After more than a year of rumours, LVMH finally confirmed the long expected with its February announcement of the relaunch of Daniel Roth. And now the brand officially debuts its inaugural watch, the Tourbillon Souscription.

Modelled on the Daniel Roth tourbillon of 1988, the Tourbillon Souscription is almost a remake of the original from thirty-five years ago. It retains the same styling characterised by a double-ellipse case and one-minute tourbillon at six, but is entirely new in terms of mechanics: inside is a brand-new mechanical movement developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFT).

Initial thoughts

I got in touch with Daniel Roth and his wife Nicolas after learning of the brand’s revival. They indicated their approval of the project. Their approval will probably have little impact on the new watches since they aren’t involved in the brand’s comeback, but it is certainly good to know.

Being a homage to the brand’s origins, the Tourbillon Souscription is a good opening act in its revival. But for the resurrected brand to have longevity and relevance, it would have to do more than remakes; it will have to create new and original products that channel the spirit of the originals, a point I made in my earlier editorial.

A Daniel Roth tourbillon from the 1990s

The Tourbillon Souscription is clearly inspired by the original watches of the 1990s. It retains the same dimensions and almost all the details, right down to the hobnail guilloche dial. In fact, it’s close enough to the original that the two are probably indistinguishable at a distance, at least to casual observers.

But enough has been changed that the keenest eyes will instantly recognise this as a modern-day watch, most obviously with the champagne dial, a colour that was never available with the originals.

Another tweak is the revised typography on the dial, which I am not a fan of. Although the markings on the dial are identical to that on the original, they are now in a sans serif font that seems at odds with the classical nature of the design. According to a brand insider, the modern font was chosen to reflect the contemporary nature of the Tourbillon Souscription. While I can appreciate the reasoning, I think it looks out of place.

The Tourbillon Souscription will cost CHF140,000 before taxes – fair considering the quality and proprietary movement. And that is also true when comparing it to comparable offerings on the market today. However, the price still almost double the most recent auction results for a 1990s Daniel Roth tourbillon (which is arguably valued too strongly today considering its fairly ordinary Lemania movement).

Although I have yet to see the prototype of the Tourbillon Souscription, I am sure it will feel exactly the same as an original since both are practically the same size.

More importantly, I am confident that the quality of execution is as good as that of the original, perhaps even slightly better. The team at LFT is talented and also enjoys the advances in manufacturing and finishing that have accumulated in the three decades since Mr Roth founded his brand.

Though hidden behind the case back, the DR001 movement inside has the details that one would expect from LFT, which was founded by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. The two played a crucial role in the Laurent Ferrier tourbillon, one of the better high-end tourbillon movements of recent years, so they clearly have what to takes to create a fine movement.

And from a philosophical standpoint, the Tourbillon Souscription might be even more “independent watchmaking” in terms of mechanics despite LFT being a subsidiary of Louis Vuitton. That’s because the calibre inside is unique to Daniel Roth, whereas the original Daniel Roth watches relied on either stock or lightly modified Lemania calibres.

The opening act

A brand that enjoyed its heyday in the 1990s, Daniel Roth was successful then because of its style and complications, most notably the tourbillon, of which several hundred were made. After the brand parted from its namesake founder due to financial distress, it bounced around several owners, before finding its (likely) permanent home at LFT, the complications factory owned by Louis Vuitton.

The revived brand’s opening act is the Tourbillon Souscription, which according to the brand is based on the C187, a double-faced tourbillon with power reserve and date indicators on its back, the brand’s very first model of 1988. Like the early examples of the C187, the Tourbillon Souscription has a hobnail guilloche dial, a motif that was later replaced by vertical fluting.

That said, the Tourbillon Souscription is single faced with a solid back. That means it’s actually remake of the less common single-faced tourbillon of the 1990s, the C186.

The Tourbillon Souscription measures 38.6 mm by 35.5 mm on its front, the same as the classic Daniel Roth case, but stands just 9.2 mm high, thinner than the C187 and about the same as the C186 single-face tourbillon.

But unlike any of the originals, the Tourbillon Souscription has a champagne-tone dial, something that was not available in the original series. Interestingly, it is produced by Kari Voutilainen’s workshop, the same location that produces Voutilainen watches (as opposed to Comblemine, the dial maker owned by Voutilainen).

As a result, the dial connects the past and present of independent watchmaking: it is an element of contemporary independent watchmaking inside a watch that pays tribute to a much earlier era of the same genre.

As it was with the original, the tourbillon cage at six o’clock is fitted with a three-armed seconds hand that is read in tandem with the triple-scale for the seconds. Although the tourbillon regulator largely preserves the aesthetics of the original, it is noticeably different. Most apparent is the fact that the tourbillon now has a lower profile, with the upper cage sitting on the same plane as the seconds scale.

Inside is the DR001 developed by LFT, the complications specialist that is responsible for Louis Vuitton’s increasingly impressive stable of complicated watches.

Because the cofounders of LFT, Messrs Navas and Barbasini, were both instrumental in conceiving the Laurent Ferrier LF619 tourbillon movement, it is perhaps unsurprising that the DR001 shares a few of the LF619’s features. One is the  generous 80-hour power reserve, and another is the mirror-polished linear winding click for the barrel ratchet wheel.

The Tourbillon Souscription will be sold on a “subscription” basis, meaning that buyers will have to pay a deposit upon order confirmation, while the balance is due upon delivery in early 2024. The watches will be available at a handful of retailers around the world.

Key facts and price

Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription
Ref. DR0011YG-01

Diameter: 38.6 mm by 35.5 mm
Height: 9.2 mm
Material: 18K yellow gold 3N
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: DR001
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and a one-minute tourbillon
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Manual winding
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Calfskin strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: 20 pieces 
Availability: Only available through selected retail partners of Daniel Roth via subscription with delivery by early 2024
Price: CHF140,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Daniel-roth.ch.

The news concerning a revival of Daniel Roth was been circulating in Geneva and Paris for over a year but it is now official. LVMH just announced Daniel Roth “will be run as an independent brand, with guidance and incubation from La Fabrique Du Temps Louis Vuitton, as of February 2023.”

Once an independent brand run by its namesake founder, Daniel Roth had its heyday in the mid-1990s when classical complications with Breguet styling were the “in” thing with collectors. Due to Mr Roth’s personal and financial struggles, the brand then changed hands several times before ending up with Bulgari over a decade ago.

Daniel Roth had been on ice for several years after a few half-hearted attempts by the Italian jeweller to do something with the brand. No doubt spurred by the renewed interest in independent watchmaking, LVMH has spun off Daniel Roth and attached it to La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT), the complications and movement factory owned by Louis Vuitton (and word has it that the same will soon be done with Gerald Genta, once the sister brand of Daniel Roth).

One of the less successful Bulgari-Daniel Roth offerings, a “Chronosprint” made for the All Blacks, New Zealand’s rugby team

Revived with resources

The return of the brand is the brainchild of Jean Arnault, the Director of Marketing and Development at Louis Vuitton’s watch division. While Mr Arnault is best known as being the youngest son of LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault, the younger Arnault is a collector of independent watchmaking himself according to industry insiders.

His personal interest in this relatively niche genre of watchmaking explains LVMH’s interest in reviving a brand so tiny it will have no impact on the luxury conglomerate’s results, even in the long term. More importantly, Mr Arnault’s involvement bodes well for the brand as it should ensure it has the resources it needs to develop, despite its modest size.

