The Hallmarks of Style

From jewellery watches with a dash of mystery to transparent sapphire cases and animated dials, these remarkable timepieces by Louis Vuitton are the pinnacle of watchmaking—here’s why

1 SEIZE THE DAY

Breathing new life into the historical aspects of telling time, this horological masterpiece features aesthetics that harken back to the 15th-century symbolism of skeletons and hourglasses with its handengraved and enamelled dial. A functional work of art, the Tambour Carpe Diem contains a jacquemartinspired mechanism other than its hand-wound LV 525 Calibre—as shown on the caseback in the shape of a skull—comprising four animations, a retrograde minute hand as well as a power reserve display in the shape of an hourglass. Much like the automatas of clocks that strike the hours on a bell with a hammer, the wearer is able to watch an amazing animation when they wish to display the time by simply pushing the reptile-shaped push piece on the top right of the case, after which the golden monogrammed serpent on the centre of the dial will lift its head to reveal the hour aperture positioned on the forehead of the skull while its tail oscillates towards the minutes sculpted above it. Meanwhile, the pink gold skull hangs its jaw, revealing the words ‘Carpe Diem’ as its eye socket, once filled with a red flower, turns into the monogram.

2 CRYSTAL CLEAR

The Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Sapphire ‘Poinçon de Genève’ takes ‘transparency’ to a whole new level, featuring a case entirely crafted from sapphire—

displaying its openworked mechanical movement with manual winding and a skeleton flying tourbillon crafted in the shape of the monogram flower. And this is no small feat, considering that it takes 250, 110 and 60 hours to produce the case middle, caseback and the bridge respectively. Available in three variations—colourless, pink and blue—the first comes with black Pvd-treated titanium horns while the pink is in pink gold and the blue in platinum.

3 SUBTLE BEAUTY

Named after the house’s loveable mascot, the Vivienne Bijou Secret is set with 398 brilliantcut diamonds equal to 16.81 carats, with its diamond-paved bracelet featuring four supple, mobile rows for that perfect fit on the wrist. Akin to a blooming flower, the cover opens to reveal a mother-ofpearl marquetry dial embellished with the brand’s iconic monogram as well as eight diamond indexes. The Vivienne Bijou Secret offers a choice of four straps—three alligator straps in different colours, and an exceptional version paved with diamonds.

4 DIAMONDS ARE THE BEST OF FRIENDS

Stamped with the Geneva Seal at its 9 o’clock, the Voyager

Flying Tourbillon ‘Poinçon de Genève’ is one of the slimmest flying tourbillon watches ever made. A skeleton dial watch, its manually-wound mechanical movement as well as its flying tourbillon are suspended within a platinum case, which is given a delicate touch with the diamonds set on its outer rim, and features a slim grey taurillon strap.

5 GREEN, THE RAREST COLOUR

The French maison debuts a viridescent addition to its Tambour Slim Tourbillon series. This showstopping timepiece has a mother-of-pearl dial paved with diamonds and tsavorites both, encased with a white gold case and diamonds. The hour markers are engraved from a gradient of green tsavorites as well. And almost as if suspended in mid-air, the automatic tourbillon movement is placed at the timepiece’s 6 o’clock.

All of Louis Vuitton’s timepieces are crafted at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, which is located in the heart of Swiss watchmaking. The facility is presided by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, two of the most recognised watchmakers in the industry. They are behind the maison’s amazing high-watchmaking timepieces that have been praised for its artisanal craftsmanship and innovation, like the ones you see on these very pages.