Fans of Louis Moinet timepieces will instantly recognize this special timepiece as being a very sporty version of the Twintech Chronograph watch. The Twintech is based on original Louis Moinet drawings from 1848, long before the advent of carbon fiber. You can read about the original Twintech Chronograph model here, and see here how the style has been refined a bit to accommodate for this revised style. This new watch is not so much an update rather than an alternative design.

Rather than a pretty retro design, this new Twintech model is all about the world of racing sports, something that Louis Moinet has been sponsoring here in the US. Aside from the carbon fiber face, the watch has a new font for the Arabic numerals as well as the racing red trim. The large watch has one of the most easy on the eyes rectangular watch cases on the market, and the red spots on the watch really make themselves seen. Many watches of this boldness can be difficult to read, as the dial can over-take the hands. I am glad to say that lume covered hands on this Twintech Chronograph watch hold their own and do not suffer from being drowned out in the mix. Overall a very nice looking steel sports watch that is unique, yet comfortable, compared to many others in the crowd.

A Louis Moinet representative let me check out this watch at Lussori, I can't speak to availability, but I have a feeling that at least a limited number of these watches should be available soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

This is a curious watch, but kind of a cool one. The limited edition Louis Moinet Chronovintage has a movement from the early 1970s and is a special type of chronograph. It measures 60 minutes, but only the minutes. Thus, you don't get a count for the seconds. Still, when you activate the chronograph the hand moves slowly from one minute to the other, so you do actually get some visual idea of what part of the minute you are stopping in. It is sort of a variation on the functionality that a rotating diver's watch bezel provides.

The tonneau shaped case is 40mm wide in steel with two available dial colors (white and black). The dial decoration is rich and complex with a fantastic level of depth. Turn the watch over and you can see the decoration of the vintage movement. The addition of the 9 o'clock orientated subsidiary seconds dial enhances the vintage feel. I think a watch like this Chronovintage fits in well with the Louis Moinet line, but the theme of the brand is to be "retro." The Chronovintage is part of a limited edition of just 60 pieces. Available now at select Louis Moinet timepiece dealers.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Swiss makers Thomas Prescher and Angular Momentum have organized a special multi-day presentation of some of the most interesting and exclusive independent luxury watch brands out there. Such makers often struggle to get the message out about their watches, but once their timepieces are known, they are often very well received by the watch lover population. By banding together, they draw on each others' products resulting in what should be a very interesting exhibition of watches and watch makers. The event will take place from June 18 - June 21 at the Angular Momentum Time Gallery (located at Brunngasse 58 in 3011 Bern, Switzerland).

The Time Gallery is a special multipurpose watch store and gallery which is a perfect location to showcase the wonderful watches. Aside from luxury novelties from both Angular Momentum and Thomas Prescher, notable brands will include Svend Andersen, Vianney Halter, Voutilainen, Pita, and Louis Moinet - among a few others as well. In addition to the watches being on display (and for sale most likely) the watch makers themselves will be present during the duration of the exhibit available to discuss their fine timepieces. And excellent opportunity to meet and mingle with true modern masters.

For more information contact Thomas Prescher or Angular Momentum (link to e-mail addresses), or call 41 (0)32 315 28 66.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Bouncing between reasonably priced luxury watches and ultra high-end horological complexities, Louis Moinet's next timepiece based on the original designs of watch making master Louis Moinet is this Twintech Chronograph. The simple rectangular case is gentle and soft, adding almost organic curves to your wrist. Although this is an angular watch in theory, there are no harsh edges to be seen. Then you look at the unique chronograph pushers to see the first instrument type element of the watch aside from the hands.

Being placed in Louis Moinet's more reasonably priced catalog, the Twintech Chronograph uses an ETA automatic chronograph movement - decorated with Cotes de Jura engraving and utilizing blue screws. In addition, blued hands and accents on the face play well with the texturing on the dial and the playfully retro Arabic numerals. To Louis Moinet's credit, the chronograph presentation is thankfully straight forward with easy to read subdials and large comfortable pushers. This could almost qualify the Twintech Chronograph as a sports watch. The steel case is 41mm x 54mm in size, as well as 14mm thick. This makes the rounded edge square watch a quite noticeable addition to your attire while on your wrist. That with the crocodile leather strap make this genre crossing timepiece a nice hybrid between sporty function, and classic looks.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

The real allure of this Louis Moinet Tempograph watch are the looks. The classically futuristic form is based on master watch maker Louis Moinet's 200 year old designs - and give you a Jules Verne type of mofit on your wrist. You can literally pick out these designs from Louis Moinet's old manuscripts - and they have been beautifully composed into watches like the Tempograph. The name refers to the unique retrograde seconds hand that measures in 10 second increments before moving to the initial position. Watching the seconds go by can be like watching a musical tempo meter. The retrograde seconds hand is horizontally aligned and covers most of the face. The hours and minutes are placed in a smaller dial at the top of the face.