That said, luxury conglomerates do not have a good track record in developing artisanal brands, often as a matter of institutional expertise and culture. Breguet, for instance, has lost some lustre as part of the Swatch Group. There are of course exceptions, the most obvious being F.P. Journe. Chanel has a sizeable minority stake and a seat on its board, but Francois-Paul Journe remains absolutely sovereign, so in practice the brand is still a one-man show.

History should rhyme

For Daniel Roth specifically, the execution of the revival will be crucial. The inaugural watch of the relaunched brand will be a “20-piece souscription series”, presumably a tourbillon that channels the look and feel of the 1990s original. As the opening act of the revived marque, this homage to the past makes sense. And it will probably sell out swiftly given the recent interest in niche independent brands, particularly from late-to-the-game “investors” seeking the next big thing.

A Daniel Roth tourbillon powered by a Lemania calibre that was modified to incorporate a power reserve and date on the reverse

The past, however, is an insufficient guide for success today. Daniel Roth’s original watches were elegant creations that had a unique aesthetic – Breguet inspired but original – but 30 years on the aesthetic is still elegant but no longer as unique. That’s because independent watchmaking has expanded in diversity and scale, and also because the Breguet name no longer has the same aura due to the low profile of the modern-day Breguet brand.

Similarly, the originals had finely finished movements that were entirely outsourced (as were the cases and dials). Mr Roth himself was largely concerned with the construction of complication modules that were added to the base movements, which were mostly Lemania and finished at Lemania or by specialists. Doing the same today, namely turning to a specialist for a customised but off-the-shelf movement, is inadequate to set the brand apart. Many have tried and failed, which is why specialists like Chronode and Voutilainen are still in business, while various independent brands have gone under.

Seeking finesse in the details

Fortunately, parking Daniel Roth with LFDT gives the brand the expertise of the team at the Geneva manufacture. Still led by founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, LFDT is responsible for all of Louis Vuitton’s impressive stable of complications, including the gothic Carpe Diem repeater with automaton and its signature Spin Time jump hours.

The complications developed for Louis Vuitton are probably too extravagant for a brand with a classical spirit as Daniel Roth hopes to be. But earlier in their career at LFDT before the Louis Vuitton takeover, Messrs Navas and Barbasini proved the classical face of their watchmaking by constructing the tourbillon and automatic micro-rotor movements for Laurent Ferrier.

The two movements were gorgeous in their own way (a quality Laurent Ferrier has arguably lost since then as its later movements were created with a budget in mind). The tourbillon channeled the spirit of observatory tourbillon movements once made for pocket watches, while the micro-rotor calibre took a novel, modern approach that nonetheless incorporated numerous classical elements.

The Laurent Ferrier tourbillon movement

But the two movements were a collaboration between Messrs Navas and Barbasini as well as Laurent Ferrier, who in his early career was a constructor at Patek Philippe. Whether Messrs Navas and Barbasini, along with their team at LFDT, can again capture a similar aesthetic and mechanical refinement in their upcoming Daniel Roth movements will certainly be worth watching.

For updates on the revived brand, visit Daniel-roth.ch.

Louis Vuitton (LV) marked the 20th anniversary of its first mechanical watch last year (with an El Primero-powered chronograph). The brand has rapidly evolved its horological offerings over the two decades, going from largely basic, monogrammed watches to ambitious complications like the gothic Carpe Diem Minute Repeater with automaton. 

A more whimsical example of LV’s progress in complications is the Tambour Slim Vivienne Jump Hours, a quirky interpretation of the jump hour complication that’s presented in a redesigned, svelte version of its signature drum-shaped case.

Initial thoughts

At the distance, the Vivienne Jump Hours looks like a run-of-the-mill character watch that’s slightly fancier than average. But upon closer inspection, it reveals a novel complication and an impressive degree of detail in the execution of the dial.

The jump hour is mechanically conventional but presents as a double jumping indicator thanks to clever design. Its whimsical and unusual presentation typifies the spirit of LV. In fact, the complication is different enough that we hope it will make its way into more watches, especially timepieces for men. Given that the titular Vivienne character has a male counterpart named Gaston, it would make sense for the complication to make its way into a watch in a larger size. 

The Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours “Casino” with a green skarn dial

And I really dig the dials of the Vivienne Jump Hours, especially the dial in skarn, a recently-discovered mineral being used for the first time in watchmaking. The fact that it’s a first in watchmaking isn’t especially notable, but green skarn’s texture and colour instantly evoke the green-felt top of a poker table. The other two dial variants for the watch are pretty, but this is perfect.

Beyond the material, the dial decoration is equally impressive. The applied elements are tiny yet remarkably detailed and have a subtle thickness that’s just enough to show depth (the secret to that is that the elements are metallised stickers; more on that below).

More broadly, the Vivienne encapsulates LV’s strengths and weaknesses as a watchmaker. Naturally it excels in distinctive design, a given since it is mainly a fashion house. And from a technical perspective, its in-house dial-making workshop results in impressive versatility and quality in terms of dials, while the mechanical ingenuity of LFDT results in complications like the this jumping hours.

On the other hand, the main shortcoming of LV’s watchmaking is its lack of a proprietary movement (or movements) to serve as the base calibre for watches like the Vivienne. That said, LV is known to be working on its own movement, so that’s a matter of patience.

The ETA 2892 is dressed up with an 18k pink gold rotor

The whimsical mascot

The central motif of the jump hours is Vivienne, the whimsical mascot Louis Vuitton created in 2017. An anthropomorphic character composed of the brand’s monogram emblems, Vivienne has since added a touch of whimsy to LV’s ad campaigns and products.

Vivienne previously made an appearance in the brand’s timepieces, albeit in a more subtle manner with the Tambour Spin Time Air Vivienne of 2021, a variant of the brand’s signature cubic jump hours where the traditional cubes for the hours were replaced by tiny Vivienne figures. 

A Vivienne doll in wood and monogram canvas. Image – Louis Vuitton

The new Tambour continues the tradition of high horology character watches – Gerald Genta’s Disney watches are perhaps the best known – with Vivienne being the star.

The watch indicates minutes conventionally with a central hand that’s actually “invisible” because it’s a tube of transparent sapphire crystal.

While conventional jump hours have a single hour window, usually at six or 12 o’clock, the Vivienne Jump Hours relies on two hour windows positioned asymmetrically.

As the minute hand pass 12 o’clock, the jump hour mechanism is triggered, causing the hour disc to jump and simultaneously switching the hour display from one window to the other. So if it is the left window showing “12”, then “1” will display in the right window at the hour of the hour.

Though mechanically conventional, the jumping hour is presented in a double-window display so the hour display alternates between two windows every hour. Because the hour windows are discreetly positioned as part of the decorative pattern, the resulting visual effect is used to create the impression of cards being dealt or juggling balls.

The jumping hour mechanism is a module on top of the base movement, which adds to the height of the watch.

As a result, although the case is a compact 38 mm, it is relatively thick at 12.21 mm, which is about the same height as the current Rolex Daytona.

The case is either 18k yellow, pink, or white gold, depending on the version

All versions have a rose-cut diamond in the crown

All three versions of the Vivienne Jump Hours have the same movement, but with different, thematic dials. Casino has cards and poker chips spread out, Fortune portrays Vivienne as a fortune teller, and Circus has Vivienne dressed as a ringmaster complete with top hat.

From left: Circus, Casino, and Fortune

The dial material varies across the three. Fortune does it with blue aventurine glass, Circus is in white mother-of-pearl, and the most exotic is Casino, which has a dial made of green skarn, a green stone visually similar to jadeite and maw sit sit.

