Category: Louis Vuitton

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Louis Vuitton Tambour 20th Anniversary Tambour Twenty

Louis Vuitton has been around since 1854, but the company’s watchmaking division didn’t get its start until exactly two decades ago, when the inaugural Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty collection was launched in 2002. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the company’s “official” start in the watchmaking arena, as well as of its most recognizable case design, Louis Vuitton has just announced the Tambour Twenty Limited Edition.

The new release comes in a 200-piece limited run with a sunburst brown-dialed chronograph inside the quintessential Tambour case shape and powered by a Louis Vuitton-branded variant of Zenith’s El Primero.

Since today’s release is all about highlighting the Tambour case, let’s talk a bit about it. The Tambour case has always been on the elaborate and baroque side of the aesthetic equation. Its complex architecture is inspired by the shape of a drum (tambour is the French word for drum), with a consistent rounded shape that tapers down from the bezel to the caseback.

I have to say, I’m half-convinced that one of the primary reasons Louis Vuitton extended into watchmaking to begin with is because the company name has 12 letters, which can then easily be used as hour markers. On the Tambour Twenty, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty name is spelled out at the very top of the smooth, wide expanse that is the caseband; and yes, each letter is positioned to line up with the hour markers on the dial. Louis Vuitton’s enthusiasm for branding is typically built around its famous monogram logo, which was first developed in 1896 by Louis Vuitton’s only son, Georges.

Thanks to its stout size, the Tambour case profile has typically been a hotbed for Louis Vuitton’s experiments with complications. There’s the famous Spin Time system that Michel Navas, the legendary watchmaker behind the design, says was originally developed without external input, but it was only after he and his watchmaking partner Enrico Barbasini had finished the construction of the first prototype that they jointly realized it would be the perfect fit for Louis Vuitton’s signature case shape.

“The [Spin Time] movement is quite thick; it’s a three-dimensional construction, with the wheels and the cubes,” Navas told me when I spoke with him earlier this year. “The prototype just went with the Tambour shape. That’s why we contacted Louis Vuitton to suggest it at the time. And they loved it.”

That was the start of the relationship between Navas, Barbasini, and Louis Vuitton. After adopting the Spin Time mechanism in the Tambour collection in 2009, Louis Vuitton eventually purchased the duo’s high-concept movement manufacturer, La Fabrique du Temps, in 2011, which now forms the beating heart of the Louis Vuitton High Watchmaking division. Since the La Fabrique du Temps acquisition, Louis Vuitton’s prowess in mechanical watchmaking has been supercharged, with minute repeaters, tourbillons (so many tourbillons), split-seconds chronographs, and even award-winning, high-concept jacquemart mechanisms that force you to ponder life, all joining the Tambour collection.

The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty release is a bit more straightforward, featuring Zenith’s classic high-beat integrated automatic chronograph movement under the LV 277 trade name and fixed up with a 22-carat pink gold rotor featuring – what else? – the Louis Vuitton “LV” monogram. Speaking of the monogram, the Tambour Twenty is delivered inside a miniature leather-wrapped Louis Vuitton trunk that we were able to photograph the watch with for this story.

One of the most invigorating experiences I’ve had all year was visiting La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s high-end movement manufacturer, located on the outskirts of Geneva and led by the dynamic duo of Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. What I tried to make clear in that my story based on that visit is that Navas and Barbasini are serious giants of watchmaking, with a lengthy history and a wide sphere of influence among their peers. Their work today is almost entirely focused on developing the Louis Vuitton watchmaking name to equal standing in the world of luxury goods, alongside Louis Vuitton’s other core product families, such as leather goods, luggage, ready-to-wear, and fragrances.  The Tambour case design is what attracted Navas and Barbasini to Louis Vuitton in the late 2000s, and it’s somewhat remarkable how malleable a platform it is for varying degrees of complication. I think the best way to understand the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Limited Edition, then, is to consider it a look at where Louis Vuitton started – in the early 2000s, Louis Vuitton watchmaking was primarily an établisseur, relying on supplied movements from manufacturers such as ETA and corporate sibling Zenith.

With its sunburst brown dial, highlighter-yellow accents, and twisted lug support system, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Limited Edition is a throwback to the earliest era of Louis Vuitton watchmaking. Yet it also hammers home the significance of the Tambour case design. No matter how Louis Vuitton has evolved its horological approach, the Tambour remains.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne

Louis Vuitton launches Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne, an innovative and modern Jumping Hour watch.

In 2017 Louis Vuitton unveiled Vivienne, a character inspired by the House’s heritage and iconic Monogram flowers. At times a decorative object, cuddly toy or bag accessory, at others a watch or jewel, this thrilling mascot journeys through Louis Vuitton’s many crafts, now landing in the wonderland of women’s high jewellery, with the new Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne timepieces. Instead of a central hand, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne watch uses twelve rotating and tilting miniature versions of the mascot to display the hours in a playful and charming way. Every 60 minutes, two mascots spin around instantly. Each hour ends with one Vivienne revealing its neutral side, making way for the next hour, indicated by the profile of a Vivienne.

