Hollywood superstar and martial arts supremo Steven Seagal is known for his dedication to excellence and perfection. As a connoisseur of haute horology, Seagal knows exactly what to look for in a fine watch. It was no surprise therefore, that Seagal was recently seen proudly displaying the Jules Verne Instrument II from Louis Moinet.
Made for the wrist of the man who knows what he is looking for, the Jules Verne Instrument II is a superb retro futurist split-second automatic chronograph, that features central hours and minute, small seconds at 9 o’clock and a date sub dial at 3 o’clock. Complementing the central chronograph second hand and rattrapante (split-second hand adjusted by a pusher at 10 o’clock on the case band) are 30-minute and 12-hour counters at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively.
Particularly striking are the innovative chronograph pushers in the form of curved levers – start/stop at 2 o’clock and reset at 4 o’clock. The levers smartly fold out to prime the chronograph; they fold back to wrap around the bezel elegantly and securely when the chronograph function is no longer needed.
While this stunning timepiece was created as a one-of-a-kind model, Mr. Seagal agreed for a second one to be produced and auctioned by Antiquorum, Geneva. The entire proceeds of the auction went to the 123 Action charity, to fund wells in Togo and provide drinking water for over 1,400 households.
Verne’s understanding of science was such that his vivid descriptions of space, air and underwater travel were ahead of their time. In his 1865 novel From the Earth to the Moon he predicted with extraordinary accuracy details of the real-life moon-landing missions that would take place over a century later.
To celebrate such visionary instincts, Jules Verne Instrument No.1 features a steampunk porthole in the case band at 9 o’clock containing a fragment of the rare Dhofar 459 lunar meteorite – a real piece of the moon that fell to Earth.
