Time to Get Wild about the New Louis Moinet Savanna Tourbillon Watches

Timepieces created by Louis Moinet have always demonstrated fervent artistic zeal. Boasting a strong horological background, the timepiece maker is also known for its high-performance chronographs and different variations to its flying tourbillon. Staying true to its core values, the brand has just unveiled its new Savannah Tourbillon collection in three variations — either as pièce unique (one-off piece) or as part of a strictly limited series.

When John Denver sings, “Country roads, take me home/To the place I belong/West Virginia, mountain mama/Take me home, country roads”, it almost takes us to that place — as if we are on a road trip. Well, in a way, the new Louis Moinet savanna watches can also transport us to such a land, thanks to their exquisite artistry. The new Métiers d'Art collection features ‘puzzle’ dials with micro-painting, wherein emblematic animals of savannas appear as the central theme. 

The three animals depicted on the watches include the ‘Elephant’ (Ref.LM-135-50-EL), the ‘Leopard’ (Ref. LM-135-50-LE) and the ‘Lion’ (Ref. LM-135-50-LI). Each watch is created with 81 pieces of puzzle interlock on four levels at the centre of the dial, depicting the savanna. The micro-painter painted the edges of each piece by taking the puzzle apart and then reassembling them all to create a ‘puzzle’ dial. All in all, the dial has been created as a canvas and the animals have been created with utmost precision against perfect backgrounds. 

The 18 ct, 40 mm 5N rose gold case features micro-painting in acrylic finishing. Rose gold can also be seen on the elongated lugs and the large crown at 3 o’clock with crown guards. The dial doesn’t have any hour marker as each animal and its surroundings take over, but it has rose gold hour and minute hands, which are faceted and skeletonised, with luminescent matter. The domed sapphire crystal showcases the details of the puzzle and the tourbillon. 

The flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock gets an off-centre cage to correct gravity. The collection is driven by a manual winding in-house Caliber LM135 with twin barrels installed ‘volte-face,’ allowing them to release their energy simultaneously while delivering 96 hours of power reserve. Finishing the watches are the black alligator leather straps with folding clasps. According to the Louis Moinet website, all three Savanna Tourbillon variations are currently ‘sold out’.

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