And the accompanying decoration is naturally different, but it is done in an equally elaborate manner for each model. The dials are set with diamonds, metallised appliqués, and hand-painted elements. On the Fortune model, for instance, Vivienne’s headscarf, jewellery, and cards are all hand painted, while the monogram flowers on the dial are appliqués secured to the dial with adhesive.

Fortune has an aventurine glass dial

While aventurine and mother-of-pearl dials are common, green skarn is unusual. In fact, the Casino model is the first wristwatch to have a green skarn dial.

More accurately known as sannan-skarn, the material is a metamorphic rock first discovered in Pakistan in 2015. Easily mistaken for jadeite or maw sit sit, green skarn has a mottled finish of rich green with black inclusions, making it a perfect substitute for the green felt of a card table.

The Casino model is set with tsavorites and red rubies on its bezel

The new Tambour is powered by the LV 180, an automatic movement customised by La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT), the complications specialist LV acquired in 2012. LFDT is still managed by founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, veteran watchmakers whose careers took them to Patek Philippe and Gerald Genta.

The base of the LV 180 is the workhorse ETA 2892, a robust calibre that can easily handle the energy-intensive needs of a jumping hour. But the movement has been around a long time, so its 42-hour power reserve is shorter than the 70 hours that’s now the industry norm.

Here the ETA 2892 is in its top-of-the-line guise, which means slightly more refined finishing than basic versions of the movement. And the movement is further dressed up with a rose gold rotor featuring the LV monogram. Even so, the Vivienne Jump Hours would probably have been better served with a closed back since the movement is fairly plain, at least for the enthusiasts who knows her calibres.

The LV 180

Concluding thoughts

Dainty and whimsical, the Tambour Slim Vivienne Jump Hours is an elegantly quirky complication with a beautifully executed dial. It manages to combine LV’s exuberant style with a classical complication presented in a clever manner. But a more sophisticated base movement would elevate it to another level altogether.

Key facts and price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Slim Vivienne Jump Hours

Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 12.21 mm
Material: 18K white, pink, or yellow gold, set with diamonds, green tsavorites, or red rubies
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: LV 110
Features: Double aperture jumping hour complication with minutes
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Alligator leather with pin buckle set with diamonds

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price: Price upon request

For more, visit Louisvuitton.com.

The world’s biggest luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has in recent years revealed steadily growing ambitions in haute horlogerie, especially after its acquisition of Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFDT). To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of its namesake founder, the brand created the Tambour Jacquemart Minute Repeater “200 Years”. 

Conceived by LFDT, the Tambour “200 Years” is a one-of-a-kind timepiece that demonstrates its watchmaking division’s mastery of fine watchmaking as well as its appreciation of artisanal craftsmanship: the movement combines both a minute repeater and automaton, while the dial is enamel miniature painting by none other than Anita Porchet.

Initial thoughts

Some two years in the making, the Tambour “200 Years ” exemplifies Louis Vuitton’s development as a maker of haute horlogerie. The movement is impressively complicated, while the dial is nuanced and artisanal. Granted, the watch is huge at almost 48 mm, so it’s far from subtle, but that reflects the house style of Louis Vuitton.

The dial in particular reveals the thought that went into its conception and execution, with the cosmos represented by shaded, translucent blue enamel that is nearly ethereal and complemented by automaton elements sculpted in white gold. The impressionistic depiction of the night sky and planets brings to mind Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Tambour “200 Years” is actually the second impressive (and very big) automaton wristwatch by Louis Vuitton, with the first being the gothic Tambour Carpe Diem rolled out last year that was a limited edition rather than a one-off as the “200 Years” is. As a result, Louis Vuitton seems to be carving out a niche for itself in high-end automaton wristwatches, a rarefied realm with only one consistently serious player, Jaquet Droz.

But its appeal is a moot point as the Tambour “200 Years” is already sold, according to both Louis Vuitton and collectors who enquired after it.

Jacquemart 

The roots of the Tambour “200 Years” originate in the 13th century, when the first jacquemart (French for quarter-jack) were invented. An automaton was composed of a mechanical figure, jacquemart were historically found within tower clocks that struck the time in passing in order to broadcast the time to the public. Traditional jacquemart were typically figures that performed the motion of striking a bell with a hammer, but not literally as it was the clock itself that chimed. 

Louis Vuitton first realised an automaton in a wristwatch with the Carpe Diem in 2021. When the repeater was activated, the dial of the Carpe Diem comes to life, with the snake’s head pivoting from side to side and its tail indicating the minutes on a retrograde scale. It was executed by the all-star team of LFDT, headed by founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, along with artisans Dick Steenman, an engraver specialising in miniatures, and Anita Porchet, whose workshop is regarded as the best in watchmaking.

The Tambour Carpe Diem from 2021

The Tambour “200 Years” was created by the same team. While the Carpe Diem was over-the-top gothic glamour, the Tambour “200 Years” is more gentle in its aesthetic, which is defined by blues and greys. Ms Porchet was responsible for the galactic backdrop for the automaton’s dance. The fired enamel dial depicts celestial bodies with delicate layers of translucent enamel all painted by Ms Porchet’s own hand.

Mr Steenman, on the other hand, created nine miniatures in white gold – the planets, monogram flowers, and a spaceship – that come to life as the automaton engages when the minute repeater is triggered.

A traditional side on the left of the case activates the minute repeater that both starts the chiming process as well as the automaton. The mechanical performance unfolds the spaceship swivelling from side to side, while a hatch on its fuselage slides open to showcase two diamonds inside. At the same time the planets and stars rotate on their respective axes. 

According to the brand, the drum-like Tambour case was redesigned for the “200 Years” in order to echo the design of space capsule. The redesigned case also incorporates a discreet bit of bling: a line of graduated blue, baguette-cut gemstones on the minute repeater slide matched by delta-shaped gem setting on the bezel at six o’clock.

Notably, the case is two-tone with its middle and back in titanium, a lightweight alloy that resonates better than denser precious metals, while the bezel, lugs, and repeater slide are in 18k white gold.

The LV 200 movement inside is based on the minute repeating calibre developed by LFDT that equips most of Louis Vuitton’s striking watches. It is manual wind and has a lengthy power reserve of 100 hours.

This particular version of the movement utilises cathedral goings that are longer than usual for louder and deeper chimes. While traditional gongs that generally circle the movement once, cathedral gongs are twice the length. Another feature unique to this movement is the bright, metallic blue coating on the bridges to match the dial.

Key facts and price

Louis Vuitton Jacquemart Minute Repeater “200 Years”
Ref. Q1EN1

Diameter: 46.8 mm
Height: 15.2 mm
Material: White gold and titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: LV 200
Functions: Hours, minutes, minute repeater with cathedral gongs, and automaton
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 100 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with 18k gold folding clasp

Limited edition: Piece unique
Availability: Already sold
Price: Approximately US$1 million

For more, visit Louisvuitton.com.

Independent watchmaking has been gaining rapid momentum in the last three years. Young and talented watchmakers have emerged to seek recognition (and sometimes riches) in the mould of Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, and François-Paul Journe. Now the field is about to get the nod of approval from the luxury-goods establishment, with Louis Vuitton having announced the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. Conceived to promote “horological creativity”, the award begins in 2023 with a broad remit. It is open to anyone in watchmaking and watch design, and even from fields related to horology.

