Louis Vuitton Introduces A Trio Of Tambour Watches
Since its launch in 2023, the redesigned Louis Vuitton Tambour has led a watchmaking renaissance for a marque best known for its handbags and trunks. The iconic Parisian fashion house isn’t new to watches, but the focus on upscale pieces that compete with traditional watchmakers began in 2011 with the purchase of La Fabrique du Temps. While limited and dear, these latest creations cement a strong argument for Louis Vuitton’s place among the top brands.
The current Tambour is not even two years old, but it has brought bona fide watchmaking credibility to Louis Vuitton in this brief period. The round 40mm case with an integrated bracelet offers a different take on this increasingly popular sporty-dress category. It blends a classic sector dial with fine finishing and an in-house micro-rotor automatic movement. The prices are similar to those of other luxury brands, which projects Louis Vuitton’s intent to exist as a high-end watchmaker. Today’s new releases are halo pieces. They blend precious materials, innovation, gemstones, and hand-crafting techniques. Of course, these watches aren’t meant for everyone, but they’re beautifully crafted and show the capabilities of La Fabrique du Temps.
The Tambour Ceramic
The idea of a ceramic Tambour may not sound so exotic, but there’s so much more here than meets the eye. The brown ceramic case has an internal structure made of 18K pink gold. The underlying 40mm case and a spinal cord-like bracelet structure form the backbone of this lovely piece. A multipiece stepped dial combines 18K pink gold, lacquer, and Super-LumiNova to create the perfect visage.
For the case, Louis Vuitton sought a brown hue that would match its legendary trunks. Reaching the correct color was a lengthy process, but after succeeding, LV’s craftspeople designed the process of making all the components. The ceramic components’ construction alone requires 90 hours, with more than half of this time dedicated to hand-finishing. Machining and polishing, for example, are completed by skilled artisans. If we refer back to the unique central spine of gold on the bracelet, note the lack of screws on the side of each link. Louis Vuitton went to great effort to hide these unsightly holes. It’s possible to adjust the bracelet using screws on the underside of each link.
The result is a ceramic watch that is unlike the crowd of black or white ceramic offerings. Differentiating it are hints of 18K pink gold on the bracelet and the almost wood-grain-like surface of the dial’s center. Plus, a variety of surface finishes show off the house’s skill set.
Regarding the specifications, the Tambour Ceramic has the same 50m water resistance rating and dimensions as the metal models. This means a 40mm diameter, a 44mm length, and an 8.3mm thickness. The in-house LFT023.01, with its 22K gold micro-rotor, is on display via a sapphire window in the case back. The caliber offers a 50-hour power reserve and an accuracy of +6/-4 seconds per day.
Limited in production but not numbered
The Tambour Ceramic is not a limited edition per se, but due to the lengthy production time, it will have a limited run. Louis Vuitton has set a price of €75,000 for this watch. Clearly, this puts it into exclusive territory, but it will undoubtedly appeal to those who enjoy modern materials and high levels of hand-finishing.
The Tambour Platinum Rainbow
The first of two limited-edition models is the 40mm Tambour Platinum Rainbow. Its name reveals the case material and hints at a bright, colorful watch. On the latter point, let’s say this watch is the polar opposite of a piece like the Rainbow Daytona. Returning to the case, platinum doesn’t currently make waves because its value is roughly one-third of the price of gold. However, values alone don’t explain why Louis Vuitton would choose this material as the canvas for its flagship piece.
Platinum is notoriously difficult to work with due to its higher melting point and resistance to polishing. The benefits, however, are a durable material that exhibits a bright white luster. These pluses cannot be duplicated with gold. Work-wise, Louis Vuitton estimates that a platinum case requires 30% more time to craft than an equivalent gold case. The platinum isn’t the sole star of the show, though.
59 rubies and sapphires
For each Tambour Platinum Rainbow, an assortment of 59 rubies and sapphires come from Sri Lanka and Mozambique. The external bezel and dial exhibit a color gradient including green, blue, violet, pink, fuchsia, orange, and yellow. Helping to perfectly display the clarity of these gemstones are a crisp platinum case and an opaline dial with 18K white gold indexes and hands. Louis Vuitton is also starting a new tradition. The display case back contains an inset 1.6mm saffron sapphire that rests against the wearer’s skin. It also signifies the use of platinum and will be used on all future Louis Vuitton platinum watches.
The Tambour Platinum Rainbow uses the same LFT023.01 micro-rotor automatic caliber and has a 50m water resistance rating. It is available exclusively with a platinum bracelet with a hidden 18K white gold butterfly clasp. Louis Vuitton will produce just 50 of this model. The €150,000 price reflects the gemstone quality, the challenges of working with platinum, and the overall exclusivity.
The Tambour Yellow Gold Onyx
Robert-Jan had the opportunity to see all the new Tambour models in Paris. He was positive about all, but the Tambour Yellow Gold Onyx was his favorite. I can understand why because onyx is so difficult to resist. This 40mm piece combines an 18K yellow gold construction with a multi-part onyx dial and saffron sapphires. Like the Rainbow, the stonework complements the design instead of overpowering it.
A complex, multi-piece dial
Louis Vuitton selects blocks of Brazilian onyx for the Tambour Yellow Gold Onyx’s dial. Artisans machine and hand-shape the stone into small pieces for the minute ring. Separate pieces are used for the center and the hour ring. Individual drilling operations occur for the hand pinions and stone settings, a delicate operation that can cause irreparable damage. Black lacquer is used to create the small seconds dial, and any white details are achieved via a delicate stamping process. All gold on the dial is of the 18K yellow variety. Finally, craftspeople hand-apply Super-LumiNova to the hour and minute hands.
A dial and bezel with saffron sapphires
The Tambour Yellow Gold Onyx uses 59 saffron sapphires on the bezel and dial. These stones are chosen for color consistency and clarity. The hue is significant and recalls a “Vuittonite” trunk from 1911 in a similar shade. Normally, I prefer watches without stones, but these blend cohesively with the yellow gold and onyx. Once again, the watch is paired with a bracelet with an invisible 18K yellow gold butterfly clasp. Inside, the watch is equipped with the LFT023.01 micro-rotor automatic movement, visible through a sapphire-equipped display case back. Similar to the rest of the collection, these pieces have a 50m depth rating. Just 30 will be made, each with a retail price of €130,000.
A trio of special Tambour pieces
Many will comment on the lofty prices of these latest Tambour watches. Is that fair? I’m not here to judge, but I think it’s reasonable for Louis Vuitton to release exclusive halo pieces that represent the best its manufacture can offer regarding material development, finishing, and artisanship. Plus, it adds credibility to the standard references in the Tambour collection. All told, I like these pieces and hope to see some of the techniques end up in less exclusive models. More onyx dials, anyone?
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