Black Moon

Les Ateliers Louis Moinet

Louis Moinet devoted his entire life to his art without consideration for his legacy. He was a genius, a man possessed by his craft. As it happened, his humility almost denied him the plaudits he deserved for his enormous contributions to the history of horology. The inventor of both the world’s first chronograph and the first high-frequency watch, Moinet would not receive widespread acclaim for either for more than one hundred years after his death. Jean-Marie Schaller sensed he was responding to a call of destiny when he took on the mission to preserve Louis Moinet's exceptional heritage and share it with the rest of the world. In 2012, at an auction, he discovered and acquired Louis Moinet's famous “compteur de tierces”. This instrument, identified as the world's first chronograph, was introduced to the general public on 21 March 2013, a date that rewrote the history of watchmaking. Thus, Louis Moinet was officially awarded the prestigious title of "First Chronograph" by the Guinness World Records™ organisation. Ever since, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet in St-Blaise has worked tirelessly to protect and promote the legacy of Louis Moinet (1768–1853), harnessing the same creative spirit that propelled Moinet himself to greatness. Under the watchful eye of Jean-Marie Schaller, Les Ateliers Louis Moinet produces exclusively mechanical timepieces that fall into one of two categories, either “Cosmic Art” or “Mechanical Wonders”. Every Louis Moinet timepiece is produced as either a one-of-a-kind piece or as part of a strictly limited series. Continuing the inventive and eccentric legacy of the man behind the name, Louis Moinet's creations often make use of unusual and rare components, such as extraterrestrial meteorites or prehistorical materials.