Louis Vuitton’s New Watch Just Got a Major Seal of Approval
When you think of Louis Vuitton, you don’t necessarily think of watchmaking. Rather, the 166-year-old French luxury house’s heritage is rooted in leather travel accessories, which is why you see your favourite celebrities dripping in Louis luggage at LAX. But with the new Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Timepiece, the world’s most valuable luxury brand is proving itself to be a luxury watchmaker on par with the best of them. And clearly the industry gatekeepers in Geneva think so, too: the Poinçon de Genève seal is displayed at the 6 o’clock on the dial plate and on the caseback, a prestigious certification honouring the highest level of quality and craftsmanship in watchmaking.
Photo courtesy of Louis Vuitton
At La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the brand’s watch manufacturing arm in Geneva, watchmakers used new technology to design a featherweight timepiece using advanced materials. Watchmakers layered 100 sheets of carbon at random, then compressed them to reveal curved shapes like the case, which has a grade 5 titanium base and 18ct white gold lugs. The 46mm Tambour is also built to last, encased in super lightweight, resistant technical materials used in aeronautics.
Photo courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Instead of a skeleton dial, the watch has an open-worked watch face with a large LV logo centered on the dial. The case’s shape references the Möbius strip. Powered by a flying tourbillon, the watch features a mechanical movement with 80 hours of power reserve – further proof of Louis Vuitton’s technical know-how and watchmaking expertise.
