Louis Vuitton Unveils The Latest Chapter In Its high watchmaking story

Lindsay Judge   |   11-07-2024

Ten years ago, Louis Vuitton embarked on a new watchmaking journey with its Louis Vuitton Escale collection, introducing three métiers d’art timepieces, inspired by the collections of Gaston-Louis Vuitton, third-generation patriarch of the Maison’s founding family. 

A decade later, the latest chapter tells a story of fine craftsmanship and high watchmaking, exploring the panorama of timekeeping in its most fundamental configuration of hours, minutes and seconds. 

Four new time-only timepieces feature an elevated three-hand design, characterised by highly textured and tactile surfaces with sophisticated finishes. These new models were created with the finest craftsmanship of the Louis Vuitton Maison combined with Swiss-made movements.

Two of the watches are in rose gold with textured dials, sophisticated yet discreet, an everyday companion. While the other two are in platinum, further decorated with ornamental and precious stones for an exalted touch. These models introduce a profundity in design approach and reinforce the integration of the Maison’s heritage and values within the fine watchmaking collection. As seen in other Escale models over the past decade, the lugs make continuous allusion to the iconic trunks of the Maison, resembling the angled form and riveted exterior of the brass brackets and corners that reinforce the Louis Vuitton trunks. 

These brass reinforcements are echoed on the dial, which has been completely redesigned to create new and stronger affinities between Escale and the Maison’s most famous creations. Angled and riveted markers in polished gold are hand-applied at each quarter, holding together the central dial and outer minuterie. The minuterie itself is punctuated with gold studs to evoke the nails of the lozine that runs along the exterior of a Louis Vuitton trunk. A brushed finish and subtle concave camber are the final touches that give the minuterie exceptional visual texture and readability. 

A new dial texture, seen in the rose-gold models, is a direct reference to the finely-grained surface of the Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas. Custom dial stamps were developed and refined over several material essays in order to perfectly convey the suppleness and tactility of canvas on a metal dial. Light plays across the faceted hour indexes and along the groove dividing the central dial and the minuterie, guiding the eye over the expanse of textures and finishes. 

The rose-gold Escale with a silvery dial comes on a calf-leather strap that draws undiluted inspiration from Louis Vuitton’s leather goods expertise. Inspired by Nomade leather, a natural leather originally introduced in 1999, the strap will gain a beautiful patina over time while losing none of its comfort and material performance, just like some of the most coveted Louis Vuitton leather products of all time. Fine yellow stitching, reminiscent of classic Louis Vuitton leather goods, outlines the shared artery of craftsmanship and hand-worked detail that animates all the creations of the Maison. In the platinum versions of the new Escale, lapidary work and gem-setting elevate the collection with rare materials and techniques. 

One model features a dial of meteorite, carefully selected to highlight the contrasting textures and natural mineral tones of this otherworldly material. Another model juxtaposes the near-fluid shine of an onyx central dial with the geometric sparkle of a bezel and case set with baguette-cut diamonds, forming an ethereal halo that draws the gaze towards the inky depths of the black dial. Both models come with white-gold hands and markers, creating a monochromatic symphony of light and shade that invite discovery and delight the eye. 

Each new Escale timepiece comes with an engraved serial number on a slim cartouche in contrasting gold riveted to the periphery of the transparent caseback, an allusion to the engraved serial number plates that identify each Louis Vuitton trunk.