Initial thoughts

As the world’s largest luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has unsurprisingly been making high-end watches for some time – last year was the 20th anniversary of its first mechanical wristwatch. Following its acquisition of Geneva movement maker La Fabrique du Temps in 2012, the brand’s ambitions have grown, resulting in impressively complicated watches like the Tambour Carpe Diem, a minute repeater with automaton. From that perspective, the Louis Vuitton prize is a natural extension of the brand’s progress as a watchmaker, a way for Louis Vuitton to make known its commitment to high-end watchmaking. 

The fact that Louis Vuitton is using its considerable resources – the brand’s 2021 revenue was in the region of €15 billion – to support independent watchmakers is a welcome development. The prize money is substantial, reputedly in the low six figures, which will be helpful for new watchmakers, especially one-man operations, who tend to have a tough time getting started in ordinary times (the hyper demand enjoyed by the industry during the pandemic was an exception).

The Tambour Carpe Diem, the winner of the Audacity Prize at the 2021 GPHG

Also important is the fact that the prize is open to one and all. When Jean Arnault, the Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton, announced the prize on his personal social media account, he stressed the competition is inclusive; everyone and anyone who wants to participate will be able to submit an application.

While the fact a mega luxury conglomerate is seeking to recognise fine watchmaking of the smallest possible scale might raise some eyebrows, Mr Arnault has taken care to ensure the credibility of the prize with a jury composed of industry veterans that include journalists and prominent watch collectors, similar to that of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve.

The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize might just emerge as the best avenue for emerging watchmakers to get their name out there while gaining much-needed financial support, hopefully allowing them to push the envelope and create some genuinely incredible watches.

The competitive process

According to Louis Vuitton, the competition begins with prospective candidates submitting their respective creative projects to the dedicated prize website, which is open from now until May 2023. By September 2023, a committee of industry experts will be convened by Louis Vuitton to whittle down the submissions to 20 semi-finalists who will be announced online. 

The committee will then deliberate and evaluate the semi-finalists along five criteria: design, creativity, innovation, craftsmanship, and technical complexity. In December 2023, the committee will elect from its ranks a five-member jury that will select the five finalists. The final audition and interview of the finalists by the jury will take place in Paris in January 2024, followed by the announcement of the very first winner of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives.

At work in La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in Meyrin, Geneva. Image – Louis Vuitton.

The winner of the prize will receive a monetary grant and a one-year mentorship at the La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFDT), the brand’s watchmaking division. Guided by LDFT founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, the prize winner will embark on a mentorship catered towards his or her creative style. Along with this, the winner will receive support from a dedicated team at Louis Vuitton that will assist with his or her brand’s business fundamentals, namely marketing, legal aspects like copyright, and even the financials of a startup.

For more, visit louisvuittonwatchprize.com.

Louis Vuitton is now in its 20th year as a watchmaker. In that time it has gone from basic, ETA-powered watches to a variety of impressive complications, including its signature Spin Time, and even a minute repeater with automaton. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton (LV) has just announced the Tambour Twenty Chronograph, a remake modelled on the brand’s first serious mechanical timepiece.

The two-decade journey has seen LV’s watchmaking division evolve from a shared space inside TAG Heuer’s factory to its own expansive facility in Geneva that includes not only a complications workshop but also its own dial-making facility. While LV does make some of its own movements now, the Tambour Twenty is a nod to its origins as a watchmaker. The 200-piece limited edition is modelled on the Tambour LV277 of 2003, the brand’s first chronograph that was powered by the Zenith El Primero.

Initial thoughts

Despite its odd proportions – a big case with tall, sloping sides and narrow lugs – the Tambour case is attractive in my eyes. And it’s distinctive and recognisable although its form is fairly simple. In short, it’s a successful design. The Tambour works especially well with complications since that gives its size – especially its thickness – a sense of purpose.

Ordinarily I am not a fan of brown dials, but this is one of the few dials in the colour that looks good. LV executes its dials well – most of them are made in-house – and the reflective metallic brown on the dial is both nuanced and striking. At some angles it’s a muted, dark hue but when it catches the light just rich it’s a rich, reddish-brown.

Notably, the anniversary branding on the dial is inconspicuous. That runs counter to the usual LV branding, which is obvious. That would usually be a good thing, but here it leaves little to set this apart from the run-of-the-mill Tambour chronograph containing an ETA movement.

Like the very first LV chronograph, the Tambour Twenty is powered by the El Primero, a storied movement that’s been dressed up slightly more than usual so the view from the back is more attractive than for the typical El Primero.

The open-worked rotor in 22k rose gold

I like everything about the watch except the price of US$17,800, which is steep, but not exactly.

The Tambour Twenty is not only an El Primero chronograph with a steel case. Like all fancier LV watches, it is delivered in a trunk, one that’s mini in size but nonetheless a full-fledged trunk covered in monogram canvas with brass corners and hinges.

Comparably sized trunks cost about US$4,500 according to LV’s online store, so the box presumably accounts for almost a third of the retail price, which helps justify a good portion of the price.

The mini trunk is far nicer than majority of watch boxes, but it is still just a box for a single watch. So it has little use being being a decorative object. I would prefer the watch sans box for a third less, but the trunk is an integral part of the Louis Vuitton proposition so there’s no escaping it.

Two decades on

LV began its watchmaking division in 2002 in a modest manner by taking a space within TAG Heuer’s premises in La Chaux-de-Fonds. A year later, LV turned to another LVMH company for movements, which resulted in the COSC-certified Tambour LV277 Chronograph powered by the Zenith El Primero. Notably, it was around the period that a few notable brands also began using the El Primero movement for their automatic chronograph offerings, including Parmigiani in 2000 and Daniel Roth a few years before.

A decade later the division moved to Geneva and into the expanded La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT), which LV has acquired just the year before. With LFDT, LV has the capability to create movements far more complex than the El Primero, but the venerable chronograph movement is appropriate for an anniversary edition (and perhaps LV had 200 movements in a drawer somewhere).

Besides movements, the most impressive aspect of LFDT is the dial-making workshop. Few watch brands have a cadranier in-house, let alone one that is able to precisely machine delicate materials like mother-of-pearl and mineral stone, while also doing miniature painting in acrylic.

The dial workshop also has its own galvanic (and presumably PVD) coating department, which allows LV access to a full spectrum of metallic dial colours. So it’s unsurprisingly that the dial colours found on LV watches are often attractively executed in both finish and colour.

Echoing the colour of LV trunks, the brown dial has a radially-brushed surface with a galvanic finish, resulting in a metallic sheen that catches the light just right.

While the dial is excellent, the hands feel a bit too basic. Granted, they reproduce those found on the first-generation Tambour chronograph of 2003, but they still do feel out of place on such a watch in 2022

The dial layout is surprisingly balanced, despite the relatively small movement inside the case. While the two counters at three and nine do sit far from the edge of the dial, the counters themselves are compact so they appear relatively centred on each half of the dial.

At the same time, the camouflaged 12-hour register at six o’clock lightens the visual heft of the lower half of the dial and also serves to balance the two lines of branding under 12 o’clock.

On the subject of branding, the dial is perhaps too subtle in its anniversary notation on the six o’clock register. “Twenty” in yellow is discreet and invisible at a distance, making it difficult to discern between this and the standard Tambour chronograph powered by an ETA movement.

A big drum

Easily identifiable as a LV design, the case is modelled on a drum, hence tambour, which translates as “drum”. As is typical for LV, the branding on the case is bold – the 12 letters of the brand name are engraved on the case sides – although it is only visible in profile.

The outline of the case is simple, but it is rendered in a high quality manner. The polishing is done well, while the soldered lugs are slightly more challenging to pull off than integral lugs.

