Borna Bosniak
How did you celebrate your 20th birthday? If you haven’t already, take some inspiration from Louis Monet. The brand celebrates 20 years since its rebirth by Jean-Marie Chaler in a limited edition of just 20 pieces. Louis Monet’s Speed of Sound is a chronograph, as you’d expect from Monet’s honor, but combined with the usual avant-garde materials, the brand has created a reworked and intricately engraved vintage movement, the Valjoux 88. known. The origin of this 1950s movement and the modern watches that are equipped with it.
movement
It’s not the usual order to start with a movement, but the Valjoux 88 isn’t a normal movement either. Derived from the successful (and simpler) Valjoux 72, the 88 features a calendar and moonphase complication atop a column-wheel chronograph. However, the calendar, pointer date, and 12-hour register were removed from the caliber to suit Louis Monet’s needs. However, the moon phase remains and, as you’ll soon see, becomes the central part of the dial. As for the usual specs, this modified version of the Valjoux 88 vibrates slowly at 2.5Hz, has only 17 jewels, and has a power reserve of 40 hours.
But when using a 70-year-old movement, its beauty and historical significance are more important than its specs on paper. Although the Valjoux 88 was not as popular as Valjoux’s simpler contemporaries, it still appears in watches from reputable brands such as Heuer, Minerva, and Galette. Since this is a celebratory watch, Louis Monet appropriately dressed up the movement with elaborate hand-carved decorations on the bridges and cocks, and straight-grained steel parts. That said, given the price, I’d also like to see sharp interior corners.
dial
Once you flip the watch over, it’s hard to tell that the Speed of Sound is powered by a vintage movement. Louis Monet continues to use the moon and the “normal” meteorite, here occupying the moon phase display and other subdials, respectively. While it may not be noticeable from a distance, the rest of the dial actually features a detailed hand-engraved guilloché pattern that, up close, helps to take the Speed of Sound’s look to the next level. Masu.
The dial is also the inspiration behind the Speed of Sound name, as Louis Monnet chose to equip the Rihau with a printed telemeter scale around it. Telemeters, although less common than tachymeter and pulsometer tracks, were widely used by soldiers in the 1940s to calculate distance by observing objects and listening to auditory cues. Fitting, considering this movement is from a similar era.
The highlight of the dial is literally the moon phase display. The domed surface, painted with luminous paint and embedded with Dhofar 457 meteorites, glows brightly in the dark and under ultraviolet light. Louis Monet often leans heavily into his own way of expressing this complication, and his style in Speed of Sound is also different and minimalist. If the moon’s meteorite fragments match either guideline, it’s a full moon.
case
Speed of Sound’s approach to case design is very much in the footsteps of the dial, with its contemporary materials and numerous oversized elements. It’s made from grade 5 titanium and topped with a striking domed sapphire crystal. Louis Monet does a commendable job of finishing titanium surfaces, which are not very cooperative when it comes to polishing. The large pump pusher features a crosshatch finish and is joined by an equally large crown. The diameter itself is not that large at 40.7mm, but the protruding pushers and crown make it quite large.
The same goes for the Speed of Sound’s thickness of 18.87mm. Although some of the visual bulk is reduced thanks to the aforementioned domed crystal, this is still an important measurement. Now that case sizes are shrinking, I worry that the appeal of Speed of Sound will be limited given the current trend towards miniaturization. On the other hand, for those who have longed for a vintage Valjoux-equipped watch that is actually over 35 mm in diameter, there may be some relief.
strap
Louis Monet has focused his attention on other parts of the watch, so that the strap only performs the necessary function without being overt. The matte black alligator leather number is finished with a Louis Monet logo folding clasp. However, the lug width is 22mm, so you can try the straps if you want something more sporty.
judgment
Watch geeks are easily moved by beautiful movements, and Speed of Sound’s modified Valjoux 88 is certainly beautiful. Louis Monet definitely has the ability to incorporate the latest high-tech chronograph movements into their watches. Impulsion is just one example, but Speed of Sound celebrates the past more than the future. The engraving on the dial is careful and doesn’t make the meteorite a gimmick, and the finish on the case stands out considering the base material. What definitely won’t appeal to vintage watch fans is its size and hefty price tag of CHF 50,000, but it has to be said that both are very much in line with Louis Monnet’s current offering. With that in mind, and given the limited run of 20 pieces, we suspect there are enough potential customers who resonate with the contemporary Louis Monet brand’s avant-garde style, while at the same time respecting its traditional heartbeat. I think so.
Louis Monnet Speed of Sound Price and Availability
Louis Monet Speed of Sound is a limited edition of 20 pieces. Price: 50,000 Swiss Francs (~59,100 USD)
Brand Louis Monet Model Speed of sound Reference LM-130.20.50 Case dimensions 40.7mm (D) x 18.87mm (T) Case material Grade 5 titanium Water resistance 30 meters Crystal Domed sapphire front, sapphire back Dial Guilloche pattern, meteorite and Dhofar 457 Subdials Lug width 22 mm Bracelet Black alligator, Louis Monet branded folding clasp Movement Valjoux 88, modified, manual winding Power reserve 40 hours Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, moon phase, chronograph Quantity in stock 20 pieces Price CHF 50,000
