Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience
The man who brought the Louis Moinet watch brand to life sadly died very recently. Jean-Marie Schaller, the owner and creative force behind Louis Moinet, passed away peacefully on May 16th at the age of 66. The watch industry lost one of its brightest characters, but the brand continues, and it does so in its ever-surprising original fashion. That is something to celebrate, and one way to do it is with the fizzing Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne. Its case and integrated bracelet are made of lightweight Grade 5 titanium, and the dial, with its distinctive, historically accurate layout, now has a deep, rich champagne hue. And there are more tasty “champagne-flavored” details to enjoy.
If it weren’t for Jean-Marie Schaller, few would have ever known that watchmaker Louis Moinet created the first-ever chronograph in 1816, and the brand Louis Moinet would not have existed today. Thank you, Jean-Marie, for that and all the wonderful creations you’ve given us over the past years. The brand continues by presenting the 1816 Chronograph Champagne, a new version of a model that debuted at Watches and Wonders 2025.
Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne
Watchmaker Louis Moinet’s original 1816 pocket watch helped astronomers do their work, which required precise calculations. Louis Moinet’s compteur de tierces (thirds counter) could calculate the speed at which the stars moved because the central chronograph hand indicated 60ths of a second on the outer scale of the dial. It also had a characteristic 1, 6, and 11 o’clock subdial layout, and the modern 1816 Chronograph follows that cue.
Louis Moinet’s original 1816 chronograph, the Compteur de Tierces
Because of the peculiar design, Louis Moinet and its movement partner Concepto had to create an entirely new caliber. That’s the 330-part LM1816, a column wheel chronograph with a jumping 30-minute counter at 1, 12-hour measurement at 6, and the small seconds at 11 o’ clock. The LM1816 is a hand-winding movement that measures 30.4 × 7.9mm and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour for up to 48 hours. It uses 34 jewels and a black-polished swan-neck regulator, a classic fine-tuning device for adjusting the hairspring’s active length. Unlike the original chronograph’s movement, this new caliber isn’t capable of measuring 60ths of a second, but since the vast majority of watch fans are not professional astronomers in need of a timing device, that’s hardly a disqualification.
A high-level hand-winding chronograph is an absolute joy to look at. Because of the construction and the finishing of the numerous small parts. Since the 1816 Chronograph features a see-through case back, the caliber LM1816, with its bridges and main plate finished in contrasting 3N gold and machined anglage, can receive all the admiring views it deserves.
A fizzy new dial
Back to the distinctive dial, which just got a little more distinctive with a champagne color. The original 1816 Chronograph, with its blasted rhodium dial, was a very monochromatic creation and stayed very close to the look of the first-ever chronograph from 210 years ago. The new version is more outgoing and expressive. The dial also has considerable depth, a result of its four-layer design. The outermost section of the dial carries a 60-unit outer track, originally for counting 60ths of a second, punctuated by 12 blackened nickel cabochon hour markers and four thermally blued screws that reinforce the watch’s technical appearance.
A polished chamfer leads to the next level, where the applied fleur-de-lis logo and Louis Moinet signature sit against the textured background. Below that, the recessed chronograph registers add further dimensionality. Their stepped construction and contrasting surface finishes clearly separate the indications, all of which feature blued hands for easy readability. Completing the display are the open-worked central hour and minute hands, whose luminescent tips enhance legibility in low light.
The all-titanium 1816 Chronograph Champagne
The mix of modern and traditional elements works wonderfully well. The contemporary-styled, polished, satin-brushed Grade 5 titanium case measures 40.6mm in diameter and 14.7mm in thickness. It comprises 51 parts and is water-resistant to 50 meters. In contrast, it features large, traditional pump-style pushers and a crown decorated with a fleur-de-lys, the emblem of the city of Bourges, the birthplace of Louis Moinet. The integrated titanium bracelet features pro arching links with contrasting, dial-matching champagne DLC-coated links on the underside. It creates a fluid look that wears the same way. The watch flows around the wrist, and the two-tone experience of the dial-matching bracelet is subtle yet eye-catching.
So many delicate details
The Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne has plenty of details to explore and enjoy. But those don’t get in the way of a homogenous look. The details are delicate and refined. Like the accurate jumping 30-minute counter, the 12-hour indicator now shows Roman numerals instead of the initial version’s Arabic numerals. Plus, there are the historic dial script and blued dial-mounting screws. The original dial layout also needs to be mentioned. It worked 2010 years ago, and it still looks fresh and surprising. Especially in that gloriously lush, champagne-toned dial with “sips” of that festive, soft color peeking through the flowing bracelet.
The Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne (LM-151.20.30) costs CHF 28,900 (excluding taxes). Let me know what you think about this latest Louis Moinet watch. And in case you want more information, just head to the brand’s official website.
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