Already a chunky shape, the Tambour case becomes even larger with a chronograph movement inside. It’s 41.5 mm wide and
13.2 mm tall, with the sloping  sides accentuating its thickness.

But the large size works, both visually and ergonomically. This watch has presence on the wrist. Conversely, a scaled-down Tambour loses its character, as evidenced by past attempts to refine the original design. And it wears well, thanks in part to the short, low-set lugs.

What I would have wished for is a changed in materials. Polished titanium, for instance, would be indistinguishable from steel at a distance, but it would be substantially light in hand. That would have been a subtle but meaningful way of differentiating the anniversary edition from its predecessors.

El Primero

Christened the LV277, the inside looks substantially fancier than the average El Primero, primarily due to the open-worked rotor in 22k rose gold. Besides the rotor, the additional decoration applied to this version of the movement is modest, namely a reworked chronograph bridge with Cotes de Geneve and gilded engraving. But because the rotor occupies half the back, it gives the movement a wholly new look.

Visuals aside, the movement is identical to the standard El Primero. The balance runs at 36,000 beats per hour, or 5 Hz, while its chronograph is controlled by a column wheel and engaged via a lateral clutch.

That made the El Primero cutting edge in 1969, but it is now quite dated. The calibre also has elements that are now out of place in a high-end chronograph. That explains why fact Zenith itself is in the process of phasing out the original El Primero 400 in favour of the new El Primero 3600.

Consequently, the Tambour Twenty won’t win any prizes in terms of tech, but it is a fitting calibre for an anniversary edition that’s inspired by the 2003 original. At the same time, the El Primero is storied enough that is remains an appealing calibre, for its history if nothing else.

The blued steel column wheel

Concluding thoughts

Distinctively LV in terms of style, the Tambour Twenty is a good-looking watch with an especially appealing dial. At the same time, it has good technical content thanks to the El Primero within. The only downside is the price that is mitigated, but only partially, by the miniature trunk.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Chronograph
Ref. QA174

Diameter: 41.5 mm
Height: 13.2 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water-resistance: 100 m

Movement: LV 277 (Zenith El Primero 400)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Alligator inlay with pin buckle

Limited edition: 200 pieces
Availability: Now at Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price: US$17,800, or 24,400 Singapore dollars

For more, visit louisvuitton.com

Since it acquired Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps in 2012 Louis Vuitton has been steadily growing and refining its complicated watch offering. Last year it debuted the Carpe Diem minute repeater with automaton, the most complex watch LDFT has developed to date.

But the signature completion of Louis Vuitton (LV) is still the patented three-dimensional jumping hours known as Spin Time. The complication relies on 12 cubes to indicate the hours, rotating one by one every hour.

Since its introduction in 2009, the Spin Time has been iterated into a variety of formats, including a GMT, regatta countdown chronograph, and most recently a glow-in-the-dark extravaganza. But its most refined form is arguably the Spin Time Air launched in 2019 that has a dozen “floating” cubes arrayed around a movement suspended between the front and back crystals.

Initial thoughts

The Spin Time Air has all the elements of an interesting watch. Both transparent and striking, the “floating” display brings to mind historical mystery timepieces, with the tall Tambour case serving as the perfect frame for the suspended display.

But it is the cubic hour display sets it apart. The hour display is truly unique, even when compared against the most exotic in independent watchmaking. It brings to mind Urwerk’s cubic display found in the UR-210, but that’s a three-dimensional reinterpretation of the wandering hours, whereas the Spin Time is actually an innovative take on the jumping hours.

Not only visually interesting, the Spin Time also functions in a tangible manner. In a quiet room the crisp click as the hour cube rotates is easily audible. It is a pleasant and reassuring reminder that the mechanics are running.

Legibility of the Spin Time display is excellent, except in the seconds just before and just after the top of the hour. In that brief period it can sometimes be difficult to figure out if the cube is showing the current hour or the one that just passed. Such minor inconveniences are integral to most unorthodox time displays, so that isn’t so much a criticism as a fact.

But the plain base movement that underpins the LV 88 is a fact. It’s likely an ETA automatic, a movement that is mechanically sound and definitely problem-free, but one that isn’t fancy or elaborate enough for a watch like this.

That said, LV is still in the stages of honing its complications so it’s forgivable at least for now. Urwerk, for instance, used the ETA Peseux 7001 for most of its early offerings. I expect the Spin Time display will one day be paired with an in-house calibre, or at least a fancier base, which would complete the package.

Starting at €60,000 in its most basic variation with a gold case, the Spin Time Air might seem like an expensive proposition, but it is actually priced well when compared to similar watches. The most obvious comparison is Urwerk, which offers the slightly simpler, wandering-hours UR-110 for about the same. And the Urwerk UR-210 and UR-220 are more complicated (and also rely on cube displays), but cost twice as much. While it’s difficult to see the Spin Time Air as a value buy (or anything made by LV for that matter), it is certainly fairly priced.

Making the jump

Powered by the LV 88 movement, the Spin Time Air gets its name from the suspended cubes that indicate the hours and are essentially a three-dimensional jump hour mechanism.

At the top of every hour, the respective cube makes a 90° jump to indicate the current hour. Because each cube has four faces, they also function as a day and night display: the black face indicates nighttime, while the yellow face means day. Other versions of the Spin Time use a variety of colours or gemstones to differentiate between day and night.

A yellow-on-black “V” indicates 3 pm

While the inverse indicate 3 am

Mechanically, the hour display mechanism is executed in as straightforward a manner possible. But this doesn’t mean it is simple, rather it has been cleverly engineered to be robust, easily to operate as well as foolproof. The mechanism, for instance, incorporates a safety feature that prevents damage to the jump hour mechanism if the crown is turned backwards.

Overview of the Spin Time hour display mechanism

The base movement inside is basically an ETA automatic without an hour hand. Instead, the cannon pinion that drives the minute hand also powers the hour display mechanism.

The cannon pinion has a shaped cam (1) fixed to its axis, along with a free-spinning snail cam (2) directly underneath the fixed cam. The snail cam rotates on the cannon pinion, but is dragged along by the shaped cam via a pin (3) that extends from the underside of the shaped cam and hooks into a slot within the snail cam. As a result, the pin travels along the slot before it catches and rotates the snail cam.

This entire assembly completes one rotation every 60 minutes. At the end of 60 minutes, it drives the hour jump mechanism starting with the snail cam pushing the hour lever (4), then storing energy in a V-shaped spring (5). The hour lever is subsequently released by the tip of the snail cam and propelled by the spring. This instantaneously causes the actuation pawl (6) on the opposite end of the hour lever to impulse the hour disc (7).

The hour disc is a ring with 12 teeth on its inner edge, along with two adjacent notches (11) on side edge of its rim. And each hour cube (9) is fixed to a Maltese cross gear on its innermost face (10). Maltese cross gears are typically used to create periodic motion, which is in case is once every 60 minutes.

The twin notches are responsible for driving the hour cubes, by rotating the respective Maltese cross by 90°. The twin adjacent notches are needed to simultaneously rotate the current hour cube to the “off” position while rotating the next hour cube to the time-telling face.

The safety mechanism of the hour display lies in the separate cams – one shaped and the other snail – on the canon piñon. They allow the minutes to be set backwards without jamming the hour mechanism.

When the crown is turned backwards (anti-clockwise in other words), the minute hand travels in reverse while the cubes remain stationary. This is because the shaped cam lifts the hour lever out of the way of the snail cam’s vertical face, disengaging the jumping mechanism and preventing damage to the components.

