As an Australian, I’m partial to the magical changing colors of opals. While there have been quite a few watches with fantastic opal dials, none are a match for showing the incredible range of hues as the Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal.

Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal Flying Tourbillon

The unique piece Geopolis Opal has 12 distinct opals on a black  onyx dial: 10 acting as vibrant hour indexes, another large opal in the center of the dial from which the others appear to radiate, and at 6 o’clock another large opal disk acting as a backdrop to the off-center flying tourbillon.

The opal has a rich and varied history. It is an integral part of myths and legends the world over and has been described as the “Light of the World”.

Dial of the Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal Flying Tourbillon

Opals are unique gemstones thanks to their rainbow-like displays caused by their intrinsic microstructure that diffracts white light into all colors of the spectrum.

Opals come in many colors and consist of small spheres of silica arranged in a regular pattern, with water between the spheres. The spheres diffract white light, breaking it up into the colors of the spectrum in a process called ‘opalescence’.

Larger silica spheres create all colors, while smaller spheres refract only blues and greens. Opals with a predominantly red color are very rare as they only occur where relatively large silica spheres were deposited.

The type of opals used in the Geopolis Opal Flying Tourbillon are crystal opals, which have a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent body.

Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal Flying Tourbillon

It says something about just how spectacular the dial is when a flying tourbillon – even one with an opal backdrop – plays second fiddle. The inhouse hand wound movement features two mainspring barrels, providing an impressive ninety-six hours of power reserve.

The barrels are arranged in a system known as “volte-face,” with one barrel upside-down over the other. This allows them to deliver their energy simultaneously and deliver an impressive 96-hour power reserve.

Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal Flying Tourbillon on the wrist

A very wearable 40.7 mm red gold case with an impressively domed sapphire crystal frames the mesmerizing dial. The case features skeletonized lugs that elegantly integrate with the bracelet.

For more information, please visit www.louismoinet.com/watches/geopolis-opal-lm-135-50-op/?ln=71258

Quick facts: Louis Moinet Geopolis Opal
Indications: hours and minutes
Case: red gold with titanium inner case
Dimensions: 40.7 mm diameter
Dial: black onyx with 12 opal disks
Movement: in-house manual winding flying tourbillon with two mainspring barrels
Power reserve: 96-hours
Water resistance: 30 meters
Price: 173,00 Swiss francs

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