Other elements of the watch serve to highlight the movement rich complication with the unique Louis Moinet charm in a large 47mm wide case, available in two shades of rose gold. The case and dial also include titanium, PVD (black colored) coated steel, and a dial that is available in black of silver. The pictured Tempograph is the Ref. LM-13.40.50/60 in rose gold and should be available soon. This is also the same watch featured on the side of Louis Moinet's Primetime Race Group's sponsored # 11 Dodge Viper car in this season's American Le Mans race series.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

I never thought I'd see such a nice brand on the side of a race car, an American race car at that. Swiss watch maker Louis Moinet is one of the major sponsors of the Primetime Race Group's # 11 Dodge Viper race car that will compete in the American Le Mans racing season - now in Primetime's second full season in the race. This is the only Viper that will compete in the race series and I believe was specifically chosen by Louis Moinet. They are attempting to appeal to affluent American watch buyers by participating with an American race car, in an American race.

Whether the move will pay off has yet to be seen, but Louis Moinet is not the only watch brand to sponsor race cars. One obivous other brand is Tissot, which has ties to NASCAR and motorcycle racing. You can tell that the branding on the side of car # 11 is very prominent., with the name of the brand, the website, as well as an image of their new Tempograph watch. No doubt that this will be the first time many Americans are exposed to the unique looks of Louis Moinet whose watches are based on 200 year old designs.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Newer high-end watch maker Louis Moinet will begin to provide each new watch with a watch winder. It would seem obvious that luxury automatic mechanical timepieces would come complete with a tool to keep the watches wound, but many do not. Those brands that do are presented with an opportunity to present added value to their watches by providing a branded watch winder (most always supplied by a third party watch winder manufacturer).

One of the top choice companies for luxury European watch makers is actually the US based company Orbita, based in North Carolina. The popular watch winder maker has the facilities to produce relatively high quality watch winders that can be adapted to each manufacturer's tastes. The direction taken by Louis Moinet is a perfect example - whose brand is based on a legendary watch maker. His opus was a book titled "Traité d´Horlogerie" (Treatise on Watchmaking) published in 1848. It is actually still considered a very relevant watch making guide for purists of the art form.

The Orbita sourced watch winders will come inside a book-shaped housing where the watch can remain resting and kept wound while its owner decides to wear other watches. This works perfectly as most owners of high end watches such as a Louis Moinet, possess more than one watch - whose daily winding often proves time consuming. Part of luxury is often convenience.

The watch winders themselves are powered by a lithium ion battery with an approximate five year life span. All you need to do is place the watch in the winder and operate it with the on and off switch. In addition to being a nice accessory with a new watch, the winder solves a problem that seems to irritate watch makers and owners alike. The presentation of new watches is very important, but often loses relevance after you take a watch outside of the box. Having a presentation box that is both attractive and functional is the perfect solution.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

It is a good thing that watch maker Louis Moinet chose its namesake as a brand title. Be aware that Louis Moinet was a master watch maker from about 250 years ago. Purchasing the rights to the name and using it for a watch company instantly imbues the brand with a degree of confidence in regards to their watch making skills. At least that is the idea. The newest Louis Moinet model is the Datascope, a deceptively simple watch with a really attractive design. I see it as Jeffersonian era futuristic, if there is such a thing. Think of a pioneering hot-air balloonist wearing one of these. Further, this model should be more affordable than others offered by Louis Moinet. You can think of this as the "Porsche Boxster" in the product line up.

The best part of the Datascope is the case, using a design that is as old as Moinet himself. The watch comes in three limited edition color variations with a silver, black, or bordeaux colored dial (60 pieces in each color). The case itself is grade 316L steel, while the hands are blued and rhodium covered. The unique engraving design on the dial and case back is know as "Côtes du Jura." The movement is a high-grade yet basic automatic mechanical movement with the date (seen through the banana shaped aperture). The craftsmanship and design of the watch are impressive, if not a bit pretentious, but then again you usually want this from watches at this price point (which I guess will be in the $10,000 range). Lastly, Louis Moinet is so confident about their watches, the warranties are supposedly hand written.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

A piece of a 2000 year-old lunar meteorite is part of the mechanism inside the one-of-a-kind Louis Moinet Magistralis watch. The 18K gold watch has a movement that includes complications such as the minute repeater, perpetual calendar and mono-pusher chronograph. A striking mechanism hammers out the hours, quarter-hours and minutes. The movement was created 100 years ago and beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour. Even the case is complex involving 90 pieces that include a pressure-controlled striking mechanism lever.
The presentation box includes an original of Louis Moinet Traite d'Horlogerie, the second edition, dated 1856, a book on watchmaking techniques with illustrations of watch movements hand-drawn by Louis Moinet. The watch costs one million Swiss Francs (around $862,000).

The latest fascinating watch from the Louis Moinet line is the Variograph. It has an automatic chronograph movement. The watch has two innovations, a full moon indicator that gives the a precise indication of the day of the full moon. The second is the World Map in the nine o'clock position which spins once on its axis every 24 hours. The ring surrounding the map lets you read the time around the world according to Greenwich Mean Time. The watch also has 60-second, 30-minute chronograph counters and day, month and date indicators. There are three dial colors, charcoal, old rose and silver, each available in an edition of 60.

This rather elegant watch is one that Louis Moinet will be exhibiting at Baselworld. Louis Moinet specializes in classic watchmaking styles based on the designs of Louis Moinet, the namesake of the company who created watches for luminaries of his time such as Napoleon, King George IV of England, American Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. The Twintech watch uses the Louis Moinet twin barrel movement and has a 120-hour power reserve. It has a power reserve indicator and retrograde date. The watch has two anti-glare sapphire crystals and a Louisana alligator leather strap. There are three different dials, charcoal, silver and my favorite, the old rose, which are available in editions of 60 watches each.