This one-of-a-kind, ground-breaking technical concept features an exclusive, patented watch mechanism to read the time. Drawing from a unique, self-winding movement developed in 2009 and constantly perfected by highly skilled master watchmakers at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the impressive ethereal LV 89 calibre, a poetic, sophisticated movement lodged at the centre of the case between two sapphire crystals, provides 32 hours of power reserve. Two round, pointed Monogram flowers layer the dial, both in pink gold snow-set with diamonds in black or red lacquer variations. The twelve mascots — in pink gold and hand-applied rich black or ruby red lacquer — ”float” between the calibre and the case. The hidden side of the twelve characters, as well as the oscillating weight, Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne watch can be seen through the transparent back.

Measuring 42.5 mm diameter, the pink gold case is enhanced by applied diamond-set horns, a distinctive Tambour feature. Highlighted by a deep black or cherry red alligator strap, the timepiece intricately encapsulates style and innovation.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Matte Black

Louis Vuitton has officially launched their new Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Matte Black Watch. The watch is the first of its kind from the brand, and seamlessly blends its technical elements with signature Louis Vuitton luxury.

Though the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Matte Black watch is the third-generation connected watch to come out of the Maison, it offers a level of personalization that has never been seen before. Louis Vuitton created a bespoke operating system for the smart features of the watch, allowing users to seamlessly integrate the Tambour Horizon with their other pieces of technology. It is the first operating system, outside of Apple’s own, to be accredited as “MFI” or “made for iPhone,” though it is also compatible with Android and HarmonyOS devices.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Matte Black watch builds upon the traditional Tambour case silhouette and makes it compatible with the Horizon screen. The screen is made of curved sapphire glass, giving the appearance that the screen falls over the edge, allowing Louis Vuitton to make the watch case smaller, at 44mm. The watch is completed with 24 LED lights circling the face, with animations made to match each watch’s configuration.

It comes in three different faces (polished steel, matte black, and matte brown), and allows users to further customize it with 8 built-in dial configurations.   The watch is compatible with the Louis Vuitton Connect app. The app has several unique features separated by function, including a “My Travel” section to add upcoming trips, and a “My Day” section for everyday activities. The also offers more customization experiences, from changing the watch face to different colorways for the screen

Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Matte Black watch is the recent version of the iconic Tambour mechanic watch series initially launched in 2002. In its efforts to captivate the new breed of luxury customers, Louis Vuitton was among the first few non-tech watch manufacturing brands to enter into the high-tech market segment in 2017. The Tambour Horizon is LV’s third-generation smartwatch design, recently released in 2022. This third-gen innovative iteration brings various refreshing innovations to the brand’s Tambour timepieces, including; a unique wraparound LED display, average battery life, Android compatibility, and a heart rate monitor. According to Ablogtowatch, the LV’s Horizon Light-Up Watch features some old-school technology with bold Louis Vuitton signature designs to improve the visual presentation of the luxurious timepiece. Thanks to the eye-catching curved edge of the sapphire glass that contains twenty-four LED lights, and the centered intelligent module that improves the watch’s functionality, the Tambour Horizon helps provide its users a smartwatch experience. These 24 LED lights that are housed in graphic trefoil shapes were originally used back in 1910 and designed to display an animated array of colors when a notification is received. Read on to learn more about the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Light Up Watch.

Louis Vuitton recently released its third-generation high-end watch, the Tambour Horizon Light-Up. The design of this timepiece still retains the brand’s impressive craftsmanship in producing modern-era watches. The Horizon Light-Up comes in three versions that mimic the Louis Vuitton House Codes, including; the Matte Black, the Matte Brown, and the Polished Steel. Both the brown and Matte black version are reengineered with high-end PVD finishes, and the Polished Steel model comes with a contrasting titanium crown. The iconic LV House’s design codes are also well represented through a rainbow of colors on the various versions. In addition to the three 44mm cases that are finished with low-profile activation buttons, each version of the Horizon Light-Up watch has a digital LED display with eight dial permutations that operate on different design cues. You can also add your initials on the screen or choose from the 11 fantastic gradient displays, which now come with an always-on setting eliminating the need to press a button or shake it for the screen to be powered on.

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Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone Blue

“In terms of haute horlogerie complications we could do anything we like at Louis Vuitton – and we certainly have the means to do so. But that’s not our approach. What we do is deeply rooted in classical horology, but every piece needs to have an original twist that has real meaning for the Maison.” So says Michel Navas who, together with Enrico Barbasini, is the technical brains behind Louis Vuitton watchmaking.

The Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone perfectly illustrates this. Introduced in 2015 (with a version in tones of blue and grey last year), it looks unlike any travel time watch that preceded it. Or, more precisely, that preceded Louis Vuitton’s Escale Worldtime, released a year earlier. Time Zone is, by the way, almost a misnomer: the term usually means a second (or in rare cases third) time zone display – a GMT in other words. But this is a true world time watch. Clearly, though, it needed a different name to distinguish it from its big brother.

The technical underpinnings are entirely classical – it’s essentially the same as the complication invented in 1931 by Louis Cottier (and improved by him in 1953), which made it possible to view the time in 24 zones simultaneously.

