It means ‘drum’. With its first assortment courting again to 2002, the Louis Vuitton Tambour marches to its personal beat, steering clear from the same old watch-forms and mid-cases which have come to characterise Swiss high-quality watchmaking. Conserving in thoughts, although the aesthetics very a lot French (as acceptable for a model headquartered in Paris), its watchmaking thoughts may be very a lot Swiss, nestled inside the coronary heart of Geneva, led by trade stalwart Michel Navas.
Although successfully ‘beating its personal signature rhythms’, the distinctive form, heretofore unseen within the trade has immediately created a recognisable watchmaking identification for the maison, and like all new endeavours, has had a polarising impact: you both find it irresistible otherwise you’re not solely comfy with it.
The acquisition of La Fabrique du Temps has introduced collectively all the corporate’s in-house métiers (barely over 100 watchmakers, dial-makers and so on.). In an unique dialog with Michel Navas, the person answerable for the model’s watchmaking ambitions tells World of Watches how this has enabled Louis Vuitton to parlay its considerably youthful legacy right into a potent image of watchmaking primacy – the acclaimed Poinçon de Genève.
Are there any variations in how La Fabrique du Temps operated as an impartial firm and now, inside the Louis Vuitton household?
The one distinction is that we work solely for Louis Vuitton. Beforehand, we labored for a dozen manufacturers and right this moment we’re solely devoted to the Louis Vuitton assortment. The philosophy of watchmaking respect and the liberty of creation have remained the identical, it’s a nice alternative.
-
- Montre LV Tambour-Moon savoir faire
-
- Montre LV Tambour-Moon savoir faire
As a watchmaker inside the trade, what do you say to collectors and fans who give such heavy significance to the model and provenance reasonably than take note of the precise calibre, ending and the tip consequence?
These persons are not actual connoisseurs. These are simply collectors who purchase watches as a result of different folks have informed them it’s good. The true connoisseur considers the artwork of watchmaking for the masterpiece it represents with its know-how, its originality and its technicality. Sadly, we discover this identical phenomenon in the entire world of artwork.
-
- Montre LV Tambour-Moon savoir faire
-
- Montre LV Tambour-Moon savoir faire
You developed excessive problems for conventional manufacturers like Patek Philippe, and Laurent Ferrier and Louis Vuitton timepieces look extra trendy. Are you redefining traditional watchmaking codes and strategies? Is it troublesome to handle/marry the seemingly divergent approaches to watchmaking?
Within the first model you point out, I labored within the workshop for sophisticated watches and particularly minute repeaters. These two prestigious manufacturers have stored a really recognizable traditional spirit. Louis Vuitton is the largest luxurious model on the earth, well-known for its leather-based items, high fashion, ready-to-wear, and so on. We should respect the Louis Vuitton heritage and draw inspiration from it to develop the watch assortment of the model. It’s a actual problem as a result of two fully totally different worlds should come collectively and provides probably the most lovely timepieces on the earth that are our watchmaking achievements.
Exhibit A: Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée
On October 4th, 2017, Louis Vuitton offered the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée celebrating the debut of Louis Vuitton’s arrival on the prestigious excessive jewelry mecca, Place Vendôme. With a case and plate solely encrusted with diamonds – the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée was a world’s first for a watch with Poinçon de Genève certification.
A curved-case reinterpretation of the unique Tambour launched in 2002. the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant “Poinçon de Genève,” demonstrates real technical and inventive prowess of La Fabrique du Temps and demonstrably so, contemplating that the timepiece is a world premiere on the highest certification of provenance.
Adorned with 145 baguette-cut diamonds, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée breaks an trade taboo by setting an extraneous buffet of 106 brilliant-cut diamonds on the motion itself (nicely particularly, the bridges). Three circles set with brilliant-cut diamonds are organized on a vertical line: at 12 o’clock, the finely chiselled barrel bearing the Louis Vuitton signature; on the centre, the hours and minutes; at 6 o’clock, the tourbillon carriage that includes the Monogram Flower, a tribute to Louis Vuitton’s emblematic signature. This singular alignment gives a novel aesthetic based mostly on transparencies seen via a skeletonised plate that’s itself pavé-set with spherical diamonds.
