Rethink everything you know about luxury timepieces. Louis Vuitton’s haute horlogerie collection, crafted at La Fabrique du Temps, transcends expectations with unparalleled sophistication, enthralling designs, and a nearly unrivaled degree of customization. The 2021 Louis Vuitton Carpe Diem watch, a captivating interpretation of the Vanitas concept, set the stage for the future of LV watches with its dynamic display and multiple jacquemarts.
Louis Vuitton’s foray into the world of watchmaking began nearly 20 years ago with the introduction of the Tambour watch. Instead of limiting itself to traditional luxury offerings, the brand had grander aspirations for its timepiece division, culminating in a partnership with La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), a Geneva-based workshop led by master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini – who have since been fully integrated into the LV family.
LFT boasts an array of in-house talents and expertise. The Tambour Carpe Diem, praised by industry experts and winner of the Audacity Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève, marked a breakthrough moment for the brand. Combining creative genius and mechanical innovation, the watch reimagined the Vanitas theme with a complex dial structure and time display, incorporating jumping and retrograde indications controlled by an assortment of automatons or jacquemarts, on demand.
This year’s timepiece draws inspiration from Bian Lian, the ancient Chinese art of “face-changing” often seen in Sichuan Opera. Performers rapidly switch colorful masks through seemingly magical techniques, which were once closely guarded secrets. The watch features a Bian Lian mask that changes expressions, a dragon that reveals the jumping hour, and a tail that doubles as a retrograde minute hand. The power reserve indicator is now a bottle gourd or Calabash, believed to ward off evil spirits. The time is only displayed when activating the automaton via the dragon on the case. In a nod to Louis Vuitton’s emblem, one eye of the mask incorporates the iconic flower motif, while a four-petal flower replaces the number four, considered unlucky in Chinese culture.
The manual wind caliber LV 525, also found in the Carpe Diem, powers this exceptional watch with its 426 components. The 46.88mm Tambour case is crafted from 18k pink gold, while the dial features engraved and enameled pink gold and ruby elements. Esteemed artisans Anita Porchet and Dick Steenman were called upon for enamel and engraving work, respectively. It reportedly took 76 hours for engraving and 60 hours for enameling – and considering the intricate details involved, these numbers might even be modest. The watch boasts an impressive 100-hour power reserve, which is both functional and aesthetically appealing. Like the Carpe Diem, orders for this timepiece may be limited to around 30 units.
The dial of the watch springs to life with five animations and a captivating 16-second display. The Bian Lian mask conveys a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, as its features transform. Powering this complex series of animations is the hand-wound calibre LV 525, which consists of 426 components and offers an impressive 100-hour power reserve. The back of the watch showcases another mask with contrasting shot-blasted and mirror-polished surfaces, as well as intricate decorations adorning the technical components.
The Louis Vuitton Tambour Opera Automata is housed in a breathtaking rendition of the brand’s signature Tambour watch, featuring polished 18k pink gold and measuring 46.8mm in diameter with a 14.42mm thickness. The push button of the automaton takes the shape of a dragon’s head, while the winding crown is embellished with champlevé enamel in a fan design. The watch is paired with a black alligator strap and secured with a pink gold double folding buckle.
In addition to the animations mentioned earlier, the dial of the Tambour Opera Automata is a visual masterpiece in terms of craftsmanship. Master enameller Anita Porchet created the mask using white, red, and black cloisonné enamel separated by white gold threads. The fan beneath the retrograde minute indicator was achieved through a champlevé enamel technique, involving the removal of material from the surface to deposit color pigments. Swiss engraver Dick Steenman crafted the pink gold dragon and its tail, later adorning them with cabochon-cut rubies. The power reserve indicator is represented by a curved glass calabash gourd.
The Louis Vuitton Tambour Opera Automata is a truly awe-inspiring and mechanically remarkable timepiece. Bold and highly expressive, it manages to evoke emotion without ostentation. As a unique creation, anything is possible at LFT, as long as your budget allows for it. Expect a price range of approximately €450,000 to €520,000 for such a watch. Learn more at the Louis Vuitton website here.
Case
Model: Tambour Opera Automata
Reference Number: Q1EN2Y
Diameter: 46.8mm
Thickness: 14.42mm
Case Material: 18K pink gold
Dial: Black cloisonné enamel and miniature hand-painting by Anita Porchet
Crystal: Sapphire crystal and exhbition caseback
Water Resistance: 30m
Movement
Caliber: LV 525
Functions: Jumping hours, retrograde minute hand
Power Reserve: 100 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 vb/h
Jewels: 50
Power Reserve: 100 hours
Functions: Automata mechanism featuring 5 animations, jumping hours, retrograde minute hand, power reserve indicator
Bracelet/Strap: Black alligator strap with pink gold folding buckle
Availability: Now
Price: 450,000€ – 520,000€