However, the expression is totally original – the vivid and playful dial a radical departure from the usual world map surrounded by city names. To be fair, that became the default design because it’s a great aid to visualising world time, but has become a bit of a cliché.

The multi-coloured emblems are reminiscent of maritime signal flags (Louis Vuitton was deeply involved in America’s Cup sailing until a couple of years ago) but they also hark back to the firm’s history as a trunk-maker. Back in the 19th century, Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone would create unique personal ID badges for the luggage of clients who didn’t have their own coat-of-arms – simplified emblems distinguished by geometric shapes and bright colours. For the watch dials, the same principle has been used to create a ‘badge’ for each city. But the Time Zone is not just a pretty face: Louis Vuitton’s evolution in high watchmaking is a world away from the fashion watches that can be a cash cow for any big luxury brand, and that’s thanks to Navas and Barbasini. Among the most inventive watch developers of their generation, they have worked together for more than 30 years – at Gérald Genta (during Genta’s heyday as a creative, independent brand) and Patek Philippe (in the high complications division) before moving on to Franck Muller (where they developed Crazy Hours) and then starting their own business. In the early 2000s they were the B and N of BNB Concept, a highly regarded independent movement-developer for other brands – including Laurent Ferrier, a fellow Patek alumnus. They left to set up La Fabrique du Temps in 2007 (the third member of the BNB triumvirate, Matthias Buttet, is now with Hublot).

Although Louis Vuitton had been a client from the beginning – the Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone (launched in 2009) was the first fruit of that collaboration – many were surprised when it bought La Fabrique du Temps outright in 2011. Not least, Navas and Barbasini: “We have more creative freedom than we ever imagined we would,” says Navas. “In fact they want us to really go for it – so long as it embodies the essence of Louis Vuitton.” The outcome, so far, has ranged from the Tambour Twin Chrono of 2013 (which allows two elapsed times to be calculated simultaneously) to the Tambour Moon Mysterious Flying Tourbillon of 2016, with its ‘floating’ linear movement (and Geneva Seal certification) – and, of course the Escale series.

So, back to the watch: given all the information it needs to display, a world timer dial can’t help but be busy – so, rather than trying to reduce that, Louis Vuitton’s designers have made it a virtue. With its bold graphics, startling colours, iconoclastic style, it’s polarising, for sure – and it’s very refreshing to see aesthetic conventions being overturned.The Time Zone presents the key attributes of the Escale Worldtime in a smaller and slimmer (39mm x 8.4mm) version of its big brother. And in its degree of hand-crafting, it is much, much simpler – all of which means that it’s a tenth of the price. There’s an important distinction here: simplified doesn’t really mean watered down, it just means that priority is given to certain core attributes.

Where the Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone Worldtime dial was a masterpiece of miniature painting (50 hours of painstaking hand craft to apply the 38 different colours), the Time Zone dial is transfer-printed, using a slightly simplified colour palette. However, the quality of printing is such that there’s still a subtle relief-effect to the coloured emblems.

As world time watches go, it could hardly be more user-friendly. To set your local time, you simply turn the crown backwards or forwards to position the city name at 12. The times in all other zones can then be read from the 24-hours disc – which is also marked with day and night sections to avoid confusion.Reading the local time is more intuitive (or at least, more familiar to our analogue-dial-trained brains) than the Worldtimer, using hands rather than a fixed pointer for local time. But here’s another twist: while the minutes hand is attached to a central axis in the conventional way (covered by a disc at the centre of the the dial), the triangular hour hand has been applied to a disc so that it appears to float – in a manner reminiscent of mystery clocks.

Rather than the in-house calibre LV 106 used for the Worldtime (with the high cost that entails), the Time Zone’s movement is the ultra-reliable ETA 2829, coupled to a module developed and produced in-house by Navas and Barbasini’s team. (The pair remain very hands-on watchmakers, by the way – and assemble at least some of the first production run of any new model, to catch any potential bugs before they become an issue for their watchmakers.)

Although the caseback is sapphire, it doesn’t reveal the movement (having no need for fine hand-finishing also cuts a significant amount of cost). What it does show is a large LV logo, very neat and tidy.The Time Zone case is steel – lighter, sturdier and less expensive than the white gold of the Worldtime – but with all of the same details and finishes. The lugs are attached by screwed brackets inspired by the metal reinforcements on the corners of trunks, and their polished surfaces contrast very well with the brushed case band. Another nice detail is the use of curved spring bars to ensure that the end of the strap hugs the curve of the case.

For any of you still labouring under the misguided impression that Louis Vuitton doesn’t produce “real” watches, the Escale Time Zone is a (very) long way from a fashion watch – and its playful aesthetic proves that totally legitimate horology doesn’t have to look po-faced. Best of all, it’s a very useful watch – not only for frequent fliers, but for all of us who have friends, family or business relationships on different continents.

