time-keeper


Louis Moinet unveils the Tempograph Spirit

June 2022


Louis Moinet unveils the Tempograph Spirit

“The fact that the 20 seconds are displayed on a sector and not a circle highlights the importance of each passing second and awakens the senses," said Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO & Creative Director, as he presented the new timepiece. An introduction.

L

ouis Moinet’s Tempograph Spirit delivers an uncompromisingly modern break with tradition, combining ancestral expertise with incisive styling. The large central retrograde hand dominates the dial. Its running 20-second sequences are displayed on a dedicated segment, creating a unique animation.

This first choreography is completed by another subtler animation at 9 o’clock. A counter with a red, black and blue gradient marks the three 20-second sequences composing each minute, complemented by an hours & minutes subdial at 4 o’clock.

“Some people prefer to watch time pass, others make the most of every second. Whether serving as a measuring instrument or celebrating the magic of the moment, Tempograph Spirit offers a new perception of time. The fact that the 20 seconds are displayed on a sector and not a circle highlights the importance of each passing second and awakens the senses,” said Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO & Creative Director.

Clearly dictated by the decision to highlight a dominant visual concept, Tempograph Spirit presents two distinct graphic zones. The right-hand side is devoted to time indications, with its twenty-second retrograde hand and hours & minutes subdial. The left-hand side displays the mechanism required to drive this watchmaking creation. In particular, the spectacular interaction between the cam and the jewel-tipped rack is clearly visible. As for the 18-screw balance, its oscillations remind us that the timepiece operates at a rate of 480 vibrations per minute, corresponding to 28,800 per hour.

Tempograph Spirit combines power with a modern touch. It unites two major firsts while taking an unprecedented contemporary turn:

Highlighted retrograde mechanism

The evolution of the aesthetic concept is based above all on the use of style elements conveying the value of the technical solutions adopted in the service of ergonomics and the quest for purity. That is exactly why the raised, rhodium-plated, chamfered and snailed bridges have been created. They bear a retrograde reading zone rising towards a curved anti-reflective sapphire crystal. These bridges make it possible to play with space and reveal three different reading levels. The power of the mechanism is revealed in a new light.

The case: less volume, more show

Although the diameter of Tempograph Spirit is only 40 mm, it enables better visual appreciation of the mechanism! This is due on the one hand to the design of the upper bridges, the retrograde zone and the hours dial, all of which emerge from the mechanism to bring it closer to the gaze.

On the other hand, the production of the anti-reflective sapphire crystal is designed to complete the show by enabling technical details to be admired from the front as well as from the side, while at the same time slimming the silhouette and guaranteeing optimal ergonomics.

Louis Moinet unveils the Tempograph Spirit

The care devoted to the aerodynamic treatment of the Tempograph Spirit’s design began with the integration of a new, more fluid crown guard. The flanks have been given a facelift, with openworked lugs topped by a subtle satin-finish camber accentuating the integration of the bracelet. The lugs are tipped with Louis Moinet’s emblematic signature, four black zircons featuring chatons held by screws.

The case is made of grade 5 titanium which is extremely light on the wrist at only 18 grams, or of 18-carat gold. The bracelet is perfectly integrated to ensure maximum comfort. The magic play of light across the finishes underlines the strong character of this model and feature a seamlessly integrated whole composed of a unique mechanism whose functions are enhanced by a highly original exterior.

Among the exclusive features of this model is the calibre itself. Designed and developed by Ateliers Louis Moinet, it comprises over 250 components. Its single-piece construction forgoes the use of an additional module for the complication, which is therefore fully integrated so as to demonstrate the full force of its mechanical beauty.

Through the caseback, Tempograph Spirit with its 48-hour power reserve reveals circular Côtes de Genève, diamond-polished recesses and circular satin-brushed gears with a 5N-coloured finish. The rotor features a reinterpreted version of the Clous de Paris hobnail pattern, with a concentric decoration that lights up the entire timepiece.

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