Hot Take: The New Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph
Louis Moinet is known for creating fanciful, typically extravagant watches. They often feature tourbillons, complex complications, exotic materials, and open dials. Today’s Louis Moinet 1816 flips this script as a pared-back modern chronograph with strong cues from the brand’s past. It’s a marvelous hybrid that sounds odd but works perfectly.
Louis Moinet makes watches with a link to the company’s formidable history. In 1816, the brand’s namesake watchmaker completed the world’s first chronograph, the Compteur de Tierces. This inspires today’s Louis Moinet 1816, a watch that seamlessly blends old-world traits with modern materials and design.
The Louis Moinet 1816
One glance at the new 1816 shows a very different watch from what we’re used to from Louis Moinet. Notably, the watch is crafted from Grade 5 titanium and has a matching integrated brushed and polished bracelet. The bracelet alone is a significant change. Dimensionally, the piece has a 40.6mm diameter and a 14.7mm thickness. It also has sapphire crystals on both case sides and a 30m water resistance rating. Two plunger-style pushers complement its large, signed crown.
The original Compteur de Tierces stopwatch from 1816
A dial inspired by the original stopwatch
Louis Moinet’s original stopwatch from 1816 is the template for the latest chronograph. For example, the triple-register layout and color scheme are present on the modern watch. Even the dial script, mounting screws, and 60-unit outer track — originally for counting 60ths of a second — are carried over. However, the functionality and materials are new.
The Louis Moinet 1816 chronograph has a blasted rhodium dial with impressive details. Firstly, the dial boasts four levels. An outer section contains a printed black 60-second/minute track. It also sports 12 blackened nickel cabochon hour indexes and four blued screws. Then, the dial steps down with a polished inner chamfer and houses the brand name and an applied fleur-de-lis logo. Next, multilevel and multisurface sub-dials display the relevant chronograph measurements with blued hands. This includes a 30-minute totalizer and a 12-hour counter, and a running seconds counter comes along for the ride. Finally, the central hands have lume-filled tips.
The LM1816
Inside, the Louis Moinet 1816 uses the aptly named LM1816 chronograph movement. Unsurprisingly, the brand worked with longtime partner Concepto to create the caliber. The 330-part, 34-jewel movement is on display via a sapphire window in the case back. Finishing-wise, there’s plenty to view. The bridges and mainplate have a 3N gold coating and show machined anglage. Plus, a black-polished swan-neck regulator is another nice touch. Functionally, expect 48 hours of power reserve and a frequency of 28,800vph. An interesting detail is the jumping minute counter instead of the gradual hand movement. This allows for more accurate readings when using the display.
Thoughts on the Louis Moinet 1816
Overall, I like the Louis Moinet 1816, and while I don’t think it marks a significant change in direction for the company, it’s nice to see a more straightforward, contemporary design. Some may voice concern over the classical dial design and the modern case and bracelet. I think the dial surface and largely monochromatic color scheme blend well with the rest of the components. It’s a good look and should draw new potential buyers to the brand. Finally, the watch has a retail price of CHF 28,900 (excluding taxes). Considering the brand’s stature as a maker of fine timepieces, this price level isn’t unexpected. Let us know what you think about this latest Louis Moinet watch, and head to the official website for more information.
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