Louis Vuitton Unveils a New Era for the Iconic Tambour Timepiece

“After twenty years of designing watches based on the famous original Tambour model, Louis Vuitton has elevated this masterpiece to an unprecedented level of intricate refinement,” stated Jean Arnault, Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton.

Introduced in 2002, Louis Vuitton’s Tambour has become a global watch icon, with a design reminiscent of a drum, showcasing the brand’s unique vision of interpreting the passage of time. After 21 years, Tambour has entered a new era with a slimmer profile, achieving a remarkable level of precision and sophistication while exuding distinct elegance and uniqueness.

It is noted that two special steel versions of Tambour will be launched. The watch model will be available in tonal variations with silver-grey or deep blue dials. Additionally, Louis Vuitton has introduced an integrated bracelet and an exclusive self-winding mechanical movement, crafted by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

Design and Functionality

What constitutes the perfect Tambour watch? It’s the round case with curved edges, marked by the letters LOUIS VUITTON at the twelve positions, along with the finely proportioned and sized crown that resembles an architectural element. These essences are inherited and magnified through the intricate details of the latest Tambour edition.

The design of the new Tambour watch transcends aesthetics to focus on purpose and function. It boasts a modern silhouette with a 40mm diameter and a thickness of 8.3mm, suitable for any wearer’s wrist. Additionally, the integrated bracelet on the new Tambour blends strength and softness. The thin strap and the folding clasp provide a familiar and comfortable feel, offering a snug fit on the wrist no different from a leather strap.

The exterior of the Louis Vuitton Tambour, along with every surface that comes into contact with the skin, has been contoured to fit the body. Meanwhile, the back of this timepiece is not flat; it gradually rises in a curved fashion towards the center of the case, aligning with the natural curve of the wrist when worn. On the wearer’s wrist, the Tambour appears even slimmer than its 8.3mm thickness. The watch’s bracelet links, raised on both the upper and lower surfaces, have formed a continuous circular pattern.

The watch’s strap seamlessly integrates with the case, creating an uninterrupted structure. A hidden clasp completes the slender profile of the strap, with a triple-blade folding mechanism only discernible by the refined LOUIS VUITTON engravings on the end links, and no polished central link separating the two end links.

Louis Vuitton’s craftsmanship in the new Tambour watch is visible to the eye but truly evident when touched. The watch’s surface is smooth, with certain details such as the polished facets of the strap being carefully highlighted, and the distinctive hollowed drum-like crown or the soft yet distinct grooves on the open-faced crown offering a tactile winding and setting experience. The bezel ring is polished, with the twelve letters of the fashion house, a signature of Tambour, raised and polished. Moreover, each minute marker has been intricately sculpted by Louis Vuitton to match the hour indices.

Radiant and Elegant

In contrast to the curves of the case and strap, or the smooth exterior that the new Tambour watch brings, everything beneath the sapphire crystal dial is sharp and defined.

Despite being just over a millimeter thick, the dial of the new Tambour exhibits a surprising depth. The dial’s partition, comprising an outer ring for the minute hand and an inner ring for the hour hand, has been meticulously smoothed. The minute markers are designed to balance the watch’s dial space, with the 5-minute markers recessed to form grooves, while the hours are indicated with intricate decorations. The differing heights of the markers enable swift hour reading for the wearer of the watch. The gold numerals and diamond markers have been polished to enhance their interaction with light, and even in low light conditions, the new-generation Tambour remains legible thanks to the luminescent Super-LumiNova-coated numerals and hands. The evolution of the Tambour’s hour hands from large Baton hands to slim and multi-faceted hands provides a sense of spaciousness on the dial.

The elegance of the new-generation Tambour watch is accompanied by the inscription “LOUIS VUITTON PARIS,” a statement of the brand’s origin established in Paris in 1854. Below the seconds counter is the engraving “FAB. EN SUISSE,” replacing the traditional “SWISS MADE.” This is an abbreviation for “Fabriqué en Suisse,” emphasizing La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton’s craftsmanship and the high-level skills imbued in this watch.

Movement

The new-generation Tambour watch is the result of advanced watchmaking expertise at Louis Vuitton, exemplified by La Fabrique du Temps, the brand’s watchmaking workshop in Geneva. Founded and led by master watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas, La Fabrique du Temps has produced award-winning timepieces for Louis Vuitton.

Caliber LFT023 is not only the movement driving the evolution of the Tambour but also the brand’s first exclusive automatic three-hand movement designed in collaboration with Louis Vuitton and movement specialists Le Cercle des Horlogers. It encapsulates the brand’s spirit, from the openwork rotor reminiscent of the Monogram Flower to the finely engraved components. It’s modern, with the mainplate being smoothed, and its edges and bevels polished. The mainplate’s central void, a traditional decorative motif, has been rendered avant-garde with colorless gemstone inserts instead of the usual rubies. Furthermore, the 22k gold micro-rotor, combined with gears, ensures precise winding capabilities with a 50-hour power reserve on the 4Hz escapement (28,800vph).

Certified as a Chronometer according to the same performance standards applied to some of the most reputable watch manufacturers in the industry, Caliber LFT023 boasts accuracy from -4 to +6 seconds per day. This certification comes from the Geneva Chronometric Observatory under the auspices of the TIMELAB Foundation, ensuring that Caliber LFT023 adheres to ISO 3159’s stringent standards and its precision criteria. Louis Vuitton is also the first watchmaker to have its product certified by the Geneva Chronometric Observatory, showcasing the brand’s commitment to achieving excellence and quality in modern watchmaking. Modern, elegant, and meticulously crafted, Caliber LFT023 inherits the legacy of the first models and is used in the latest Tambour timepiece. Four models in total will participate in the unveiling, with two steel watches, marking the initial steps of Tambour’s new era.

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From: Grindsshop.com