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Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue

The Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue watch is a new-for-2018 product that as of writing isn’t even on the Louis Vuitton website. It is common that the brand’s most exclusive timepieces aren’t listed widely or at all on their website. I can’t say why that is, but for the time being, it certainly adds a serious perceived level of exclusivity to these products. This particular Louis Vuitton watch combines three important features that the brand is proud of. First is its dress-style Escale case, which here is 41mm wide and in 950 platinum and titanium. Second is the brand’s proprietary “Spin Time” complication, and third is the central in-house made tourbillon.

The Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue watch certainly isn’t a watch for the average Louis Vuitton customer with its close to $150,000 price point. Aside from some very exclusive pieces of luggage, the brand’s timepieces represent among the most expensive items available in their catalog. Fine watches, in general, make for a very appropriate halo product for fashion brands who want people to take their in-house craftsmanship and manufacturing capabilities as seriously as possible.
Where does this leave watch collectors? A lot of times watch collectors look upon pricey luxury timepieces from “fashion houses” with skepticism. “Are these actually well made? Are these actually mechanically competent? How much of the price is just a brand tax?” These are all important questions whose answers greatly depend on the brand and product. In the context of Louis Vuitton, the simple answer is that the larger LVMH group is very seriously into watches given its ownership of Hublot, TAG Heuer, Zenith, Bulgari, and more. On top of that, Louis Vuitton itself has its own watchmaking facility known as La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. It is there that the Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central blue is produced.

Centrally-mounted tourbillons are no longer as rare as they once were – though they are still uncommon and very cool. The idea is that the spinning tourbillon is mounted in the absolute center of the dial, as opposed to a position such as right over 6 o’clock. Omega was the first brand that helped popularize the central tourbillon – and they still produce a few of those on a limited basis. Centrally-mounted tourbillons are tricky because you can’t exactly mount hands over them. So watches with central tourbillons all need alternatives to the traditional centrally-mounted hour and minute hands. Here the solution is interesting and fun – and this is where the Spin Time complication comes in.
Note that “Spin Time” actually represents a few different types of complications Louis Vuitton has used over the years. What each has in common is the use of twelve cubes which spin in order to indicate information such as the current hour. As such, on the dial of the Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central are twelve painted cubes that spin to reveal the current hour when it is their turn. The cubes are colored blue using a form of hand-operated pad printing, which carefully transfers segments of color onto the small surfaces one small piece at a time. A smaller hand to indicate the minutes projects from the periphery of the tourbillon assembly, whose mounting is actually under/around the tourbillon system.
Another note on the hour hands is that they indicate the time in 24-hour format. That means the first time around the dial, the hours indicate 1-12. The second time around they indicate hours 13-24. This makes the w Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue watch a bit quirkier, but at the end of the day, I think it is more interesting. Though the appeal will be for places which are more familiar using the 24-hour format – which doesn’t include the United States where most consumers prefer a 12-hour format.
In true brand fashion, the tourbillon cage is shaped to look like a “V” for “Vuitton.” It is set against a lovely matte blue surface and the flying tourbillon visual experience is really handsome and attractive, in my opinion. The movement is known as the Louis Vuitton LV 92, and it is an automatic with a sort of hidden automatic rotor whose motion can be viewed on the rear of the watch. You can see more about how this rotor looks and more about the Escale-style case in my aBlogtoWatch review of the Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone 39 watch here. The LV 92 automatic movement operates at 4Hz (28,800 bph) with 40 hours of power reserve. I believe it is a base movement with a module on top for the Spin Time and flying tourbillon systems.

In general, I like the Escale case a lot. It is dressier than the brand’s Tambour cases, and the lug structure design is inspired by Louis Vuitton trunk luggage from the past. Again, this model has a 41mm wide case that is actually not too thick at 12.8mm. It’s water-resistant to 30m, of course, has a double sapphire crystal on the front and back, and is produced from titanium and 950 platinum parts. What an interesting combo that we don’t see every day. The middle case is brushed titanium, while the lugs, crown, and bezel are in 950 platinum. Attached to the case is a blue-colored alligator strap with a cool yellow rubber lining that promotes comfort and the overall life of the strap.
Who is the Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue watch best for? This complication is interesting enough to be in any number of “traditional” watch brand high-horology pieces that aren’t associated with a fashion brand. Nothing about this watch is kitschy or boring, but there are going to be some people who feel it is “overly fashionable” for a traditional timepiece. They might be right but Louis Vuitton isn’t going for the Patek Philippe crowd. A watch like this is best suited for timepiece collectors with the budget and playfulness to appreciate a real watch lover’s Louis Vuitton. This is by no means the most expensive Louis Vuitton watch ever made, but at over $100,000 it certainly is up there with the brand’s most exclusive products. In the long term, I believe products like this will “age well” given what is likely to be the enduring value and consumer interest in the Louis Vuitton brand. Assuming Louis Vuitton continues to earn a place as a top mark, its top products will benefit with enduring appeal.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon GMT

2023 has so far been an aggressive year of releases for the luxury watchmaking arm of fashion giant Louis Vuitton. The brand’s core Tambour line has been reimagined as everything from a streetwear-influenced diver-style watch to a high-concept statement piece this year, but perhaps the most impressive from a sheer watchmaking perspective is the brand’s new Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon. Seemingly aimed squarely at the wealthy traveling fashionista, the fully in-house design offers a lithe Parisian take on the modern GMT sports watch with both a prominently displayed flying tourbillon and a trio of distinct stylistic interpretations. The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon continues the brand’s trend of dancing to its own unique drum, creating a genuinely impressive piece of high watchmaking in an inimitable Louis Vuitton suit.

