In 2002, Louis Vuitton premiered the Tambour watch, an immediately recognizable drum-shaped case with a bold and arresting vision of time interpretation. After 21 years, two steel versions distinguish the launch of the new Tambour, reinforcing the designation of this collection for daily wear. A tone-on-tone model with silver-grey dial or one with a contrasting deep blue dial are the options for the introduction of the Maison’s reborn emblematic collection, an enriched Tambour with two additional firsts for Louis Vuitton, an integrated bracelet and an exclusive new and beautifully crafted automatic movement designed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
Everything about the new Louis Vuitton Tambour comes down to the design, which is to say that everything has a meaning and a reason. The exterior of the watch, every surface that contacts the skin, is shaped to accommodate the body. The caseback is not flat, but ascends in an arc towards the case middle, fitting the natural curve of the forearm as it approaches the wrist. In echoing the topography of the human arm, the Tambour appears even slimmer than its 8.3mm. The bracelet links, convex on their upper surfaces and convex on the underside, form a rounded profile that maintains a continuous line of touch with the entire wrist.
The new cal. LFT023 is more than the movement driving the evolved Tambour, it is also the first proprietary automatic three-hand movement designed by Louis Vuitton in conjunction with movement specialists Le Cercle des Horlogers to fully embody the Maison’s visual codes, from the barrel cover with openworking reminiscent of a Monogram Flower to the micro-rotor decorated with a stylised LV in a repeating motif. It is resolutely contemporary, with micro-sandblasted bridges, polished edges and chamfers replicating the aesthetic vocabulary of the rest of the watch. A circular-grained mainplate is a nod to traditional movement decoration, but the colourless transparent jewels in place of the conventional magenta movement rubies maintains the avant-garde visual approach of the cal. LFT023. The micro-rotor is in high-inertia 22k gold, paired with peripheral gearing that provides exceptionally efficient winding to the barrel with 50 hours of power reserve on a 4Hz (28,800vph) escapement.
Tambour W1ST10
Tambour W1ST10, $25,200
- Stainless steel case; 40 mm in diameter; 8.3 mm 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, caliber 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
Tambour W1ST20, $25,200
- Stainless steel case; 40 mm in diameter; 8.3 mm 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, caliber 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.
