his isn’t just a new collection. It is a new strategy for the next twenty years of Louis Vuitton watchmaking,” Jean Arnault announced as he unveiled the reimagined Tambour. Since its launch in 2002, there have been multiple iterations of this flagship model, including highly complicated versions under the supervision of master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini (see here). During these two decades, the brand has steadily brought expertise and production resources in-house at its Fabrique du Temps in Geneva, including recent buyouts of case and movement suppliers.

Production ran the gamut from entry-level models aimed at high-volume sales to others at the pinnacle of fine watchmaking which, though fewer in number, represented a growing share of the brand’s creative output. Jean Arnault has made the choice to concentrate on the latter category, slashing 80% of the current lineup and moving focus to high-end timepieces.

“Our vocation revolves around craftsmanship, not large series,” Arnault continued. “We intend to showcase the skill of all our artisans, from the watchmakers to the engravers and gem-setters. All these specialisations are part of a single philosophy: that of a watchmaker capable of producing a complete watch.”

Going forward, Louis Vuitton will no longer offer watches with quartz movements or mechanical movements sourced from third parties. The objective is 100% in-house production. Only the Tambour Street Diver, a selection of women’s watches and the niche segment of connected watches will stay in the catalogue.

The redesigned Tambour will be the foundation of this shift in strategy. It is also the first Louis Vuitton timepiece in the coveted segment of integrated bracelet sports watches and, according to Jean Arnault, “one of the few iconic watches to have been created in the twenty-first century.”

Launching as two versions in steel, with silver-grey and blue dial options, the revamped Tambour was two years in development. At 8.3mm thick, down from 13mm, the case is significantly more streamlined. This addresses an issue for certain customers of previous Tambour models, namely thickness. The construction of the 40mm case has been redesigned, with the back rising in an arc towards the middle so as to follow the natural curve of the forearm near the wrist, creating the sensation of an even slimmer case.

Possibly the most important part of this new design is the bracelet. Its links have a rounded profile – convex outer and inner surfaces – to form a continuous line with the case, while a lug-free construction gives this new Tambour its perfectly round shape. An invisible triple-blade folding clasp confirms this sleek aesthetic.

Brushed finishes prevail, with the exception of certain details such as the polished bracelet chamfers and central links, or the polished crown. A hallmark of the Tambour collection, the twelve letters around the polished rim of the sandblasted bezel are raised and each one aligned with an hour marker. For the dial, different depths and finishes create an elaborate play of light. The two levels are delineated by a split-level chapter ring, with minutes on the outer ring and hours on the inner ring, both with micro-sandblasted surfaces.

Markers for the hours and five-minutes complement each other in their shape and create a subtle visual balance, with recessed markers for the minutes and applied markers for the hours. The broad baton hands of previous models give way to tapered, facetted, openworked hands in gold that reinforce the sense of space.

There are no more “LV” splashed across the dial. Characteristic of this understated aesthetic, the words “Louis Vuitton Paris” appear in the brushed centre while, discreetly positioned under the small seconds display, “Fab. en Suisse” (short for “Fabriqué en Suisse”) replaces the traditional “Swiss Made” insignia – a small change that alludes to 1950s and 1960s dials. “Sometimes,” notes Jean Arnault, “it can be harder to make a simple three-hand dial than a complications dial, where the architecture is dictated by the movement.”

Calibre LFT023, whose micro-rotor is engraved with a repeating stylised LV motif, is the first automatic three-hand movement to be developed by Louis Vuitton in partnership with Le Cercle des Horlogers. Micro-sandblasted bridges and polished chamfers echo the aesthetic vocabulary of the watch’s exterior.

The high-inertia micro-rotor in 22k gold combines with peripheral gearing to provide 50 hours of power reserve. The balance wheel oscillates at 4 Hz or 28,800 vibrations/hour. The movement is chronometer-certified by the Geneva Chronometric Observatory under the auspices of the Timelab foundation, and is accurate to -4/+6 seconds a day. Both versions, which are priced at €19,500, come in a presentation box shaped like a Louis Vuitton trunk.

In October, three more references will join these first two models in steel to open a new chapter for Louis Vuitton watchmaking. The inaugural models will reach stores in September with first deliveries scheduled for year-end. At the same time, the brand will be making major changes to its product lineup.

Like all Louis Vuitton products, these new Tambour watches will only be available from the brand’s own boutiques, matching in-house production with exclusive distribution. The audience for high-end watches is a world of its own and whether, in the longer term, the brand decides to depart from this rule and partner with specialist retailers remains to be seen. Whatever the case, Louis Vuitton watches can look forward to promising new horizons.

SPECIFICATIONS

Tambour W1ST10

Stainless steel case; 40mm in diameter; 8.3mm in thickness; grey dial; small seconds counter at 6 o’clock; white gold hands, numerals and indexes, with Super-LumiNova^® coating on the hands and numerals; sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating.

Mechanical movement with automatic winding, calibre LFT023; 30.6mm in diameter; 4.2mm in thickness; visible through the sapphire case back; hours, minutes, small seconds functions; 22k rose gold micro-rotor; 50 hours of power reserve; 31 jewels; 28,800 vph, 4Hz frequency; certified chronometer by the Geneva Chronometric Observatory.

Stainless steel bracelet with invisible 3-blade folding buckle.

Water-resistant to 50 metres.

Tambour W1ST20

Stainless steel case; 40mm in diameter; 8.3mm in thickness; blue dial; small seconds counter at 6 o’clock; white gold hands, numerals and indexes, with Super-LumiNova^® coating on the hands and numerals; sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating.

Mechanical movement with automatic winding, calibre LFT023; 30.6mm in diameter; 4.2mm in thickness; visible through the sapphire case back; hours, minutes, small seconds functions; 22k rose gold micro-rotor; 50 hours of power reserve; 31 jewels; 28,800 vph, 4Hz frequency; certified chronometer by the Geneva Chronometric Observatory.

Stainless steel bracelet with invisible 3-blade folding buckle.

Water-resistant to 50 metres.