In 2023, Louis Moinet announced the unique piece Art-Tech Tourbillon Only Watch for the Only Watch charity auction, featuring an eye-catchingiridescent high-tech silicon wafer dial. The type of technology is usually seen in microchips rather than high-end mechanical watches.

The Only Watch auction was postponed from 2023 to later in 2024, but the good news for at least one person with deep pockets who doesn’t want to wait is that Louis Moinet has now introduced the silicon wafer dial technology in the Astronef Techno unique piece.

And it has two tourbillons orbiting around the dial rather than one fixed-position tourbillon.

Louis Moinet Astronef Techno unique piece

Iridescence dial

The ever-changing colors of the silicon wafer dial are not caused by light reflections but by iridescence. This is the phenomenon of a surface changing color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Iridescence is caused by wave interference of light in microstructures or thin films.

Louis Moinet Astronef Techno unique piece

Examples of iridescence include soap bubbles, feathers, butterfly wings, and seashell nacre, and minerals such as opal.

Iridescence is usually caused by multiple reflections from two or more semi-transparent surfaces that phase shift, and interference of the reflections modulates the incidental light, by amplifying or attenuating some frequencies more than others.

Complex case

A complex titanium case ensures that the Astronef Techno allows the maximum of colorful light onto the dial and into the movement, and visual appreciation of both the high tech artwork and the intricate micro mechanical ballet of the two orbiting tourbillons.

Louis Moinet Astronef Techno unique piece

The case consists of a titanium frame housing and a sapphire band the movement. There is no exterior bezel, so the dial occupies the maximum of space. Open worked lugs and case middle keep the weight low and comfort on the wrist high.

Louis Moinet Astronef Techno on the wrist

The crown is also an innovation. Instead of needing to be pulled for time setting, a selector integrated into the case back switches between time-setting and winding.

Complicated tourbillon movement

While for most brands, an eye-catching dial would be highlight enough, on the Astronef Techno the dial is just a colorful stage for the circular dance of the two orbiting tourbillons, each powered by its own mainspring barrel.

Back of the Louis Moinet Astronef

The tourbillons rotate around the dial of different levels and at different speeds: one orbits every 3 minutes, the other in 20 seconds. This means that they cross over each other 18 times per hour.

And it isn’t just the heights and velocities of the two tourbillons that are different, they also rotate inside their cages at different rates: one every 10 minutes and the other every 5 minutes so that the two tourbillons align every 3 minutes and 20 seconds.

Each tourbillon weighs just 0.25 grams, and the movement features 16 ceramic bearings
For more information, visit www.louismoinet.com/watches/astronef-techno-lm-105-20-01/

Quick facts: Louis Moinet Astronef Techno
Indications: hours and minutes
Dial: iridescent silicon wafers
Movement: in-house Caliber LM105, manual winding, two mainspring barrels, two flying tourbillons, frequency 3 Hz, 471 components
Power reserve: 48 hours
Dimensions: 43.5 mm
Case: grade 5 titanium
Strap and clasp: alligator leather strap and folding buckle
Water resistance: 10 meters
Limitation: unique piece
Price: 330,000 Swiss francs (excluding taxes)

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