Watches And Wonders 2024: Louis Moinet’s "Around the World in 8 Days" Collection

Louis Moinet's latest collection, "Around the World in 8 Days," takes viewers on an extraordinary journey through eight of the world's most captivating cities unveiled at Watches And Wonders 2024. Inspired by the famous novel by Jules Verne, this collection celebrates the rich cultural tapestry of each metropolis through the art of haute horlogerie.

The journey commences in Paris, the birthplace of the visionary watchmaker Louis Moinet, and culminates in New York, traversing the vibrant floating markets of Bangkok and the avant-garde cityscape of Kuala Lumpur along the way. Each city is represented by a unique timepiece, a horological masterpiece that encapsulates the essence of its locale through exceptional craftsmanship and innovative materials.

To create these dials, Louis Moinet collaborated with the skilled artisans of GVA Cadrans, masters of métiers d'art such as miniature painting, hand-engraving, marquetry, and intricate jigsaw puzzles. The beauty of these dials lies in the originality of the materials employed, ranging from rock crystal and aventurine to genuine historical fragments and cutting-edge silicon.

The Paris timepiece pays homage to the iconic Eiffel Tower, meticulously hand-engraved from an original beam fragment that once supported the structure. Set against an 81-piece jigsaw puzzle dial depicting a hand-painted map of Paris, this creation captures the timeless charm and grandeur of the City of Lights.

In Abu Dhabi, the majestic Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the centerpiece, its architectural marvels brought to life through the delicate art of miniature painting on a transparent rock crystal base. The Bangkok piece transports viewers to the city's vibrant floating markets, where every detail, from the woven straw hats to the water lilies, is rendered with remarkable precision.

Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers, the world's tallest twin towers, are sculpted from silver and set against a silicon dial engraved with microelectronic circuits, paying tribute to the city's technological prowess. Singapore's iconic skyline is depicted through straw marquetry, a centuries-old craft that lends a dynamic and lively aura to the composition.

Tokyo's rich cultural heritage is celebrated through an origami crane, a symbol of longevity and happiness, crafted from metallic paper and set against a hand-painted backdrop of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms on aventurine. In San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is sculpted and hand-painted, standing in relief against a silicon wafer etched with microelectronic circuits, a nod to the city's proximity to Silicon Valley.

Finally, New York's skyline comes alive through a holographic film that plays with contrasting lights, capturing the essence of the city that never sleeps. The Statue of Liberty, engraved and hand-painted, takes center stage as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

Each timepiece features a flying tourbillon, defying gravity within an off-center cage, powered by a hand-wound movement with a double barrel and a 96-hour power reserve. The 40-millimeter 18-carat red gold cases are technical masterpieces, with domed sapphire crystals that reveal the captivating dial details.

Presented in a luxurious leather-covered wooden trunk, the collection is accompanied by an old world map from 1786, the year of Louis Moinet's birth, reminding us that the pioneering watchmaker's creations once crossed the globe to be with the eminent personalities of his time.

With "Around the World in 8 Days," Louis Moinet has crafted a horological odyssey that celebrates the diversity of our world's great cities through the lens of watchmaking excellence and artistic mastery.