Louis Vuitton
- Founded
- 1854
- Based in
- Paris, France (watches made in Geneva, Switzerland)
- In our catalog
- 1 watch from $19,000 to $20,500
Louis Vuitton has made watches since 2002, but for years most collectors didn't take them seriously. That changed in 2023, when the house relaunched the Tambour as a slim steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet and a well-finished micro-rotor movement. It turned out to be one of the most talked-about watches of the year.
History
Louis Vuitton opened his trunk-making workshop in Paris in 1854. The company became part of LVMH in 1987, and its first watch, the Tambour (French for "drum"), arrived in 2002 with a case shaped like its name. In 2011 Louis Vuitton bought La Fabrique du Temps, a Geneva workshop specializing in complications, and in 2014 it opened its own manufacture in Geneva.
The 2023 Tambour uses a movement developed with Le Cercle des Horlogers. Louis Vuitton has also set up a prize for independent watchmakers and collaborated with Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia on a chiming chronograph.
Signature models
- Tambour Automatic 40: The relaunched Tambour, with an integrated bracelet, a stepped case and a micro-rotor movement.
- Tambour Spin Time: Hours shown on small cubes that rotate one by one.
- Escale: A travel-themed watch whose painted details nod to the brand's trunks.
What it's known for
Louis Vuitton watches often use playful displays, and the Geneva manufacture has given the brand credibility with collectors.
Price and positioning
The Tambour costs around $15,000 to $20,000 in steel, with complications much higher. That's in the same territory as Vacheron's Overseas and AP's Royal Oak, but the Tambour is easier to buy.
Louis Vuitton watches in our library
- Louis Vuitton Tambour Automatic 40 ($19,000 to $20,500)