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Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton
Twenty years ago, Louis Vuitton boldly ventured into the world of watchmaking with the unveiling of the Tambour watch. Since, the Maison has dreamt up a growing collection of innovative timepieces driven by unparalleled creativity, savoir-faire, and craftsmanship.

In 2002, the Maison unveiled a watch like none other: the Tambour. Bold and innovative, it was recognisable at a glance with its unprecedented shape, its round case sculpted from a block of metal, and its signature applied horns. There was a new watch in town... This launch opened up the doors to the closed world of watchmaking for Louis Vuitton.

Pushing the boundaries

Having become a symbol of Louis Vuitton’s watch collection over the years, the Tambour has seen different expressions over time, all the while staying true to the Maison’s DNA: a devotion to the Art of Travel and bold creativity that combines technological innovation with exceptional craftsmanship. With the Tambour Spin Time in 2009, it even reinvented how time is displayed, with rotating cubes instead of clock hands and indexes. In 2011, La Fabrique du Temps in Geneva and its master watchmakers, Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, joined Louis Vuitton’s adventure to create some truly exceptional timepieces.

Launched in 2014, the Tambour Evolution bore strong, masculine lines with its 45 mm diameter case, whereas the 2016 Tambour Slim, in a Tourbillon version, appeared sleek and discrete on the wrist. With the Tambour Moon model launched in 2017, the Tambour kept its signature round case while reversing its caseband’s curve. Then, in 2020, the Tambour Curve quite literally pushed the boundaries of timekeeping, with its titanium and Carbostratum ® case; its surprisingly elongated convex curve, and its phenomenal flying tourbillon calibre, stamped with the prestigious Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève) – a perfect match between high-complication movement and bold creativity.

In 2021, the Tambour Carpe Diem received the Audacity Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, while the Tambour Street won the Diver’s Watch Prize. Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking has also been closely linked to the connected watch. With this technology, the future is now. In 2022, the Maison has already unveiled the 3rd generation of its Tambour Horizon Light Up model. This connected watch is simply revolutionary. Not only is it bright, travel-friendly and playful, but it is also entirely customisable, thus staying true to the Maison’s DNA.

In just two decades, Louis Vuitton has proven its legitimacy on the watchmaking scene. Over the years, the Tambour’s timeless and iconic stylistic signature has combined with all kinds of watches, from the more classic types to the most complex movements. Depending on the wearer’s wishes, it has been masculine, feminine, GMT, diver-friendly, and has even equipped itself with a flying tourbillon and a minute repeater, bearing witness to the high-end watchmaking expertise of Louis Vuitton's artisans.

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