Doha is the capital city of Qatar and its economic centre. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it is considered to be one of the emerging capitals of the Gulf region, thanks to its breathtaking urban landscape. 

The city has become extremely important over the past few years, internationally speaking. It is at the foot of a cliff, a long avenue running parallel to the sea over 7 kilometres that WestBay came into being. A symbol of Qatar’s ambitions, its dynamic architecture is the fruit of the work of the best designers from around the world. 

Today, Doha is part of the international architectural scene thanks to unique town planning. The town has tripled since the end of the 1990’s. Its glass buildings with their spectacular metallic structures reflect the aspirations of Qatar.

HAND ENGRAVING

Hand engraving combines line engraving with a special, secret technique to create clearly pronounced embossing. This is important for recreating the atmosphere of Doha, with its distinctive urban landscape.

The high urban towers of WestBay are the linchpins of the city, frequently exceeding 50 floors. This highly populated town is one of a kind in the world, and has generated an incredible image typically characteristic of Doha.

The hand engraving takes more than twenty hours of work and attention is particularly devoted to the finishing touches: the depth of the satiny lines, the use of light between matt and shine in harmony with the darker patina once inlaid, which gives the piece its vibrant city look. 

EXTRAORDINARY METEORITE QATAR 001

Bolstered by working with Luc Labenne, the famous meteorite hunter, Louis Moinet presents a watchmaking exclusive with these fragments of the legendary meteorite QATAR 001, finely inlaid into the glossy-dark, star-studded Doha skyline.

QATAR 001 is the one and only meteorite ever found in Qatar, and its official name has been confirmed by the Meteoritical Society. It originated from the asteroid belt situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, and travelled more than 260 million kilometres before landing in the area of Jariyan al Batnah.

Luc Labenne, the highly-regarded meteorite hunter of international renown, says of it: “It is a chondrite type H5, very rich in metal and showing visible chondrules – distinctive round grains.”This is a world first and an exclusive model, since no other meteorite has ever been found in Qatar. Louis Moinet has acquired this precious meteorite to turn it into horological art.