Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne Watch Review
Recently, GPHG announced that the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne has been nominated for the forthcoming 26th edition of the annual watch awards, scheduled to be held on 7 November. This modern-day watch pays tribute to the Compteur de Tierces, the ‘World’s First Chronograph’, created 210 years ago.
Louis Moinet, born in Bourges, France
Louis Moinet (1768-1853) was born into a wealthy family and is said to have developed an interest in horology at a young age, spending much of his spare time with a local watchmaker. But his greatest passion was art, an obsession that led him to travel extensively and culminated in him teaching at the Louvre’s Academy of Fine Arts. However, Moinet later decided to devote himself to watchmaking and was eventually appointed President of the Sociéte de Chronométrie, where he fostered ties with fellow members, including Louis Berthoud, Abraham-Louis Breguet and Antide Janvier.
Image – Louis Moinet (1768-1853)
Over the years, the son of Bourges enjoyed the patronage of the great and the good, including Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Jefferson, King George IV and Ernest Augustus, Prince of Hanover. But of all his achievements, he is probably best remembered for the ‘Compteur de Tierces’, a highly precise instrument used for calculating the speed of moving celestial objects. Moinet began work on his chronograph in 1815, completing it the following year.
Image – Compteur de Tierces (1816)
Compteur de Tierces
Unusually, the Compteur de Tierces was equipped with a cylinder escapement, a costly approach at the time, and it also featured a fusee and chain and a stop work. The movement operated at a frequency of 216,000 vph (30 Hz), a remarkable cadence seldom equalled, even today. The central chronograph seconds hand made one revolution (360°) every 60 seconds, hence it was able to indicate a mere 1/60th of a second. In 2016, Guinness World Records certified the Louis Moinet Compteur de Tierces as the ‘World’s First Chronograph’ and four years later, in 2020, it was also recognised as the ‘First High-Frequency Stopwatch’.
Image – Jean-Marie Schaller pictured with certificates from Guniesss World Records
Les Ateliers Louis Moinet, Saint-Blaise, Switzerland
Today, based in Saint-Blaise, the brand bearing the name of the illustrious watchmaker crafts fascinating expressions of fine watchmaking. Proud of Monsieur Moinet’s horological achievements, the Maison released the first iteration of the 1816 Chronograph in April 2025, a model inspired by the Compteur de Tierces, replicating its three-counter layout.
Image – Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Ref LM-150.20.60
Executed in silver tones, it features smatterings of blue dial detail, including heat-blued counter hands and four matching screws positioned adjacent to the minute track. To the rear of the watch, a pane of sapphire crystal provides the wearer with a glimpse of the LM1816 calibre, an in-house movement featuring a column-wheel and swan-neck regulator set against a brass-coloured backdrop (see later).
Image – Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Ref LM-150.20.60
Earlier this year, to mark the 210th anniversary of the Compteur de Tierces, Louis Moinet released an animation of the 1816 Chronograph endowed with a Champagne dial. While sharing many elements in common with the 2025 release, there are some things that differentiate the champagne reference from its older sibling, which I will touch upon hereafter.
Image – Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Ref LM-150.20.30
Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne – dial
Where the dial of the 2025 release favoured silver tones, replicating the appearance of the Compteur de Tierces, the display of this latest reference juxtaposes rhodium and champagne hues.
Image – Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Ref LM-150.20.60
The partially openworked hour and minute hands are contemporary in style and feature luminescent tips. The central chronograph seconds hand is heat-blued and elongated, circling above a silver-toned chemin de fer incorporating 10 blackened nickel cabochons. A smooth circlet sits beyond the chemin de fer and features Arabic numerals, arranged at 6-minute intervals, a detail inspired by the Compteur de Tierces.
Image – Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Ref LM-150.20.30
Inevitably, the wearer’s gaze will be drawn to the centre of the dial with its warm, golden vista populated with three counters: a 30-minute chronograph register, a 12-hour chronograph register and a small seconds display. Each counter features a blued-steel hand and a rhodium-plated track. With the monochromatic release of 2025, the track for the 12-hour chronograph register employs Arabic numerals; however, on the champagne variant, the register is marked with Roman numerals. The ‘Louis Moinet’ name is presented in the same typeface as the historic chronograph and the brand’s emblem, a fleur-de-lys (the emblem of Bourges), is positioned at 12 o’clock.
Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne – case
The 40.6 mm case is formed of Grade 5 titanium, a lightweight alloy that is strong, corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic. Moreover, unlike steel, titanium doesn’t feel cold against the skin on a winter’s day, readily adapting to the wearer’s body temperature. Another benefit of Grade 5 titanium is that it can be polished to a brilliant gleam, a characteristic that Louis Moinet has fully exploited, tastefully juxtaposing polished and satin-brushed surfaces on both the case and bracelet.
Louis Moinet has endowed the case with an intricate profile. The polished bezel projects beyond the caseband. Likewise, the caseback replicates this approach, again projecting outwards. The caseband is satin-brushed and features a horizontal recess, positioned midway, bisecting its surface. The crown and pushers unite polished and satin-brushed surfaces, once again, granting contrast.
The bracelet is wonderfully engineered, progressively tapering as it approaches the clasp. It features U-shaped apertures on its upper surface that reveal soupçons of champagne-toned titanium beneath. Each aperture is fringed with a gleaming sliver of polished titanium. Turn the watch over to examine the underside of the bracelet and you will discover the central portion is dressed in champagne-toned DLC.
Louis Moinet LM1816 calibre
Keen to produce an in-house movement worthy of Monsieur Moinet’s name, the modern-day brand chose to ‘develop an integrated calibre from scratch’. The architecture of the movement was shaped by the layout of the Compteur de Tierces with its three counters. The resultant hand-wound movement, the LM1816 calibre, is visible via the exhibition caseback. The bridges and mainplate are presented in a 3N gold-plated finish, conferring a vintage aesthetic, while the various steel levers and springs are straight-grained and bevelled.
Most minute counters feature a trailing hand, moving slowly in a continuous motion; however, the LM1816 calibre is equipped with an instantaneous totaliser. Using an elaborate mechanism, the hand on the minute counter advances in discrete steps, one minute at a time, making read-off easier.
Image – the mechanism for the instantaneous minute counter
A paragon of fine watchmaking, the movement is equipped with a column-wheel, orchestrating the chronograph’s actions: start, stop and zero reset. Louis Moinet has equipped the movement with a horizontal coupling, allowing the wearer to view the chronograph mechanism engage/disengage. When actuated, the central chronograph seconds hand commences its journey with no hesitation and without any stuttering. Moreover, the ultra-refined mechanism ensures the pushers operate with a silky smooth action.
The movement is regulated with a classic swan-neck regulator complete with a micrometer screw for precise regulation. Louis Moinet has also opted for a screwed balance, reinforcing the traditional character of the watch. Consistent with Haute Horlogerie, the swan-neck regulator is mirror-polished (aka ‘black polished’). This type of finishing is widely considered one of the most challenging forms of decoration to execute and involves the use of diamantine paste, a tin plate, skill and patience. Once complete, the component will play with light, creating contrasting areas of brilliance and shade.
Other refinements include heat-blued screws, polished jewel and screw sinks and a beautiful stud holder with a rounded head. Consistent with watches of yesteryear, the LM1816 calibre rejects large bridges, instead revealing numerous components at play – a characteristic likely to resonate with horological voyeurs (myself included).
Closing remarks
Heritage is one of the key pillars on which Les Ateliers Louis Moinet stands – the company perpetuates the name of the French watchmaker. Louis Moinet was clearly a remarkably talented individual, something that is evident from the company he kept and his many distinguished patrons. But, most notably, Louis Moinet was the father of the chronograph, the first person to bring the complication to life. When the present-day Maison chose to create a watch inspired by the Compteur de Tierces, it needed to ensure the resulting model honoured the 1816 instrument and did justice to its esteemed creator. In my opinion, the brand has achieved this, crafting a wonderful expression of Haute Horlogerie. In a few weeks, we will discover whether the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne has won the ‘Chronograph’ prize at the GPHG. But, whatever happens on 7 November, this watch is undoubtedly a worthy tribute to a man ahead of his time.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne
- Reference: LM-151.20.30
- Case: Grade 5 titanium case, diameter 40.6 mm, water resistance 50 metres, sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph
- Movement: LM1816 calibre, hand-wound movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), power reserve 48 hours, 330 components
- Strap: polished and satin-brushed grade 5 titanium with champagne DLC coating
- Price: CHF 31,900 including VAT (RRP as of April 2026)