There’s no getting around the fact that the Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon is a hefty watch. The tapering drum-inspired central case, a staple of the Tambour line since its inception in 2002, measures in at a diameter of 46mm, with a wide base that may potentially make the watch feel ungainly on the wrist. This case, with its streamlined semi-integrated attached lug assembly, is available in either a full-shot blasted Grade 5 titanium finish or a mix of black-coated titanium and 18k pink-gold accents for a more luxurious look. The simple form of the rounded, smooth case design draws added attention to the details, and Louis Vuitton imbues these models with small touches of refined functionality. The crown and tapering rectangular pushers both feature small ridged segments to aid grip, giving these elements a sporty feel. While rubberized ridges like those on the crown are usually used for easy handling in wet environments, however, the Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon is decidedly not ready for water activity with a water resistance of only 50 meters. That said, the inclusion of pushers into this GMT design adds an easy and useful on-the-fly adjustment of the 24-hour second time zone hand.

The layered cutout dial designs of the Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon offer a delicate visual balance of modernism and masculinity, without coming off as aggressive. All three dial variants follow the same formula, with a matte black main surface cut through in stripes to reveal a contrasting layer through the “Venetian blinds” and stylized hourglass motif. The sloping applied indices bridge the gap between this dial surface and the steep rehaut and feature applied blocks of solid Super-LumiNova rather than the more common painted application. Although this isn’t exactly a minimal dial design by any means, the real depth of visual detail on these dials shines through in the GMT subdial and flying tourbillon window. A flying tourbillon becomes the visual centerpiece of nearly any watch that features one, and the balanced approach Louis Vuitton takes to incorporating this element into the dial allows the horology to speak for itself rather than needlessly forcing the eye towards the display. It’s a clean and confident execution, but not without a Louis Vuitton flourish in the V-shaped skeleton tourbillon cage. The brand’s classic “LV” branding is slickly integrated into the 3 o’clock GMT subdial as well, as the hand for this display is a sapphire LV emblem with a yellow pointer forming the tip of the V. This bold yellow accent on the GMT hand, as well as the matching yellow 24-hour scale, injects a further sense of modern sporting energy into the overall design. From this point, the three variants diverge, with the core titanium model accenting the matte black top layer with a cutout lower dial layer in sunburst black. This is likely to be a subtler effect on the wrist than the pink gold cased model, which brings a matching pink gold sunburst layer to the design. Lastly, the titanium case variant can also be optioned with a lower dial layer in bright and dynamic meteorite. While most brands are vague about the origins of meteorite dial materials beyond the obvious answer of “outer space,” Louis Vuitton takes this material as an opportunity for product storytelling. The brand claims this meteorite sample is from the Gibeon meteorite in Namibia, sought after by jewelers for its unique pattern and which the native Nama people have used to make tools for generations. To accentuate this extraterrestrial material, Louis Vuitton replaces the applied indices for this model with baguette-cut diamonds.

Louis Vuitton powers the Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon with its in-house LV 82 automatic flying tourbillon GMT movement. Overall finishing for this movement is clean and modern, with matte black full bridges topped by a skeletonized pink gold rotor. Performance for the LV 82 is robust, with a 65-hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. All three variants in the Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon series are paired with Louis Vuitton’s signed black rubber strap to reinforce the futuristic and sporty ethos of the design.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Chronograph

Louis Vuitton has been around since 1854, but the company’s watchmaking division didn’t get its start until exactly two decades ago, when the inaugural Tambour collection was launched in 2002. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the company’s “official” start in the watchmaking arena, as well as of its most recognizable case design, Louis Vuitton has just announced the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Limited Edition.

The new release comes in a 200-piece limited run with a sunburst brown-dialed chronograph inside the quintessential Tambour case shape and powered by a Louis Vuitton-branded variant of Zenith’s El Primero.

Since today’s release is all about highlighting the Tambour case, let’s talk a bit about it. The Tambour case has always been on the elaborate and baroque side of the aesthetic equation. Its complex architecture is inspired by the shape of a drum (tambour is the French word for drum), with a consistent rounded shape that tapers down from the bezel to the caseback.

I have to say, I’m half-convinced that one of the primary reasons Louis Vuitton extended into watchmaking to begin with is because the company name has 12 letters, which can then easily be used as hour markers. On the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty, the Louis Vuitton name is spelled out at the very top of the smooth, wide expanse that is the caseband; and yes, each letter is positioned to line up with the hour markers on the dial. Louis Vuitton’s enthusiasm for branding is typically built around its famous monogram logo, which was first developed in 1896 by Louis Vuitton’s only son, Georges.

Thanks to its stout size, the Tambour case profile has typically been a hotbed for Louis Vuitton’s experiments with complications. There’s the famous Spin Time system that Michel Navas, the legendary watchmaker behind the design, says was originally developed without external input, but it was only after he and his watchmaking partner Enrico Barbasini had finished the construction of the first prototype that they jointly realized it would be the perfect fit for Louis Vuitton’s signature case shape.

