A New Moon Rising
A decade and a half after Louis Vuitton unveiled its Tambour watch, Lily Ong travels to Bangkok to view the latest additions to this iconic collection, including its second haute horlogerie masterpiece certified by the Geneva Seal
In 2002, Louis Vuitton debuted its first timepiece, the Tambour. Its name is derived from the French word for ‘drum’, which the shape of its case resembled. Past incarnations of the watch range from the basic timekeeping pieces to the highly complicated, but as Hamdi Chatti, vice president for the brand’s watches and jewellery asserts, “There’s always room for more stories to tell when it comes to a collection as iconic as the Tambour.” As Tambour celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, his statement rings true with Louis Vuitton putting the spotlight back on this iconic watch via the launch of the Tambour Moon. “From a distance, the Tambour Moon is faithful to the original in terms of design, especially in the perfect circle shape of the case, the 12 Louis Vuitton letters engraved on the edge and the applied horns to secure the case’s shape,” explains Chatti. He then invites us to move closer and it is then we can see a new twist to the watch: a crescent-shaped silhouette on the watch’s case that curves inwards—a subtle but ingenious design tweak. Available for both men and women, the Tambour Moon collection reflects the maison’s push for contemporary design and aesthetics without compromising on its centuries of heritage. For men, the Tambour Moon GMT and Tambour Moon Chronograph are highlights to look out for in different materials and colours. For women, the Tambour Moon boasts its feminine side with the Moon Star models, represented in a variety of diameters and functions that include a chronograph, among others. Last but not least is the Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève. This timepiece features a skeletonised tourbillon movement, certified with the Geneva Seal, a symbol of quality available only to watches made within the canton of Geneva. The flying tourbillon has a delicately open-worked carriage, giving the impression of extreme lightness. Housed in a 42.5mm platinum case, this is Louis Vuitton’s second watch certified by the Poinçon de Genève.
“From a distance, the Tambour Moon is faithful to the original in terms of design”
Examine closely and you will see the flourishes executed by Louis Vuitton’s manufacture, La Fabrique de Temps. Details include the brand’s signature at 12 o’clock, the tourbillon carriage featuring Louis Vuitton’s Monogram Flower positioned at six o’clock; and a circle with the hour and minute hands in the centre. A further circle at nine o’clock offers wearers the possibility to personalise his or her timepiece with initials or a family coat of arms. To tie this creation back to its roots, the watch comes in a miniature Louis Vuitton trunk that can be monogrammed. Flip through the following pages to read about the other variation of the Tambour Moon released by Louis Vuitton for the collection’s 15th anniversary.