Louis Vuitton have unveiled the latest entry in their Escales Autour du Monde collection with a pocket watch inspired by the extraordinary landscape of Alaska, in particular the Margerie Glacier.
The Escale en Alaska depicts the glacier and the penguins and whales which call it home on the case. 50mm in size, the piece features remarkable detail with multiple enamel techniques used ensuring every aspect is hand-sculpted, something that took 160 man hours of work.
The case features 32 different shades to capture the right glow of a glacier under the stars with everything hand-painted, even the moving elements of the watch, where careful consideration has to be placed on weight.
The iconic Louis Vuitton monogram is, of course, featured on the design but with much more subtlety than usual as it is blended into the hue of the skyline and shimmers like a star, which is appropriate given it is cut from a diamond to form the smallest ever created at just 0.05 karats.
On the technical side of things, Louis Vuitton confirmed that this is their most complex entry into the Escales Autour du Monde collection.
It features 17 moving parts, is made up of 751 components and powered by the LFT AU 14.03 calibre, made in house by Vuitton. The configuration also features two hands on the caseback rather than the face for a bit of theatrics to go with the technical wizardry.
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Earlier in the year, Vuitton unveiled a pocket watch, celebrating Japan, principally national landmark, Mount Fuji.
While the Alaskan model is dominated by blues, the Fuji version of the pocket watch is much more colourful and features a fishing boat carrying Vuitton’s iconic monogrammed trunks. The trunks are sculpted out of gold and actually open to reveal tiny LV marked flowers.
Steering the ship is the mythical Ebisu, a cherished figure in Japanese folklore that symbolises luck and which is revered as the patron of fisherman and merchants.
Ebisu holds his emblematic fishing rod and tai sea bream, which are symbols of wealth and prosperity.
The scene is framed by Sakura cherry blossoms which mimic the Louis Vuitton monogram.
The flowers are sculpted in yellow gold and pink and red enamel, the automata further animates them as if swaying in the wind.
Another earlier edition in the collection spotlighted Paris with that model featuring the River Seine and Pont-Neuf bridge instead of more obvious choices like the Eiffel Tower or Louvre Pyramid.
The first pocket watch in the Escales Autour du Monde collection paid tribute to the beauty of the Amazon rainforest with a vividly colourful ode to the wealth of nature on display in the natural habitat with the piece featuring all manner of birds, apes and snakes among lush greenery.
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