa Rica)
9. GIBEON – Asteroid (Namibia)
10. TOLUCA – Asteroid (Mexico)
11. SAHARA 97093 - Asteroid (Sahara Desert)
12. BLACK CHONDRITE L5 – Asteroid (Sahara Desert)
Hands
Hours, minutes, facetted and skeletonised, with luminescent matter
MOVEMENT
Functions
Hours | Minutes | Flying tourbillon
Complication
Flying tourbillon
Type
Hand-wound with double barrel
Oscillations
28,800 vibrations per hour
Rubies
26
Power reserve
96 hours
Water resistance
30 metres
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