Louis Monet unveiled the Cosmic Art Japan Meteorite, a Japan limited edition model using the Kesen meteorite, on an indial that displays the hours and minutes placed at 4 o’clock. This Kesen meteorite is the largest stone meteorite in Japan, having flown to Kesen-cho, Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture in 1850, two years after the watchmaker Louis Monet published his treatise “Traité d’Horlogerie,” which was known as the watchmaking bible of the time. Most of them are now in the collection and display of the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, but Louis Monet exclusively acquired a small fragment from the Geological Museum in Copenhagen and used it in this watch. Due to its rarity, it is limited to only 12 pieces.
Louis Monet “Cosmic Art Japan Meteorite” Ref.LM-85.20.JP
Automatic (Cal. LM85). 34 stones. 28,800 vibrations per hour. Power reserve about 48 hours. Ti case (diameter 40.7 mm, thickness 17.92 mm). Water resistant to 5 ATM. Limited to Japan 12 pieces. 6,600,000 yen.
Watches made from rare domestic meteorites
The 40.7 mm grade 5 titanium case is powered by the 254-part movement Cal. LM85, manufactured in-house. On the right side of the dial, there is a retrograde seconds hand that returns to zero every 20 seconds, and an in-dial that displays the hours and minutes, fulfilling the original timekeeping function of a watch. On the other hand, from the left side, you can appreciate the complex mechanism that activates the retrograde. The blue screws, which are processed into blue burning, which is a traditional technique for mechanical watches, are also a highlight.
Fragments of the Kesen meteorite kept by the Geological Museum of Copenhagen and their certificates.
The origins of the Kesen meteorite date back to the dawn of the solar system, about 4.5 billion years ago, when the rock formed in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter traveled through space over millions of years before arriving in Kesen in 1850. The Japan Meteorite, which was born after the accumulation of a huge amount of “time” and the fragments of the universe were fatefully guided by Louis Monet, is equipped with a retrograde mechanism so that the passage of each second becomes more prominent and the new value of “time” can be felt.
A table clock made by the watchmaker Louis Monet for James Monroe, the 5th President of the United States. The tip of the needle is decorated with a star shape
The red retrograde second hand, placed in the center of the retrograde mechanism of “Cosmic Art”, returns to zero every 20 seconds. The small seconds at 9 o’clock are color-coded every 20 seconds and complete one lap in 60 seconds.
The red retrograde seconds hand in the center returns zero every 20 seconds. The star-shaped shape at the tip is inspired by the hands of a table clock made by watchmaker Louis Monnet in 1818 for James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. For more than 200 years, this memorative table clock has been in the Blue Room, the grand reception room of the White House, and continues to mark the “time” of the present moment and into the future. It can be said that it is the legacy left by the watchmaker Louis Monet for the future.
The small seconds at 9 o’clock are color-coded into blue, black, and red every 20 seconds according to the retrograde period, and complete one revolution in 60 seconds, just like a normal second hand.
Lateral hollowed-out lugs for aerodynamic exterior design
Aerodynamic technology that controls the flow of air, which is also used in airplanes and racing cars, is applied to the form of the watch, and the touch and wearing comfort of the surface are enhanced. The lugs are open-work with horizontal hollow-outs, and the leather strap is designed to fit perfectly with the case. The dome-shaped windshield makes it easy to see the inside of the watch from any direction, and you can enjoy the three-dimensional feeling and power of the mechanism.
More about Cosmic Art Collection
It was in 1816 that watchmaker Louis Monnet created the world’s first chronograph for stargazing, which was recognized by Guinness World Records. More than two centuries later, the universe remains an indispensable source of inspiration for Louis Monet’s watchmaking, and the Cosmic Art Collection continues to produce a number of unique timepieces.
Contact info: GM International Marketing & Communications Co., Ltd. Tel.03-5828-9080