SpotlightThe Striking Iridescence Of The Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal In Rainbow Colours

An avant-garde name in haute horlogerie, Louis Moinet are known for bringing the marvels of outer space to the wrist of watch enthusiasts. Keeping up with their reputation, they have launched yet another horological wonder—the Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal, which is a stunning spectacle of rainbow colours. The chromatic hues have been achieved with the inclusion of opal—a semi-precious gemstone that exhibits a play-of-colours when viewed from different angles.

“Have you ever seen a watch decorated with twelve [12] opals in different shades? Probably never. Because this one is surely a first in the world of watches,” states CEO and creative director, Jean-Marie Schaller in an official release.

The chromatic hues have been achieved with the inclusion of opal—a semi-precious gemstone that exhibits a play-of-colours when viewed from different angles

Last year, the independent Swiss maison introduced the Cosmopolis watch featuring 12 meteorites, bagging the Guinness World Records title for ‘The Most Meteorite Inserts In A Watch’. Riding on its success, this year, the brand released the unique Geopolis Opal timepiece under their ‘Cosmic Art’ category, sharing the same design codes. Crafted in 18-karat rose gold, and grade-5 titanium on its inner case, the 40.7mm model marries the art of watchmaking with the treasures of the Earth, effortlessly. The highlight of the model is its dial that features a large opal disc at the centre, ten smaller discs at the periphery, and a twelfth disc at six o’clock, behind the tourbillon cage, emitting a burst of colours. These striking opal discs are set against the matte black onyx plate, creating a beautiful offsetting effect. Also, the hour and minute hands on the dial are skeletonised, and filled with Super-LumiNova, to provide readability in low-light conditions.

The highlight of the model is its dial that features a large opal disc at the centre, ten smaller discs at the periphery, and a twelfth disc at six o’clock, behind the tourbillon cage, emitting a burst of colours

The distinct design of the watch wasn’t an easy feat as the fragility of opal stones require meticulous craftsmanship. Due to this reason, the luxury watchmaker entrusted the renowned gemcutter—and a friend of Schaller’s—Daniel Haas, to carry out this demanding task. The stones were cut and polished with utmost care, reducing them to 0.5mm thickness, before finally placing them on the dial for a mesmerising display.

Another interesting element of the watch that elevates its desirability even more is the presence of the off-centre flying tourbillon at six o’clock. It features a hand-wound movement with two barrel springs arranged in a ‘volte-face’ position (one barrel is placed upside down over the other), boasting a power reserve of 96 hours. Lastly, the watch is water-resistant up to 30m, and comes with a vintage-looking black leather strap with gold accents.

With its enthralling design accentuated with rainbow hues and mechanical excellence featuring a tourbillon complication, the Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal is a unique offering in every sense of the word.