Introducing Louis Moinet Impulsion

Abraham-Louis Breguet and Louis Moinet were close friends and key figures in watchmaking. The former invented the tourbillon, the latter the chronograph. Today, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet draws on a veritable wellspring of modern creativity that has succeeded in integrating these two high complications in a new mantel, one that generates strong emotions.

The idea of combining a chronograph with a tourbillon is not entirely new. What does differentiate this timepiece from previous creations is its original and bold character. The first idea was to make the chronograph mechanism entirely visible on the dial side, a world premiere, in fact. The magic of a tourbillon was then added.

The result is impressive, a remarkable spectacle and a feast for the eyes. A single pusher activates the chronograph hand, which ticks away the seconds and sails over the rotating flying tourbillon, whose off-centre cage does one revolution per minute. This creation was named Impulsion, a word that highlights the energy that transfers life to the chronograph and the tourbillon and coalesces the two visual effects to produce a full-fledged “show” as it were. At the heart of the Impulsion is the in-house Memoris calibre. It bears the Louis Moinet DNA, with its column wheel, classic horizontal clutch, and a single pusher. So, we made sure these characteristics would be maintained.

However, it is easier said than done. The movement is made up of 301 parts, many of which had to be completely designed from scratch and manufactured. To ensure sufficient energy, the automatic winding system had to be replaced by a manual double-barrel winding system. The system is called “volte-face” because the two barrels are arranged upside down in series. They release their energy at the same time, delivering a power reserve of ninety-six hours. The innovation is coupled with outstanding performance by the complex mechanisms. All in all, it produces beautiful mechanical art never seen before.

The three-dimensional architecture of the two powerful mechanisms is expressed on the wrist thanks to the high-end finishing by Louis Moinet craftsmen in collaboration with our traditional partner Concepto. The watch is assembled in our own workshops in Les Breuleux, in the Swiss Jura Mountains. It is signed Moinet, independent watchmaker. The Impulsion comes in a case that was custom-designed to underscore the originality of its character.

The technical and aesthetic design is unique. The heart of the case houses and protects the movement. Not surprisingly, it is made of grade 5 titanium, a material with the best strength to weight ratio. Its lightness naturally contributes to the comfort of the wearer. The case core is available in Moinet blue or intense black, which contrasts harmoniously with the frame cut in 18-carat pink gold. The hollowed-out lugs and the case middle are as much a part of the Moinet stylistic vocabulary as the quest for minimal weight.

A particularly evocative detail is the curved crystal, which reveals the power of the mechanism and optimises the reading of the chronograph indications. As for the chronograph counters, they are disposed in such a way as to blend in smoothly and allow for rapid reading. Only twenty-eight pieces of the reference LM-114.40.20 will be released by the Louis Moinet workshop in Saint-Blaise. A confidential number, which means that only twenty-eight owners will guard these treasures.