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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
In 1816, the master watchmaker Louis Moinet created what would become a cornerstone of horological innovation: the world’s very first chronograph. More than two centuries later, the newly unveiled 1816 Chronograph not only pays homage to the original but redefines it for the modern age. As Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO and Creative Director of Louis Moinet, puts it: “Our roots are our future.”
The 1816 takes inspiration from its ancestor. The case, 40.6 mm in diameter and 14.7 mm thick and crafted from polished and satin-brushed Grade 5 titanium, is a reinterpretation of the original Directoire style featuring a flat case middle. Two minimalist pushers flank the crown which is decorated with a fleur-de-lys — a tribute to Moinet’s birthplace in Bourges.
The dial has a rhodium surface, bead-blasted for texture and composed of 23 individual elements, including 10 blackened nickel cabochons and four visible blued-steel screws. There’s a blued-steel central chronograph hand, small seconds, a 30-minute jumping counter, and a 12-hour totaliser — all arranged in a layout that mirrors the historical compteur de tierces or the ‘thirds counter’. The hands for the hours and minutes are faceted and skeletonised, treated with Super-LumiNova for optimal readability against the dial’s matte finish.
Driving the timepiece is the newly developed in-house hand-wound calibre — the LM1816 — created in collaboration with Concepto. The movement beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and delivers a 48-hour power reserve. The calibre is equipped with a column-wheel mechanism that ensures precise chronograph function control, while an instantaneous jumping minute counter allows error-free time reading. Additionally, a swan-neck regulator, known for its graceful design and fine adjustment capabilities, further elevates the movement’s technical and visual appeal.
Completing the timepiece is an integrated titanium bracelet, named Project BRIDGE by Louis Moinet’s technical department, for its wide, curved links.
In 1816, the master watchmaker Louis Moinet created what would become a cornerstone of horological innovation: the world’s very first chronograph. More than two centuries later, the newly unveiled 1816 Chronograph not only pays homage to the original but redefines it for the modern age. As Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO and Creative Director of Louis Moinet, puts it: “Our roots are our future.”
The 1816 takes inspiration from its ancestor. The case, 40.6 mm in diameter and 14.7 mm thick and crafted from polished and satin-brushed Grade 5 titanium, is a reinterpretation of the original Directoire style featuring a flat case middle. Two minimalist pushers flank the crown which is decorated with a fleur-de-lys — a tribute to Moinet’s birthplace in Bourges.
The dial has a rhodium surface, bead-blasted for texture and composed of 23 individual elements, including 10 blackened nickel cabochons and four visible blued-steel screws. There’s a blued-steel central chronograph hand, small seconds, a 30-minute jumping counter, and a 12-hour totaliser — all arranged in a layout that mirrors the historical compteur de tierces or the ‘thirds counter’. The hands for the hours and minutes are faceted and skeletonised, treated with Super-LumiNova for optimal readability against the dial’s matte finish.
Driving the timepiece is the newly developed in-house hand-wound calibre — the LM1816 — created in collaboration with Concepto. The movement beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and delivers a 48-hour power reserve. The calibre is equipped with a column-wheel mechanism that ensures precise chronograph function control, while an instantaneous jumping minute counter allows error-free time reading. Additionally, a swan-neck regulator, known for its graceful design and fine adjustment capabilities, further elevates the movement’s technical and visual appeal.
Completing the timepiece is an integrated titanium bracelet, named Project BRIDGE by Louis Moinet’s technical department, for its wide, curved links.
