Luxury

Moondust Marvel

When the Apollo astronauts visited the moon, like any tourists, they brought back rocks as souvenirs, most of which now collect dust in museums. However, a few rocks ended up in the workshop of Louis Moinet.
Text by Bill Lindsey | August 28, 2018 | Luxury

Watchmaker Louis Moinet is credited with inventing the chronograph, which would be laurels enough for most, but the firm has now raised its gaze to the heavens. Their latest creation, The Space Mystery, allows one to track the phases of the moon, the mysterious orb that controls our tides and moods. To ensure penultimate uniqueness, the satellite tourbillon movement contains fragments of the moon and Mars. The face is dominated by the window allowing a view of the inner mechanism, around which a planet-like sphere revolves; the phases of the moon are displayed at the 9 o’clock position while the hour and minute hands are set further down in a smaller window, almost as an afterthought. This collection of 8 timepieces are each a veritable miniature symphony, making the actual time a tertiary concern. The hand-engraved housing measures a hefty 46 mm in diameter, matched by the equally hefty price of  $195,000; LouisMoinet.com.