Manually-wound by way of a crown presenting a 7.6 carat rose-cut diamond, the calibre LV 97 of the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée bears an distinctive 80-hour energy reserve.
A real demonstration of outstanding technical and inventive accomplishment, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève Pavée is assembled and gem-set by the grasp watchmakers at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
Exhibit B: Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon
Louis Vuitton is enjoying catch up within the realm of excessive horology. Mr. Vuitton is not with us however the new Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon makes it readily obvious that his spirit and drive for innovation lives on. A extra technical and aesthetically futurist interpretation of the unique Louis Vuitton Tambour watch, the Flying Tourbillon Poinçon is the maison’s beautiful interpretation on an extremely aggressive style – luxurious sports activities watches.
Louis Vuitton’s newest Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon can also be accessible for the model’s white glove service throughout this present pandemic
The openworked version of the Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon is constructed with ultra-lightweight, resistant technical supplies generally related to aeronautics reasonably than watchmaking however what makes this light-weight Louis Vuitton ‘sports activities watch’ (they don’t name it that and personally i imagine we’re past labels at this level) actually particular is that the outer a part of the case is made out of CarboStratum®, a composite materials developed solely for the maison.
Working with materials specialists, Louis Vuitton CarboStratum is produced by layering over 100 assorted sheets of carbon at random. The mixed layers are then compressed at a managed temperature. As soon as stabilised, this ultra-rigid materials is then milled after which fitted over the grade 5 titanium base watch case.
What outcomes is a 46mm timepiece with a visually distinctive and bodily elongated case which provides the Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon its title. A convex floor enclosed in an elongated circle, the Curve Flying Tourbillon rises above ubiquity by deconstructing the circle to create its personal form; when seen from the aspect profile, the caseband and mid-case reveals a steady curve from one finish to different whereas showing spherical from above: the Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève follows the pure curve of the wrist, launching a brand new chapter in Louis Vuitton’s heritage of expertise and with the elegant, dynamic structure – the historical past of watchmaking as nicely.
I used to be blown away by the brand new Tambour Curve – lastly a sports activities luxurious watch that appears nothing like an octagon or displaying screws on the bezel – may you share the way you advanced the Tambour into its newest incarnation?
Thanks for the praise. The Tambour case has advanced a number of instances since 2002.At this time it’s a brand new milestone with the Tambour Curve, a small revolution in our assortment. Every little thing is new on this magnificent sporty watch, to begin with its curved form from midday to six o’clock which marries the wrist splendidly. In regards to the supplies, we used titanium with a carbon specifically developed for Louis Vuitton, the Carbostratum (layers stacked with a random change of fibre orientation) witch provides every watch a novel look. Light-weight, solely 52 grams. And naturally the quintessence of high-quality watchmaking, a flying tourbillon motion with the Geneva Seal, the best high quality within the watchmaking world.
There’s a really robust architectural high quality to the brand new Tambour Curve flying tourbillon, it is extremely totally different out of your regular skeleton watches with a “managed chaos” of gears and wheels, do you design the motion along with the general aesthetics of the watch? Or do you favour one over the opposite?
Within the Tambour curve, you may discover the Louis Vuitton codes within the design of the motion. We work intently with our designers to completely respect one another’s work. This explicit case has been extremely profitable. It was a extremely teamwork for an distinctive watch.
Which complication do you discover most aesthetically pleasing? (by way of look)
When it comes to look, the Spin Time Central Tourbillon is my favorite however by way of class, it’s the Minute Repeater within the Voyager case.
In a centuries outdated trade, Louis Vuitton is a reasonably newcomer to the scene, does this imply you’d be embracing new supplies as different LVMH watchmaking manufacturers have finished? Or do you favor quaint brass and metal?
Though we’re fairly new to the high-quality watchmaking scene. We now have immense respect for the artwork of watchmaking utilizing noble supplies, however we need to the long run in know-how. The proof with our Tambour Curve mannequin.
Can watchmaking ‘evolve’ and modernise whereas staying conventional? Or is it a contradiction of phrases?
No, it’s not an oxymoron, if you happen to add the previous and the long run collectively you might have the current in consequence, don’t you assume so?
