Baselworld 2017 : Sideralis, Louis Moinet’s interstellar double tourbillon, is back in orbit
Baselworld 2017 : Sideralis, Louis Moinet’s interstellar double tourbillon, is back in orbit
“Sideralis was a turning-point for us. It’s a highly technical piece, featuring a world first, and protected by two patents. It allows us to combine our astral theme with an exclusive complication, thus enhancing a dial full of life – one of our hallmarks at Louis Moinet. The lightness of the Sideralis EVO, and more particularly of its new outsize tourbillon cages, embodies this sense of space. The deep blue echoing the astral micro-painting reinforces an overall sense of coherence, illuminated by the new rose gold case – as if by sunlight itself.
EVO is the name of this new, very limited-edition version of Sideralis. It takes up the general concept of Sideralis in a skeletonised, openwork offering, made available here in rose gold.
To date, Sideralis is quite simply unparalleled anywhere else in the world of watchmaking, and is protected by two patent applications. Over and above purely technical considerations, Sideralis makes an unequivocal statement: Louis Moinet is perhaps the last fully-independent firm to be investing in new movements with the sole aim of inspiring awe among lovers of fine watches. This unique approach is based on three special features that are the essence of Sideralis:
Special feature number one
Two outsize tourbillons, with cages measuring 14.9 mm – half as big again as the average. This is the largest assembly of two tourbillons ever to have existed.
Special feature number two
The tourbillons rotate in opposite directions, driving the Sideralis complication: two discs, one atop the other, which also rotate in opposite directions, orchestrating the ballet of the stars on the time dial, and revealing a succession of tiny hand-painted vignettes. The discs depict the planet Mars, the Moon, and Mercury, one after the other. “These three bodies have not been chosen at random,” says Jean-Marie Schaller. “Each of the micro-paintings includes genuine dust from the heavenly body in question: a fragment of Mars, moon dust, and extremely rare fragments of the Rosetta Stone, whose scientific name is Sahara 99555. This stone has travelled across the universe to reach us: it’s the oldest known to mankind, believed by the scientific community to have come from Mercury and to be four and half billion years old.”
Special feature number three
The two raised cages are large as life and wholly visible, revealing balance wheels with beautifully styled screws – and an absolutely incomparable aesthetic appearance.
Sideralis EVO comes in a 47.4-mm rose gold case – and in a limited edition of just 12 pieces.