Louis Vuitton, after relaunching their Monterey model last year, are already giving their original watch release something of a makeover.
Last year, the watch was brought out in a limited edition yellow gold while off-market ceramic versions were featured in fashion head Nicolas Ghesquière’s runway shows, a hint at the full release to come.
And here they are: two new ceramic models, one in a lush green and the other in a deep black. The rest of the watch is largely the same as the version that debuted last year with its dressy 37mm size and parsed down aesthetic, combined with a self-winding movement.
But there are some distinguishing features to the watches. On the green version, the hands also feature that iconic Louis Vuitton yellow, a reminder of the stitching that adorns all of LV’s leather goods.
Conversely, the black model is sleeker and features red hands and railtrack for a distinctly sporty feel while also strongly harking back to the original 1988 model.
Now in the permanent collection, the watches will retail for EUR 23,000.
Louis Vuitton also recently brought back the Tambour Spin Time into the permanent collection after that model also had a successful limited edition run.
Each of the five pieces takes the distinctive jumping hour complication developed in house in 2007, which features 12 rotating cubes around the dial spelling out Louis Vuitton, making it one of the most audacious things the company have ever done when it comes to horology.
The Tambour Spin Time Green in White Gold features a sandblasted dial with a green finish on a 39.5mm case, making it more versatile than you would expect. The sapphire case back also allows the wearer to see the calibre including the balance wheel and 18 carat rose gold winding mass.
The second addition is the Tambour Spin Time Australia’s Opal in Rose Gold, which as its name suggests features an 18 carat rose gold case. The blue opal on the dial changes colour with the light and as well as being the centrepiece of the watch, is also between the 12 rotating cubes.The watch’s hourmarkers are also set with baguette cut diamonds while the bezel glistens with sapphires, with the gem-setting on each watch taking three days to complete.
Next up is the Tambour Spin Time Air Blue in White Gold which is the closest reference to the previously popular limited edition model. Like the other references, it features the iconic 12 rotating cubes which turn around to display the hour when called upon, with a white gold hand calling the minutes, while the case is also made out of white gold, subtly complimenting the deep blue.
The Tambour Spin Time Air Antipode displays 24 different time zones using the 12 rotating cubes with the global feel of the watch fitting in with Louis Vuitton’s close association with travel. Each cube represents two antipodal cities 12 hours apart, such as New York and Dubai, allowing the watch to span the globe. The individual cubes also highlight whether it is AM or PM, signified by the colour of the cube. Local time is also marked by an inner dial, marked by a map of the world and a yellow pointer that is a hallmark of Vuitton trunks.
The final entry into the collection is the Tambour Spin Time Flying Tourbillon in salmon, paired with platinum. Salmon coloured watches are traditionally seen as enormously collectable and associated with pieces of the highest calibre and this is no different. The complication took 50 hours to assemble, double that of any other watch in the collection because of the difficulty in pairing the rotating cubes with a flying tourbillon, while platinum also takes far longer to finish than gold. The flying tourbillon can also be seen through a Louis Vuitton monogrammed flower cage.
Like this? Louis Vuitton update their first ever wristwatch with the Monterey Ceramic Charm
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