A watch which stands out in any company, the Spacewalker by Louis Moinet is a superlative piece of haute horology and artistry which pays tribute in spectacular beauty to one of mankind’s most courageous explorers, who truly stepped out into the unknown in the name of human endeavour. A masterpiece of exquisite detail and craftsmanship in its every minute detail, it is a watch of significance and sophistication.

The Spacewalker is themed around the twelve minutes and nine seconds in March 1965 when cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first person to leave the relative safety of his spacecraft and venture outside into the void of space. Attached to his ship only by a thin tether his successful spacewalk represented a milestone for science and humanity, and as such Louis Moinet has commemorated his feat in a watch of exceptional accomplishment.

Encased in a 47.4mm case of 18Kt white gold the Spacewalker has immediate presence based on its size alone, as it is a large piece, but like the work of a grand master in a museum it frames a display and mechanism which are unique and extraordinary, and which capture perfectly that brief moment in time when one man risked all and the world looked on with its collective breath held.

The dial is complex and mostly crafted in a glossy finish of royal blue which depicts the depths of space, with a red cosmic nebula applied across its face. It provides a fabulous backdrop to the two round apertures which house the time at the six, and a miniature mechanical marvel which animates the display with its steady rotation, and which dominates the upper half of the display.

In the smaller of the two, the time is displayed in hours and minutes with blued steel hands over a sapphire disc, which provides a glimpse of the mechanism below. Above, however, the spectacle of the spacewalker and his craft are depicted by the tourbillon, which rotates off-center with a round diamond always opposing, and appearing to float in isolation above a disc of dark aventurine, which resembles the starry void. The effect is hypnotic and mystical as there is no visible connection between the tourbillon assembly and the movement inside.

Within the white gold case beats the bespoke LM48 hand winding calibre, and through the sapphire case back its architecture and meticulous finishing can be appreciated. It provides 72 hours of power reserve at 21’600 vph.

A watch of rare sophistication and execution the Louis Moinet Spacewalker tells the story of the pioneering cosmonaut in a beautiful mechanical ballet and features the signature of Alexei Leonov on the dial. It is presented on an alligator leather strap with 18Kt gold folding clasp.