As the years press on, Louis Moinet remains one of those under-appreciated favourites at Robb Report. Producing a total of only 500 timepieces a year (and consistently selling out), the brand continues to build on their relationship with movement maker Concepto — builder of high-grade tourbillon, chronograph, and simple 2- and 3-hand mechanical calibres — all while refining new and unique finishes for their dials and cases.
Getting hands-on time with anything from the firm can be challenging on a good day, so when the opportunity came for the unique Metropolis Magic Blue, we simply couldn’t say no.
Over the years we’ve seen a good number of fairly spectacular blue dials, but the “Magic Blue” used by Louis Moinet is in a league of its own. We first saw this new Magic Blue finish on the Louis Moinet Space Mystery at Baselworld 2017, and even then, company founder Jean-Marie Schaller flat out refused to give any hints as to how it was produced. A vibrant reflective hue appears to be laid over a textured metallic surface, but beyond that your guess is as good as ours.
This punch of blue on the Metropolis’ dial is (thankfully) not overwhelming, thanks to the use of suspended openworked hour markers, as well as the exposed quadrant of its caliber between 8 and 12 o’clock. Its 43.2mm steel case is equally detailed, featuring a thin notched bezel and an interesting beam-like structure forming the lugs which support the main case barrel. This combined complexity of dial and casework gives the piece a surprising level of balance — arguably more than initially expected.
The self-winding LM45 caliber powering the Metropolis was a co-creation between Louis Moinet and Concepto, and features a 48-hour power reserve running at 4 hertz. The caliber is finished with a mix of Côte de Genève striping, perlage, and finally a concentric Clou de Paris motif on its winding rotor. Unlike the brand’s more complex calibers, the Metropolis offers only a simple hour and minute indication accompanied by a small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock.
