Tambour in Full Swing at Louis Vuitton
With a successful facelift in 2023, the Tambour by Louis Vuitton, launched in 2002, continues to uphold the aesthetic codes of the collection while presenting three new faces that explore the art of stone cutting, setting, and high-tech materials. The Tambour High End Platinium Rainbow, the Tambour High End Or Jaune Onyx, and the Tambour Ceramic expand a constantly evolving line, opening up an extraordinary range of possibilities.
The use of high-tech and precious materials
The conductor of the Louis Vuitton Maison, the Tambour collection makes a big splash with the arrival of a striking watchmaking ensemble, composed of three timepieces, each excelling in its own field of expertise. With the Tambour High End Platinum Rainbow, Louis Vuitton continues to explore gem-setting, an art and craft the brand has already demonstrated mastery of through previous watch creations.
For the first time machined for a Tambour model, platinum adorns this new reference, highlighting the brilliance of its silvery-white brushed finish and enhancing the sparkle of the precious stones. Sourced from Sri Lanka and Mozambique, the 48 baguette-cut corundums—comprising rubies and sapphires in green, blue, violet, pink, fuchsia, orange, and yellow—are perfectly arranged on the bezel in a delicate rainbow gradient. This multicolored spectrum resonates on the eleven 18-carat white gold hour markers, set with sapphires and rubies, against the silver opaline dial. The dial also features an azured small seconds counter at 6 o’clock and luminescent white gold hands. Limited to just fifty pieces, this timepiece is made even more exclusive by a transparent case back, inlaid with a 1.6 mm saffron-hued sapphire, visible only to its owner.
Like a perfect harmony, the saffron-colored sapphire takes center stage in the second iteration of the collection: the Tambour Yellow Gold Onyx. With its warm and slightly orange hues, this gem is seamlessly integrated into the bezel and the hour markers on the dial, which itself is crafted from onyx—offering a stunning representation of Louis Vuitton’s mastery of the lapidary art.
Creating an evident harmony with the warmth of yellow gold, it is crafted from numerous pieces of Brazilian onyx, meticulously inserted into different parts of the dial: twelve elements fit into the bezel, one for the center, and another for the hour ring. A millimeter-precise orchestration, representing a true challenge for lapidary artisans.
To end on a high-tech note, Louis Vuitton has ventured into ceramic machining with the new Tambour Ceramic. A rather successful experiment, as the result reveals a beautiful brown ceramic. In a word: sublime. Combined with rose gold, this hard-to-achieve shade evokes the color palette of the brand’s iconic trunks. Monochromatic, the layered dial especially deserves attention with its elevated levels, each enhanced by multiple layers of brown lacquer, each finished with its own unique treatment: vertical brushing in the center of the dial, sandblasting on the hour disk, and azure engraving on the small second.
The sophistication of the case and the bracelet
With its redesigned design in 2023, the Tambour features a more refined profile and an integrated bracelet. These three new features preserve these subtle yet significant changes. With a diameter of 40 mm and a thickness of only 8.3 mm, the case, with its circular brushing, evokes the shape of a drum and is also equipped — for the brown ceramic version — with the characteristic bezel adorned with the twelve letters “LOUIS VUITTON.”
It features a polished finish, like the crown, the chamfers, and the links. Furthermore, the rounded links have a curved profile and gradually taper towards the deployment clasp to fit the wrist. As mentioned earlier, the surface of the links is brushed, while the chamfers are polished, adding a touch of sophistication to the overall design. This high-level craftsmanship is further enhanced by the use of invisible pins.
A steady rhythm
The Tambour Platinium Rainbow, Yellow Gold Onyx, and Ceramic beat to the rhythm of an automatic manufacture movement – the LFT023 – crafted at the Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, under the guidance of the renowned horologist duo, Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, and developed in collaboration with the Cercle des Horlogers.
Certified as a chronometer by the Chronometric Observatory of Geneva, a guarantee of reliability and precision, this movement features an oscillating balance at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
To perfect the whole, it is equipped with a 22-carat rose gold micro-rotor, engraved with a multitude of LV motifs and complemented by a barrel adorned with a Monogram Flower, a perlage plate, and micro-beveled bridges. A marvel of decoration.
€150,000 – Consult the technical specifications of the Tambour High End Platinium Rainbow.
€130,000 – Consult the technical specifications of the Tambour High End Yellow Gold Onyx.
€75,000 – Consult the technical specifications of the Tambour Ceramic.
See also:
Read also: