It’s been two decades since Louis Vuitton launched the iconic Tambour watch. Now, the French fashion house has reimagined the timepiece, releasing a steel version with dials in silver-gray and deep blue.
What can you expect from the latest design? Unlike previous models, the updated Tambour features an integrated bracelet with an invisible closure and a new automatic movement designed by Le Fabrique du Temps (the Maison’s watchmaking factory in Geneva).
Overseen by the luxury brand’s watch director Jean Arnault, the sporty new iteration of the Tambour has been updated with a slimmer form – the case is just 8.3mm thick – and an arced case back designed to fit the curve of the wearer’s arm.
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The dials have tapered white-gold hands, numerals and indexes, while the sapphire glass is topped with an anti-glare coating. Every effort has been taken to ensure the finishes are top quality; the sandblasted bezel with polished rims is painstakingly adorned with the twelve-letter name of the Maison.
Powered by the calibre LFT023 automatic movement, the new release features a 22-karat gold micro-rotor and boasts a power reserve of up to 50 hours. The steel Tambour is also water-resistant to depths of up to 164 feet.
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Slated to go on sale in September for $18,500, the refreshed Tambour has a much steeper price tag than the older iteration – which cost around $3,200 for the quartz version – reflecting Louis Vuitton’s efforts to elevate its watch offering.
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“After twenty years of audacious watchmaking design based on the renowned Tambour shape, and with the same quest for modernity, elegance and functionality that the Maison has been built on for more than 160 years, Louis Vuitton elevates its watch offer with an unprecedented level of sophistication, on each and every element of the new watch,” says Arnault.
“With this launch, we seek to open a new chapter in the history of the Maison’s watchmaking by creating a watch with strong horological credentials while identifiably Louis Vuitton in style.”
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