“The [Spin Time] movement is quite thick; it’s a three-dimensional construction, with the wheels and the cubes,” Navas told me when I spoke with him earlier this year. “The prototype just went with the Tambour shape. That’s why we contacted Louis Vuitton to suggest it at the time. And they loved it.”

That was the start of the relationship between Navas, Barbasini, and Louis Vuitton. After adopting the Spin Time mechanism in the Tambour collection in 2009, Louis Vuitton eventually purchased the duo’s high-concept movement manufacturer, La Fabrique du Temps, in 2011, which now forms the beating heart of the Louis Vuitton High Watchmaking division. Since the La Fabrique du Temps acquisition, Louis Vuitton’s prowess in mechanical watchmaking has been supercharged, with minute repeaters, tourbillons (so many tourbillons), split-seconds chronographs, and even award-winning, high-concept jacquemart mechanisms that force you to ponder life, all joining the Tambour collection.

The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty release is a bit more straightforward, featuring Zenith’s classic high-beat integrated automatic chronograph movement under the LV 277 trade name and fixed up with a 22-carat pink gold rotor featuring – what else? – the Louis Vuitton “LV” monogram. Speaking of the monogram, the Tambour Twenty is delivered inside a miniature leather-wrapped Louis Vuitton trunk that we were able to photograph the watch with for this story.

One of the most invigorating experiences I’ve had all year was visiting La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s high-end movement manufacturer, located on the outskirts of Geneva and led by the dynamic duo of Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. What I tried to make clear in that my story based on that visit is that Navas and Barbasini are serious giants of watchmaking, with a lengthy history and a wide sphere of influence among their peers. Their work today is almost entirely focused on developing the Louis Vuitton watchmaking name to equal standing in the world of luxury goods, alongside Louis Vuitton’s other core product families, such as leather goods, luggage, ready-to-wear, and fragrances. The Tambour case design is what attracted Navas and Barbasini to Louis Vuitton in the late 2000s, and it’s somewhat remarkable how malleable a platform it is for varying degrees of complication. I think the best way to understand the Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Limited Edition, then, is to consider it a look at where Louis Vuitton started – in the early 2000s, Louis Vuitton watchmaking was primarily an établisseur, relying on supplied movements from manufacturers such as ETA and corporate sibling Zenith.  With its sunburst brown dial, highlighter-yellow accents, and twisted lug support system, the Tambour Twenty Limited Edition is a throwback to the earliest era of Louis Vuitton watchmaking. Yet it also hammers home the significance of the Tambour case design. No matter how Louis Vuitton has evolved its horological approach, the Tambour remains.

Tambour may be the name that is rightfully associated with Louis Vuitton watches, as the drum-shaped case dominates in the luxury giant’s watches catalogue. Still, Tambour, with its variations like Tambour Curve and Tambour Moon, is not the only shape that constitutes the offer. A few years back, the Voyager case, house to the Louis Vuitton Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève, was chosen to represent the GMT models and now seems reserved for special occasions only. Like the launch of the new Voyager Skeleton, which is here to highlight Louis Vuitton’s expertise in openworked movements.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Star Chronograph Noire & Diamants

The latest high-end Louis Vuitton watches are this attractive black and yellow youthfully focused model known as the Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum. It builds on the existing Tambour Spin Time Air collection by adding a new feature — an electronic system that lights up the 12 “Spin Time Air” cubes that indicate the hour, which are on the periphery of the mechanical movement system. The result is an electronically enhanced light system that helps read the otherwise mechanical watch in the dark. The watch is fun and spirited but also destined for serious exclusivity given its near $100,000 price point.

One of the reasons you should love Louis Vuitton watches is the fact that compared to the massive name notoriety of the French Louis Vuitton brand overall, its watches are still mostly unknown by enthusiasts and feel very much like undiscovered treasure when you appreciate how nicely made they are and how original their designs tend to be. While created with a deep sense of Parisian romance and design style, the Louis Vuitton high-end watches are produced in Geneva, Switzerland at the brand’s La Fabrique du Temps facility, where a healthy assortment of seriously exotic wristwatches are imagined and created. The majority of Louis Vuitton’s most interesting watches rarely get any publicity because they are often made to order, as well as sold privately to collectors and only marketed on rare occasions. But over the next several months, you’ll probably get to see a few of the brand’s more interesting watches here on aBlogtoWatch.

Debuting today is the neat-looking Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum, and understanding it requires some discussion of other watches that came before it. Until recently, it was somewhat sacrilegious to combine traditional mechanical watchmaking with modern electronic components. Then, a few years ago, “hybrid” watches started to show up, including even some smartwatches that combined a traditional mechanical automatic movement with a modern screen and connected interface. In the high-end watchmaking space, brands such as HYT with its H4 product, DeBethune, Ressence, and, of course, Urwerk with the EMC, have all played with combining mechanical systems with electronic ones. Arguably the most successful hybrid watch approach is the Seiko Spring Drive. The Louis Vuitton with the Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum has an electronic system for lighting that sits on the periphery of the case around the mechanical movement, and the two systems do not interact with each other.

