SpotlightAnother Accolade For A Tribute Timepiece: Louis Moinet’s Memoris Spirit Wins Muse Design Award
Swiss watch brand Louis Moinet’s Memoris Spirit timepiece has been awarded the platinum prize of the Muse Design Award for their stunning tribute to watchmaker and inventor Moinet’s first chronograph
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Louis Moinet are no strangers to awards, having won over 50 of the world’s most prestigious accolades. Recently, their stunning Memoris Spirit watch won the 2022 Good Design award and the 2023 German Design Award. The latest in the list of accolades awarded to this gorgeous timepiece is the platinum prize of the Muse Design Award, which has been described as ‘an international competition for designers whose crafts shift paradigms, redefine boundaries and scope—much like a muse’. Incidentally, the design of this 2022 Memoris Spirit timepiece is an upgrade from that of the 2016 model, released to commemorate 200 years since watchmaker and inventor Louis Moinet’s Compteur de Tierces, credited as the first ever chronograph.
An Award To Acknowledge Innovation
With over 75,000 entries from 108 countries, the Muse Awards were launched by the International Awards Associate (IAA)—an award management services organisation that aims to honour, promote and encourage creativity. Decided by a jury of over 200 professionals, experts in their fields the world over—in various categories such as architecture, interiors, landscape, packaging, lighting and fashion—the Muse Design Awards recognise ‘innovative and inspiring creations that are bound to become tomorrow’s references’. The Memoris Spirit is atelier Louis Moinet’s sixth entry to have won this design accolade.
A Thing Of Beauty And A Joy Indeed
The 40.7mm, 18-karat rose gold polished and satin-finished case of the Memoris Spirit features an extra-large domed sapphire crystal glass protecting a beautiful, open-worked dial, and all the 311 components of the mechanism within. This domed glass offers a unique perspective of the dial, and though the case is relatively small, considering all the elements housed within, the construction of the domed glass serves to give it a larger-than-life appearance, while also, somehow, slimming down the watch. Skeletonised lugs aid ergonomics of this extremely-wearable work of art, adding a contemporary aspect to the watch by enhancing the integration of the bracelet.
The chronograph part of the mechanism—with precisely-cut vertical columns on the column wheel—is displayed proudly in front on the dial, while the automatic winding part of the watch is at the back. Translucent 60-second and 30-minute chronograph recorders at nine and three o’clock, respectively, allow for a better view of the mechanism within. The chronograph is operated by a single push-button at two o’clock, above the signed crown, allowing the wearer to admire the workings of the column wheel, springs, wheels, clutch and levers in action.
Minimal Colour, Maximum Impact Of The Memoris Spirit
On the periphery of the dial is a double-reading flange integrated beneath the aforementioned domed glass. While the timekeeping sub-dial at six o’clock features Arabic numerals and polished rose gold indexes and hands, the decorated central seconds hand and the chronograph hands are in a gorgeous red. Not only does this red add contrast to the otherwise muted colour scheme of the timepiece but the minimal use of colour also highlights the gears and levers, as well as the 30 jewels decorating the movement.
Memoris Spirit—Limited And Brimming With Emotion
This award-winning 28-piece limited edition Memoris Spirit is powered by the self-winding calibre LM84, offering up to 48 hours of power reserve. Much like art, the design on the Memoris Spirit is meant to set a precedent. “Sometimes things aren’t done simply because of the demand or what will sell,” Louis Moinet CEO and creative director Jean-Marie Schaller told The Watch Guide in an interview. “The basics of what we do is to create a new emotion—which can be about making the chronograph the centrepiece of the watch.” About this sentiment, on the brand’s website, Schaller has been quoted as saying, “Our watches are brimming with emotion. If you listen closely, you’ll hear Louis Moinet’s heart beating in every one of them.”
