Grade 5 titanium
Limited edition of 12 watches
LM-85.20.JP
A museum treasure turned mechanical creation
The JAPAN METEORITE weds one of the rarest meteorites to ever fall on Japanese soil with an exceptional retrograde complication. This timepiece comes in a strictly limited edition of twelve pieces and is available in Japan only.
The backstory
Jean-Marie Schaller“Thanks to my longstanding contacts, I was able to acquire a fragment of the Okirai-Kesen meteorite, which was previously housed at the Geological Museum in Copenhagen. The idea of combining this rare rock with a contemporary expression of mechanical horology came quite naturally. The meteorite hour and minute dial boasts a clear, neat composition with a twenty-second retrograde providing for animation. The contrast is immediate — the raw texture of celestial stone placed atop a refined, technical structure.”
CEO & Creative Director
A rare celestial fall in 19th-century Japan
In 1850, shortly after Louis Moinet published his Traité d’Horlogerie, a meteorite fell in the Kesen district of northern Japan. Formed 4.6 billion years ago, it originated from a fragment of an asteroid located between Mars and Jupiter. This chondrite, as beautiful as it is rare, owes its pigmented surface to natural inclusions of iron and silicate. It remains one of the rarest meteorites ever to have landed in the country.
Most of it has remained in Japan and is now preserved at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo. But a few fragments have travelled. One of them, formerly held at the Geological Museum in Copenhagen, was acquired thanks to an exclusive partnership. To celebrate its symbolic return, Jean-Marie Schaller chose to integrate this cosmic stone into a remarkable horological creation: JAPAN METEORITE, a limited edition of just 12 timepieces, available exclusively in Japan.
“It took patience — and without the persuasive talent of my friend Luc Labenne (a meteorite hunter), the Geological Museum of Copenhagen would likely never have parted with this fragment. Perhaps they were moved by the idea of transforming it into a work of art with a truly singular identity.”
Jean-Marie Schaller
CEO & Creative Director
Mechanical artistry
The JAPAN METEORITE reveals a striking visual composition: the mineral richness of a celestial fragment combined with the sophistication of a partially exposed mechanical structure. The result is a unique display, animated by a central twenty-second retrograde seconds complication.
The long seconds hand travels along a dedicated segment before instantly snapping back to zero. Its tip features a stylised star — a nod to the historic Minerva clock, crafted by Louis Moinet in 1818.
Opposite, at 9 o’clock, is a red, black, and blue counter that tracks the three 20-second sequences making up each minute.
A subtle technical detail are the blued screws securing the bridges. The colour comes from a traditional watchmaking process: the steel is heated until a thin blue layer of oxide forms. The challenge lies in stopping the process at a very specific temperature to achieve a flawless, uniform colour.
The Minerva clock
The Miverva Clock by Louis Moinet, 1818
The precision of the retrograde ballet
It involves the retrograde seconds hand A to perform its choreography 4,320 times a day, returning instantly to the zero point.
To ensure the precise and reliable movement of the pointer, two ingenious elements had to be developed. Firstly, there is the rake B, which drives the seconds hand and has a ruby tip.
Every twenty seconds, this rake falls into the notch of a three-armed cam C, returning the hand to its initial position. It is therefore essential that the tip of the rake be made of a wear-resistant material like ruby.
Finally, a silicon return spring D ensures constant force and precision. This material has many advantages, including resistance to shock and temperature variations as well as stability over time.
An integrated calibre
JAPAN METEORITE is powered by an in-house integrated calibre, conceived specifically for the twenty-second retrograde complication. It is made up of 254 components and provides a 48-hour power reserve.
On the reverse side, the caseback reveals circular Côtes de Genève finishing, and a newly designed openworked oscillating weight with assertive lines and a sophisticated construction. Its open design reveals the fascinating complexity of the mechanism.
Technical Data
Calibre LM85
The automatic movement boasts 254 parts.
Automatic
28800 VPH (4 Hz)
48 hours
Jewels: 34
40.7 mm
Hours, Minutes, 20-Second Retrograde mechanism
50 metres
Alligator
20 mm
Folding clasp
Grade 5 titanium
Okirai-Kensen meteorite dial
Swiss made
A titanium case
Built to reveal the mechanics
The JAPAN METEORITE is housed in an exceptionally light and robust, grade 5 titanium case, which is polished and satin-brushed. It weighs in at just eighteen grams and is topped with a domed sapphire crystal, a technical achievement that allows the mechanical display to be admired from many different angles.
Openworked lugs ensure a seamless integration of the strap while reinforcing the overall lightness. The crown is engraved with the fleur de lys, the emblem of Les Ateliers Louis Moinet.
