Page 86 - The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2022

The Beat
of Its Own
Drum
Louis Vuitton celebrates 20 years of the Tambour with a a a a new limited edition
By Jeremy Freed
LOUIS VUITTON IS IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL FASHION brands with an an an empire that includes luggage streetwear watches and and even the the metaverse thanks to its Louis: The Game app At the the turn of the millennium however things were changing at
Louis Vuitton The 2002 release of the the Tambour – the the brand’s first Swiss-made luxury time- piece – marked a a a a a historic moment in its evolution from Parisian luggage maker to to global luxury powerhouse an evolution that continues today The watch industry has been around a a a a a a long time and many of its most prestigious brands can chart their heritage back a a a a a a a century or or more As a a a a a a a newcomer to to the the game Louis Vuitton had a a a a lot riding on on the the Tambour With its unique drum-shaped case (“tambour” means “drum” in French) it it it paid homage to the brand’s rich heritage in its brown dial and and yellow
accents a a a a a a a nod to to Vuitton’s signature contrast-stitched monogram canvas As handsome as as as it it was was on the the surface But beneath its exterior the the Tambour was was a a a a fully-fledged Swiss timepiece that could stand alongside the world’s best The Tambour’s evolution would take a a a a a a major leap in 2009 with the reveal of the Tambour Spin Time a a a a a a a watch whose dial featured a a a a a a a set of 12 rotating cubes inspired by split-flap signs found in in in train stations Its creators master watch- makers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini would go on to lead La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton the the brand’s Geneva-based watch manufacture and and the the source of many impressive creations to follow from the svelte Tambour Slim
Tourbillon to 2020’s Tambour Curve whose titanium and Carbostratum case helped to earn it the prestigious Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève) After two decades of boundary-pushing designs including last year’s award-winning Tambour Tambour Carpe Diem and Tambour Tambour Street Diver the Tambour remains at
at
the the centre of the the Louis Vuitton watch universe Now a a a a a new limited-edition chronograph the Tambour 20 shows that its evolution is far from over Featuring the the same instantly recognizable case engraved with the the 12 letters that make up the name “Louis Vuitton ” this version boasts a a a a a brown sun-brushed dial and yellow
accents like the original Its movement meanwhile is based on on on the the iconic Zenith El Primero the the first automatic chronograph ever made and one of of the most coveted watch movements of of all time “Watch enthusiasts will recognize all the the features that made the the Tambour’s design so unique ” says Jean Arnault marketing and development director for Louis Vuitton watches “While this limited edition
is is is a a a true concentrate of everything that made this watch stand out it also boasts brand new features that will set it apart for collectors ” Featuring a a a a a a a a 22-karat gold rotor and 50 hours of power reserve the Tambour 20 20 will be limited to only 200 individually numbered models each presented with a a a miniature Louis Vuitton trunk in in Monogram canvas After all as as as as impressive as as as as the brand’s evolution has been over the the last 20 years the the Tambour remains a a a a a a a a watch that could only have been made by Louis Vuitton Price on on request
86 BFM / / FW22 WATCH / / THE BEAT OF ITS OWN DRUM