The system is a good mixture of fun, utility, and practicality, in my opinion, though I do feel that Louis Vuitton watches would be wise to see about researching ways to achieve similar results in less expensive forms in the future. While not a limited edition, the Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum will be a hard-to-find product given its low production numbers and high price point. That’s a shame because the slick picture of Louis Vuitton brand DNA and quasi-video-style design ethos makes for a powerfully fun product to wear on the wrist.

Unlike other electronic backlight systems that have played with unusual alternatives to a traditional battery, Louis Vuitton’s is wisely powered by replaceable batteries. Even so, Louis Vuitton predicts that with 10 light activations a day, on average, the batteries in the watch will last for about three years. Louis Vuitton predictably recommends that users return the Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum watch to them for a battery replacement, but there is no serious reason why someone with the right screwdriver and battery cells can’t replace the batteries themselves — which is a good thing. When the battery is near to running out, there is an indicator light located in the crown. To activate the light system, the wearer simply presses in the pusher built into the crown. The lights glow for three seconds and then turn off. They will remain on if you hold the button down. When you activate the lights, each of the 12 “floating” cubes glows. These same globes rotate (one per hour) to indicate the current hour where the “Louis Vuitton” letter is, in the opposite color from the rest of them. How, exactly, do the cubes light up? The light doesn’t come from inside the fused silica cubes but is rather projected from the side. A row of 12 specially engineered LED lamp enclosures discreetly shines light into the sides of the cubes. The light is very evenly diffused through the silicon dioxide material and causes a pleasant glowing effect.

One small challenge is that while the Quantum light system allows for an ideal way to read the hours in the dark, the minute hand of the watch is illuminated more traditionally, using Super-LumiNova. This means that in total darkness, it will be hard to read the time beyond the current hour.

The mechanical part of the Louis Vuitton watches Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum is a patented movement produced in-house by Louis Vuitton known as the caliber LV 68. The automatic movement operates at 4Hz and has a 35-hour power reserve. This somewhat low power reserve is related to the heavy weight of the Spin Time system and the torque required to move it along. The entire movement is relatively compact, so having a larger or additional mainspring isn’t an option at this time. Louis Vuitton has produced a number of Spin Time family watches over the years, with the Spin Time Air being among the newer variants.

The watch case itself is beautifully shaped, as the Tambour character continues to age well and is represented across an impressive spectrum of Louis Vuitton watches. In this form, the case is produced from black-colored DLC-coated (very scratch resistant) titanium that is 42.5mm-wide and 12.3mm-thick with 50 meters of water resistance. Over the dial is a flat AR-coated sapphire crystal.

Louis Vuitton watches might not always be the best choice for those who are shy about prominently wearing brands (LV does enjoy the look of its own logo), but otherwise, the watches are remarkably well-composed and refined. While Cartier, Chanel, Dior, and Van Cleef & Arpels currently gets a bit more enthusiast attention as the prominent names in high-luxury, high-fashion Paris watchmaking (even though these watches are, for the most part, from Switzerland), Louis Vuitton is not only able to compete at the same or higher-levels than others but also has its own universe of very special products, stories, innovations, and culture to enjoy as a collector and aficionado.

It is also worth noting that Louis Vuitton watches are only sold by Louis Vuitton either directly to VIP clients or via a fractional selection of the many brand boutiques around the world. While it won’t be easier to get than any other high-watchmaking Louis Vuitton watch, the Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum is certainly in a visual class of its own and has very interesting novel graphics, such as the “circuit board-style” version of the LV logo on the caseback.

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Star Chronograph White

Louis Vuitton expands its Tambour family with the new Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon line for men and women, and opens the door to customisation thanks to a new interchangeable strap system that is compatible with all Tambour watches, past and present.

A drum roll for 15 years of resounding Tambour success

Created in 2002, the Tambour marked Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking debut and has appeared in countless guises over the years. Mechanical complications like chronographs, regatta timers, tourbillons, minute repeaters, mysterious movements and the famous Spin Time have all been incorporated in the round case of the Tambour, along with high jewellery models. French for ‘drum’, the Tambour watch is distinguished by its rotundity and the generous edge of the case where the 12 Louis Vuitton letters are engraved.

Faithful to its drum-shaped case, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon features a new crescent-shaped silhouette. A subtle design tweak, the concave depression on the dial area adds volume and depth.

For a brand that built its reputation on trunks, travel is a recurring theme at Louis Vuitton, and the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon model for men, above, comes with a practical GMT function allowing travellers to consult the time in two different places simultaneously.

