Louis Moinet makes Unique Timepiece dedicated to UAE Space Mission

June 29, 2021:  Hope Probe Tourbillon is a new one-of-a-kind creation dedicated to the extraordinary UAE space mission. Based on a technology exclusive to Louis Moinet, this satellite tourbillon timepiece contains an authentic meteorite fragment from the Moon and genuine Martian meteorite dust.

“The UAE mission, dubbed the Hope probe, entered Mars' orbit following a journey of more than 300 million miles offering an unprecedented  and unique instrumental synergy, by exploring Mars' different atmospheric layers, revealing new and global perspective of its atmospheric behavior and connections," said Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO and Creative Director of Les Ateliers Louis Moinet. "The UAE and the world rejoiced with pride and this unique timepiece is our way to honor the Mars mission - a remarkable feat of human ingenuity utilizing science and technology,” he added

The satellite tourbillon beautifully depicts on a blue dial, the map of the Northern hemisphere constellations and is crafted using a special miniature painting with mother-of-pearl technique. The green tourbillon carriage, measuring an exceptional 13.59 mm in diameter, is balanced by means of a Mars planet rotating around it and encrusted with genuine Mars meteorite dust.  A hand-painted depiction of the Hope Probe appears on the black aventurine front plate, inlaid with a genuine lunar meteorite fragment – as too is the black rear plate featuring a hand-painted UAE astronaut. 

The UAE’s Hope Probe is the first Arab space mission. Known as Al-Amal in Arabic, it will orbit the red planet for at least one Martian year (687 days). It is the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere while evaluating its seasonal and daily changes. The Hope Probe is an important gift dedicated to the people of the UAE on the 50th anniversary of the nation and a source of inspiration for Arab youth. 

Jean-Marie Schaller created Les Ateliers Louis Moinet in St-Blaise (NE) in 2004. The fully independent firm was established to honor the memory of Louis Moinet (1768-1853): master watchmaker, inventor of the chronograph in 1816 (certified by Guinness World Records), and pioneer in the use of very high frequencies (216,000 vibrations per hour). Louis Moinet was a watchmaker, scholar, painter, sculptor, and teacher at the School of Fine Arts - as well as the author of the Traite d’Horlogerie, a watchmaking treatise published in 1848 that remained a definitive work of reference for a century.

Today, Ateliers Louis Moinet is perpetuating this legacy. The firm’s mechanical timepieces are produced as one-of-a-kind models or limited editions only and comprise two categories: “Cosmic Art” and “Mechanical Wonders”. Louis Moinet creations often make use of unusual and rare components, such as extraterrestrial meteorites or prehistorical materials.