A set of unique pieces for fans of watches that have a special meaning behind them.

 

The established list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World has long been outdated. The Great Pyramid of Giza (the Pyramid of Khufu) is still standing, but the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Lighthouse of Alexandria have been consigned to history and can only be seen in pictures. That's why Swiss-born Bernard Weber took the initiative at the beginning of the new millennium to update the list.

 

He set up the New Open World Corporation (NOWC) which devoted itself to the task of selecting new wonders, but this time they had to be real places that could be visited by any tourist. On 07.07.07, the seven new wonders were finally unveiled: the Roman Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, the Incan citadel Machu Picchu in Peru, India's Taj Mahal, Petra in Jordan, Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue, and the ruined Mayan city of Chichén Itzá in Mexico.

The Louis Moinet watch brand seems to have gone by its own amended version of the list. It includes the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and replaces Chichén Itzá with the Pyramid of Khufu, which decorate the dials of two of the eight watches that bear the remaining wonders. You can visit all of these sights in an instant — all you need to do is open one of the special Louis Moinet travel trunks made especially for the watchmaker's 8 Marvels of the World collection.

 

Each of these creations is a unique one-of-a-kind piece. Various different artistic techniques have been employed to create the depictions on their dials. Take the Roman Empire's largest amphitheater for example, which has been fashioned from onyx in the center surrounded by multicolored baguette-cut sapphires, with the rows for spectators rising up around.

The magnificent Blue Mosque completed in 1616 is set against a background of mother-of-pearl mosaics consisting of 13 elements in different shades of blue. Istanbul's landmark Sultan Ahmed Mosque was hand-engraved by artists with details enhanced by miniature painting.

 

Three techniques were used in combination for the monumental cliff-face facade of Petra: bas-relief engraving to give the columns and statues their volume, the grisaille pictorial technique and fresco. The miniature of the Taj Mahal is framed in a grid reminiscent of a moucharabieh window.

 

The Great Wall of China descends from a celestial vault of 129 sapphires and 11 diamonds to a jade path which gradually transforms into a slithering dragon. Christ the Redeemer faces a city "built" from enamel, and Machu Picchu arises from Australian Yowah Nut opal and Crazy Lace Agate.

Lastly, the Pyramid of Khufu is made of gold covered with grains of enamel, and the unusual Willow Creek Jasper has been used to create the desert dunes. The Caliber LM 35 movement with a one-minute tourbillon is used in all the watches. Each model's case is decorated with an engraving that further develops the theme of the wonder depicted on its dial.