The two-tone version in steel and the limited-edition pink gold model accentuate the sensation of depth with their sloping black flanges and applied rose gold numerals. The dial, decorated with a black rice grain pattern reminiscent of Louis Vuitton’s famous Damier Graphite canvas, highlights the GMT function, with a lacquered hand, shaped like a ‘V’ in honour of the iconic LV monogram, coloured the same yellow as the iconic Tambour watch, which echoes the waxed thread on Louis Vuitton’s bags. Chronographs are the very definition of a sports watch. The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Chronograph displays Louis Vuitton iconography throughout. Like the GMT model, this 44mm chronograph features the weave of Damier Graphite canvas on the indented dial and yellow accents to highlight the chronograph functions. Three women’s versions of the Tambour Moon Star Chronograph with a black, white or mother-of-pearl dial form part of the new collection. The Maison’s hallmark star-shaped flower – the ubiquitous design that appears on the LV Monogram – was dreamed up by Louis Vuitton’s son Georges Vuitton in 1896 to brand his luggage business. Placed at 6 o’clock, the pink gold flower adds a touch of femininity to this new Tambour watch. In addition to the women’s chronograph, the Tambour Moon Star watch, below, available in black and white models, uses the iconic pink gold flower motif at 6 o’clock, which doubles up as a small seconds, completing a full rotation every 60 seconds. The current trend for interchangeable watch straps is now a reality for all Tambour watch models – including the Tambour Slim – allowing owners to choose from a wide selection of straps made from leather, alligator, rubber and other iconic Louis Vuitton fabrics, including Monogram and Damier canvas. Developed by Louis Vuitton’s R&D department, the patented strap-changing system means that no tools are required except, of course, for a touch of imagination and style to endow your Tambour with as many different personalities as you like.  We need your help to keep The Jewellery Editor’s independence so that we can continue to offer quality writing that’s open to everyone around the world.

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Louis Vuitton Voyager Skeleton

Louis Vuitton Voyager Skeleton has made a plethora of headlines in this early half of spring as it dropped its second batch of products alongside artist Yayoi Kusama, unveiled a luxe golf trunk and announced its latest Archlight 2.0 sneaker. And now to keep its momentum pushing forward, the luxury label has just announced its latest Voyager Skeleton watch.

The new and limited-edition timepiece is designed with a mechanical and minimalistic build that can resist up to 50mm of water. Its crafted with a 41mm platinum case and sapphire glass, the former of which houses the LV60 — a skeleton-ized movement that references the architecture of some of Louis Vuitton’s flagship stores and the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The calibre is equipped with a tungsten micro-rotor ornamented with a white gold rhodium plated plate. It’s been intentionally positioned off center to maximize the visibility of the LV-shaped bridges and the mechanics inside. The rear end of the watch features an engraved case-back that spells out “Limited edition,” and the piece comes packaged with a navy blue alligator leather trap as well as a taurillon leather strap that are locked in place by a platinum ardillon buckle.
Tambour may be the name that is rightfully associated with Louis Vuitton watches, as the drum-shaped case dominates in the luxury giant’s watches catalogue. Still, Tambour, with its variations like Tambour Curve and Tambour Moon, is not the only shape that constitutes the offer. A few years back, the Voyager case, house to the Louis Vuitton Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève, was chosen to represent the GMT models and now seems reserved for special occasions only. Like the launch of the new Voyager Skeleton, which is here to highlight Louis Vuitton’s expertise in openworked movements. The Voyager case is a beautiful creation, with an attractive round shape that seems oval and sometimes even square. It has a monobloc construction, so the middle part and the bezel are one piece. The curves and different finishes on its surfaces, mirror-polished and brushed, provide a perfect and luxurious (Pt 950) frame to enjoy the functional beauty of the open-worked calibre. The new skeletonised movement LV60 fits perfectly into the distinctive 41mm Voyager case as it was created for this particular model. The Calibre LV60’s architecture is designed within the stylistic codes of the Maison to remind nothing less than the exceptional forms of the Fondation Louis Vuitton building by Frank Gehry. And the movement spells Louis Vuitton, like the brand’s most leather goods, with LV-shaped bridges, LV-decorated tungsten micro-rotor and a “Louis Vuitton” cut-out ratchet wheel. But it somehow remains quite discreet. This movement is the brand’s first automatic time-only skeleton calibre; it beats at a frequency of 28,800vph and has 48 hours of power reserve. Designed and developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, an in-house, Geneva-based specialist atelier, this calibre was manufactured in partnership with Le Cercle des Horlogers out of Neuchâtel – LV must be praised for communicating this and not usurping all the laurels. The Voyager Skeleton movement’s decoration aligns with expectations as we remember the exquisite finish done on the openworked Louis Vuitton Poinçon de Genève watches, Louis Vuitton Voyager Skeleton Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon and Voyager Flying Tourbillon. The LV-shaped bridges show fine linear graining on the top and sandblasted finish on the caseback side, with chamfered edges. The rhodium-plated parts make the watch look very monochromatic. This feeling is enhanced by the contrasting deep blue-coloured minute ring on the dial’s periphery and the pair of semi-skeletonised hands for hours and minutes, with their blue contour. The Louis Vuitton Voyager Skeleton caseback is transparent, and the sight is no less spectacular than the dial, especially if you enjoy viewing the mechanism at work. Still, with the Voyager Skeleton, you can enjoy the dial side equally, if not much more. Louis Vuitton invites you to guess the power left for the watch to properly function by looking at the mainspring coils or paying attention to the arrangement of the coils so as not to miss the moment to wind your Voyager Skeleton.