While the clever and complex cubic jump hour mechanism is a module made by La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT), the base movement is a compact automatic calibre that’s probably an ETA 2671 (or its clone, the Sellita SW100). Because the cubes “float” on the periphery of the dial, the movement is confined to the narrow innermost diameter of the case. Originally developed for ladies’ watches, the ETA 2671 is a perfect fit for the tiny space available.

The LV logo on the back conceals the movement

While the base movement is unquestionably robust – and importantly delivers enough torque through the gear train to reliably drive the hour display mechanism – it is still an ETA.

Accomplished independent watchmakers with similar unconventional displays, namely Urwerk and Ludovic Ballouard, do (or did in Urwerk’s case) turn to ETA for base movements, but an in-house calibre would certainly elevate the Spin Time Air to the highest level of complications. And if for nothing else, a new calibre would have a longer power reserve than the short 35 hours of the LV 88.

The drum

Introduced in 2002 with the first high-end Louis Vuitton wristwatch, the Tambour is now the brand’s signature watch case. Tambour translates as “drum”, which can also be discerned from the tall, sloping sides of the case.

With its tall sides, absence of a bezel, and oddly narrow lugs, the proportions of the Tambour case are peculiar but somehow they work. The design is distinctive without being over the top, while also being surprisingly wearable despite the large diameter.

Standing over 12 mm high, the case is thick, but that allows it to accommodate inventive complications like the Spin Time, which require space to realise. At the same time, a thin Tambour case just wouldn’t have the same visual impact.

While I appreciate the look and feel of the Tambour case, the lugs can only take straps with a specially-shaped end, which limits strap options to those supplied by LV. That is a downside as I prefer the variety possible with custom-made straps.

Liberally monogrammed

If there’s one criticism to be made of the case and dial, it is the excessive branding. The brand name or emblem can be found on the case flanks, crown, and back, and twice more on the dial. Granted the branding on the case is not especially obvious, but the oversized “LV” on the dial is hard to miss, even if it’s fairly subtle in a different shade of grey.

That said, LV is a brand that generally celebrates flamboyance, so the aesthetic of the watch is certainly in keeping with the house style.

Branding aside, the dial is attractively executed. Like the dials of LV’s other high horology watches, this dial is made in-house at LFDT in a dial workshop that even produces semi-precious stone and mother-of-pearl dials. While dial maker might seem like a secondary activity, it is a crucial skill that few brands have managed to vertically integrate. Because LV fabricates all of its own dials, it offers practically unlimited dial personalisation options, ranging from materials to colours to printing.

Varied surface finishing is employed to create different yet complementary textures. The cubes, for instance, are linearly brushed in a radial manner, while the chapter ring and flange are both concentrically brushed. That pattern is echoed by the central portion of the dial, which is stamped with a concentric guilloche.

Although simple in appearance, the cubes are impressive up close. All four faces are linearly brushed, while the edges are chamfered (via milling in a CNC machine). They are also challenging to print because each cube has to be consistent with the others, namely the letter has to be centred and printed with identical thickness. This can only be achieved by printing all 12 cubes of one dial simultaneously.

According to the manager of the dial-making workshop, trial and error with a variety of printing techniques led to inconsistent results in the early batches of cubes. Consequently, he developed a custom tool that holds all 12 cubes at once, enabling them to be printed simultaneously with the same pad. Each cube is then rotated by hand within the tool before the next face is printed.

Concluding thoughts

Because LV is a primarily fashion and leather goods brand, its complicated watches are often disdained by watch enthusiasts who fancy themselves to be sophisticated – and same applies to watches from Chanel.

The Spin Time Air is a genuinely novel complication that is clever and functional, tangible proof that a fashion house can excel in serious watchmaking. Granted the ETA base should be replaced with something more refined, but I am sure that will happen in time.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air
Ref. Q1EG5

Diameter: 42.5 mm
Height: 12.3 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water-resistance: 50 m

Movement: LV 88
Functions: Hours on jumping cubes, minute hand
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 35 hours

Strap: Alligator inlay with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price: €60,000 including VAT

For more, visit louisvuitton.com

A surprising combination of mechanics and electronics, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum is the latest watch to emerge from La Fabrique du Temps, the manufacture acquired by luxury giant in 2011. The Quantum is a new take on the brand’s signature complication – a hidden LED ring lights up the 12 cubes of the jumping hours.

Initial thoughts

The Spin Time is an original and distinctive concept that doesn’t get recognition it should, largely due to the fact that Louis Vuitton is all about fashion and leather goods. And the complication took more than a decade to mature into what it is.

The Spin Time was launched in 2009 as a regatta countdown, which wasn’t especially interesting (while also being expensive at the time). It was only with the Spin Time Air that the complication became truly noteworthy, but the length of time required to get there meant some momentum was lost.

I like the complication, though it is also hindered by the modest base movement (more on that below).

Basically a Spin Time Air with a dose of levity, the Quantum doesn’t take itself too seriously, but preserves all the mechanics of the Spin Time complication. It’s a smart take on the light-up mechanical watch, the first one that manages a long-lasting bright light.

Though the aesthetic is largely two colours, it is a loud design, especially with the oversized “LV” on the dial. But that is exactly the point, and I do like the over the top nature of many of Louis Vuitton’s designs (for something monochromatic and low key there is always Chanel).

Like many of the brand’s other watches, the Quantum is a large watch, though it feels smaller both visually and tangibly. The black-coated case reduces its visual footprint, while the fact that it’s titanium means it’s lightweight. And it is unusually light, because the case has fairly thin walls due to the width of the cubic display.

Where the watch does fall short is the base movement, which is an ETA or Sellita automatic. Granted Urwerk started out with the ETA Peseux as a base and Ludovic Ballouard still does, but the expectation today is at least a high-end outsourced movement or a proprietary calibre.

Either would make the Spin Time far more compelling. But given the trajectory of Louis Vuitton’s development as a watchmaker, an in-house movement doesn’t look to be far off. That would elevate the appeal of the Spin Time (though it would probably be accompanied by a equally elevated price hike).

Cubic display

Louis Vuitton debuted the Spin Time in 2009, the same year Ludovic Ballouard introduced his Upside Down. However, the first Spin Time was neither refined nor sophisticated as it was essentially a cubic regatta countdown function with five cubes to count the time before a yacht race. The concept became truly impressive with the “floating” Spin Time Air that debuted a few years ago.

At 42 mm wide and a bit over 12 mm high, the case is not large, though it feels bigger than it is due to the tall, sloping flanks and narrow lugs, though the DLC finish leaves it seeming a bit smaller than usual

The Quantum is essentially a conventional Spin Time Air with the addition of a compact LED ring. Though it’s not the first mechanical wristwatch with a light module – De Bethune and Van Cleef & Arpels have done it before – the Quantum is the first one to have a light function that is durable and bright.

Its luminosity is a consequence of the approach taken. Past watches with similar functions relied on a dynamo, which necessarily produces a dim and short-lived illumination. The De Bethune DB28GS, for instance, uses the mainspring to power the dynamo, which means that the power reserve diminishes rapidly as the LED is activated.

In contrast, Quantum opts for a simple but effective solution, a pair of watch batteries. Activated by a button in the crown, LED ring lights up for three seconds, but also remains lit as long as the pusher is depressed. The batteries are enough to keep it going for three years even with the LED ring being “activated six to seven times a day, every day” according to Louis Vuitton.

The LED ring was developed by a Swiss electronics specialist, which was given a mandate of an unchanged case size as well as easy serviceability. As a result, the LED ring adds nothing to the overall dimensions of the case. Both the standard model and Quantum have exactly the same external dimensions.

And serviceability led to the two standard watch batteries secured by a discrete battery holder. The batteries can be quickly replaced at a Louis Vuitton store without having to touch the rest of the movement.

While the standard Spin Time Air has a “mystery” rotor visible, the Quantum has a metallised circuit board emblem on the glass back

The LED ring is an add-on module that has no mechanical connection to the movement, leaving the mechanical aspect of the Quantum unchanged, so the time display operates in exactly the same way as in a standard Spin Time Air.

It’s a three-dimensional jumping hour display with a conventional minute hand. The dial has 12 cubes, each rotating twice a day to indicate the current hour. When the minute hand passes 12 o’clock, both the cubes for the preceding and current hours jump. The preceding hour cube rotates to show a yellow face, while the current hour flips to show a black face, indicating the time.

The time shown is 5:43

The jumping cube mechanism is a module that sits on the base movement. Louis Vuitton is tight lipped about the base, but it is probably a Sellita SW100 or ETA 2671 (both largely identical, with the former being a “clone” of the latter), workhorse movements developed for ladies watches.

Like most such displays, the Spin Time relies on a Maltese cross gear for the jumping motion, but executed in an unconventional manner. Because the cubes are three dimensional – as opposed to the flat, single-plane display of conventional jumping hours – each cube is driven by a Maltese cross positioned perpendicular to the plane of the movement.

More unorthodox is the mounting of the movement within the case. It is held in place by two sapphire discs, a full disc on the front and another on the back, plus a donut-shaped plate midway along the height of the movement.

On the standard Spin Time Air the donut-shaped plate is also sapphire, creating the impression of a floating or “mysterious” movement, though it is not the case with the Quantum as the donut-shaped plate is DLC-coated brass. The brass plate is necessary due to the electronics module that sits on the back of the movement.

The standard Spin Time Air with its “floating” display

While the standard Spin Time Air has cubes made of aluminium, the Quantum has them in fused silica, a type of glass that composed almost entirely of silicon dioxide. The high purity makes it especially useful for optical applications.

While the four faces of the cubes that indicate the hours are printed with the letters of the brand name, the chamfered edges as well as top and bottom faces of the cubes remain clear. As a result, the white light from the LEDs positioned on the top face of each cube creates the appearance that the cubes are lit  from within.

Though not apparent due to the black finish, the dial is surprisingly detailed, especially with the flange around the cubes that serves as a cover for the LED ring. The flange is frosted but features an inner rim and hour markers that are milled with a diamond-tipped bit, giving them a mirrored finish.

The plate under the cubes is decorated with perlage that is only visible up close

Concluding thoughts

With its simple but effective approach of LEDs powered by batteries, the Quantum is the most useful light-up mechanical watch to date. And the concept is a perfect complement for the Spin Time complication. It could be improved with a superior base movement, but that is a matter of time.

Key Facts and Price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum
Ref. Q1DG2

Diameter: 42.5 mm
Height:  12.3 mm
Material: Titanium with DLC coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water-resistance: 50 m

Movement: LV 68
Functions: Hours on jumping cubes, minutes, and LED light function
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 35 hours

Strap: Rubber with alligator inlay

Limited edition: 100 pieces
Availability: Deliveries from June 2022
Price: US$93,000

For more, visit louisvuitton.com

Now in its fifth year of smartwatches, Louis Vuitton has just unveiled the latest generation of its “connected” watch, the Tambour Horizon Light Up.

Still easily recognisable as a Louis Vuitton watch, and looking more like a watch than a device – that is the point of it – the Light Up is a thoughtful evolution of the concept, bringing with it a rounded, edge-to-edge screen and redesigned case. The result is a surprisingly attractive watch, albeit one that is amongst the priciest smartwatches on the market.

The Light Up gets its name from the “rainbow” bezel powered by two dozen LEDs

Initial thoughts

Smartwatches with screens generally fall into two categories. One comes from the likes of Apple and Samsung, gadgets for the wrist that are evidently electronic devices. And the other are those from traditional watchmakers, ranging from TAG Heuer to Montblanc, which are typically resemble large wrist instruments for sports. With its simple case and discreet buttons, the Light Up clearly just wants to be a watch – and it succeeds.

It is a (very) luxe smartwatch, so it’s not for everyone, but there’s no denying that the Light Up is appealing as a watch with intelligent features. With its Ressence-like case and whimsical features, the watch avoids the oversized wrist gadget look, and perfectly encapsulates the brand’s design prowess and house style.

Left to right: the steel case in a polished finish, matte black PVD, and matte brown PVD

And the Light Up is, of course, more expensive than the typical smartwatch, which is a moot point because it was clearly conceived as a luxury timepiece first and an electronic device second. From that perspective, the Light Up excels, especially in terms of its distinctive styling that is more watch and less gadget. But because it is a gadget, it comes with the experience of seeing the rainbow LEDs do their thing – which drains the battery but is worth it.

That said, the available faces for the Light Up are all digital. A face with hands would be useful, especially given the design of the watch.

Lit

The biggest improvement of the Light Up over the previous generation smartwatch is the redesigned case and crystal. Unlike the earlier version had a flat screen (and the concave Tambour Moon case), the Light Up has a curved crystal that flows almost seamlessly into the case, which instantly brings to mind the liquid-filled time case of Ressence – the irony there is that the signature Ressence wristwatch is mechanical but resembles a smartwatch.

And the case middle of the Light Up returns to the original Tambour case that was launched in 2002, the year Louis Vuitton started making watches. French for drum, the Tambour was defined by its broad sloped flanks, which give the Light Up a pebble-like feel.

The bears an engraved LV logo filled in black lacquer

Function-wise the Light Up remains similar to its predecessor. So it’s compatible with Android, iOS and HarmonyOS, with smartphone apps available for each operating system.

It has all of the key functions expected of a smartwatch, including the heart rate monitor that was absent in previous generations of the watch. And it boasts several extras unique to Louis Vuitton, such as the “My Travel” app that tracks the logistics of a trip, as well as “City Guides”, a compendium of guidebooks for key cities.

And because it’s a Louis Vuitton smart, a series of whimsical dials are available, including seasonal specials like an animated tiger for the Chinese Lunar New Year. And the faces are complemented by a selection of watch bands, including the signature LV Monogram, leather, and rubber, all of which feature the brand’s propriety quick-release mechanism.

Just in time for the Lunar New Year, with 2022 being the Year of Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac

Key Facts and Price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Light Up

Diameter: 44 mm
Height: 13.2 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Processor: Snapdragon Wear 4100
Power reserve: 1 day

Strap: Rubber, frabic, or leather strap

Availability: Now at Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price:
Polished steel case with fabric or rubber strap – US$3,400
PVD coated steel case with fabric or rubber strap – US$4,100

For more, visit louisvuitton.com.

Unveiled during Watches & Wonders 2021, Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem Automaton Minute Repeater made its debut alongside highly complicated watches from mainstream watchmakers – but it holds its own in mechanical complexity and metiers d’art decoration against the best of them.

Initial thoughts

Louis Vuitton’s mechanical watches are impressive, and often don’t get enough respect from watch enthusiasts because of the often ostentatious design. But I respect the quality of concept and execution, and like several of the watches (and own one of them). The flagship complication for 2021 is typical Louis Vuitton in terms of design, but creative in its mechanics and polished in its artisanal decoration.

The Carpe Diem is essentially a modern day vanitas – a work of art symbolising the transience of material goods and fragility of life. At the same time, it encapsulates many of the favoured themes in modern-day watchmaking – complex movements, artisanal decoration, and over-the-top style.

Although the Carpe Diem is massive and extreme, the craftsmanship evident on the dial is delicate and refined. The engraving on the skull is fine, and even more intricate on the snake, which is enamelled in exceptional detail.

All of the metiers d’art on the dial is as good as that on watches from mainstream watchmakers. At the same time, the movement is technically competent and properly finished, given its La Fabrique du Temps provenance.

But the watch is a lot of watch, in terms of size and style. It’s probably outlandish for many – it’s certainly too much for me – but the quality is excellent. But for someone who appreciates artisanal decoration and mechanical complexity, while finding classical minute repeaters too mundane, this is certainly it.

One of the most surprising details of the Carpe Diem is the hand-engraved relief emblem on the crown

Automaton action

The dial of the Carpe Diem is actually comprised of automata – mechanisms that move when the minute repeater is activated with the the snake-shaped button at two o’clock. Unfortunately the example in the photos was a non-functional prototype, so we weren’t able to capture the watch in action.

Sometimes known as a jacquemart (which traditionally refer to moving human figures on clocks), the automata move simultaneously over 16 seconds as the repeater strikes the time. The operation of the repeater thus tells the time in two ways: sounded out with the hammers and gongs of the repeater, and visually as the automata reveal the hours and minutes on the dial.

Revealed as the snake pivots away from the skull’s forehead, the hour numeral is visible in a diamond-shaped aperture. At the same time, minutes are indicated by the snake’s tail, which travels upwards to point to the correct marking on the minute scale, before returning back to zero in a retrograde motion. The scant markings on the minute scale means that the minutes can only be read approximately, but the time can still be told precisely by listening to the minute repeater.

The other automatons on the dial are for pure visual spectacle. A lattice with eight pivots contracts over the left eye socket, transforming the emblem within from the rounded, four-petaled flower into a four-pointed star, both elements of the Louis Vuitton monogram. And the jaw of the skull opens as if to speak, proclaiming “Carpe Diem” between the two rows of enamelled teeth.

The final display on the dial is the power reserve indicator, which is not part of the automata and within the hour glass at 11 o’clock. It’s indicated by the levels of gold dust within the hour glass, with the upper half of the hour glass indicating full wind, and the lower half filling up as the mainspring unwinds.

The minute scale has Arabic numerals for the tens and red diamonds for the half hours

Tambour

The signature watch case of Louis Vuitton, Tambour is French for “drum”, explaining the large diameter and sloped sides. Simple but distinctive, the Tambour case is attractive – I like it – but it is appears large, even when moderate in size.

As a result, the Carpe Diem seems even bigger than its large 46.8 mm diameter. That said, the case wears reasonably well, because the Tambour relies on short, narrowly-spaced lugs. The lugs are one key element of the Tambour case, another is the brand name on the sides of the bezel, with each letter representing an hour.

The size is a necessity resulting from the movement, which fills up most of the space within the case. Few, if any, automaton-repeater wristwatches from the last couple of years are small. Jaquet Droz, for instance, makes a variety of minute repeaters with automatons, which are 43 mm at the smallest and 47 mm at the most complex.

Memento mori

Though the skull motif is popular enough today to seem fashionable, it is a classical theme in Western art. And it is rendered with classical techniques, namely enamel and hand engraving, each done by a noted specialist.

The entirety of the dial is engraved, from the surface to all of the elements over it. That was the work of Art&D, a Geneva workshop led by Dick Steenman that has long been one of the leading specialists for decoration work that also includes gemstone setting.

Most striking is the skull, which is solid gold and finely textured to resemble bone, but with polished sections in the Louis Vuitton monogram.

Much of the rest of the dial is engraved and then enamelled by Anita Porchet, who often works with Mr Steenman on dials. Ms Porchet, whose workshop includes a handful of fellow artisans, is the most famous enameller in watchmaking, and a brand unto herself.

Several enamelling techniques are applied to the dial. The dial itself, for instance, is engraved with the Louis Vuitton monogram and then covered in translucent grey enamel, a method known as champleve. Even more appropriately, the teeth are each finished in glossy white enamel, typically known as grand feu enamel, with the amusing exception of a single gold tooth.

The dial is enamelled and then the power reserve scale and brand name are added as flat metal appliqués in appropriately Gothic font

The sapphire bubble of the hour glass means the power reserve is visible only from the front

Also finished in champleve enamel is the star of the dial, the golden serpent. Hand engraved with a finely-scaled skin that incorporates the brand’s monogram, the snake is slender and quite flat, but appears three-dimensional and vibrant as a result of the colour and intricate detail.

Admittedly, the watch is pictured is the non-functional prototype, and snake is not quite perfect upon extreme magnification, but it remains an impressive sample of the Porchet workshop’s art.

The snake’s forked tongue is almost a hair’s width in size

LFDT

The LV525 movement within is based on the minute repeater calibre constructed by La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT), the Geneva-based complications specialist that Louis Vuitton acquired in 2012 as the foundation of its watchmaking division.

LDFT is still led by its founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, both veteran watchmakers whose resumes include stints at Patek Philippe and Gerald Genta in its 1990s heyday. Amongst watch enthusiasts their best known work is perhaps the tourbillon as well as micro-rotor automatic movements of Laurent Ferrier.

Found in its standard configuration in several other minute repeaters, including those of Laurent Ferrier, the movement is paired with an automata module that drives all of the moving parts on the dial. The automata up the part count of the movement by about half – the base minute repeater calibre is made up of approximately 300 parts, while the part count here is 426.

The aesthetics of the movement echo the dial, thanks to a skull-shaped plate installed over the bridges. With the base movement rotated 45 degrees from its usual position, resulting in the crown sitting just past four o’clock, it’s neatly positioned such that the apertures in the skull reveal key parts of the movement. In between the jaws sits the balance wheel, while the nose reveals the centre wheel of the going train, and the left eye contains the pivot jewel of the mainspring.

The screwed balance wheel in between the jaws

With two arms that spread as it spins, creating air resistance, the governor regulates the striking of the repeater

Precise and clean, the movement decoration is also thorough. Jewels and screws sit in countersinks, while the wheels have chamfered spokes in inner edges. But the finishing feels mechanical, and lacks the artisanal refinement of hand finishing. The bevels on the bridges, for instance, are accomplished with a milling machine, creating wide, flat bevels that have fine vertical striations that are traces of the milling process.

A notable detail is the skeletonised escape wheel made via LIGA

Concluding thoughts

Technically impressive with its repeater and automata, the Carpe Diem is as notable for the fine dial decoration. And it is also interesting in both design and complication. It is stands apart from most many highly complicated watches, which tend to be traditional in all respects.

But the showy aesthetic of the watch means its appeal is narrow. Though what it does is not for everyone, the Carpe Diem accomplishes what it set out to do in style.

Key facts and price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem
Ref. Q1EN0Y

Diameter: 46.8 mm
Height: 14.42 mm
Material: 18k pink gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: LV 525
Functions: Minute repeater, and jacquemart with four automatons – jumping hour, retrograde minute hand, power reserve indicator, and jaw of skull
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Winding: Hand wind
Power reserve: 100 hours

Strap: Leather with pink gold folding clasp

Limited edition: No but very limited production 
Availability: At Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price: US$475,000

For more, visit Louisvuitton.com.