In just two decades, French luxury house Louis Vuitton has carved out a niche for itself in the watch industry. In 2002, the house first unveiled the Tambour, instantly recognizable by its unusual shape and signature applied lugs. Today, the Tambour serves as a creative platform for everything from smartwatches to award-winning high-end timepieces. Letโs take a closer look at a limited-edition model from 2022.
An ever-evolving icon
Over the years, the Tambour has become a symbol of Louis Vuittonโs watch collection, appearing in different expressions. In 2009, with the Tambour Spin Time, the brand even reinvented the time display with rotating cubes instead of traditional hands and indexes. In 2011, La Fabrique du Temps in Geneva, with master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, joined Louis Vuitton to create even more exceptional pieces.
In 2021, the Tambour Carpe Diem received the Audacity Award at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genรจve, while the Tambour Street won the Diving Watch Award. Louis Vuitton has also explored the world of smartwatches, unveiling the third generation of its fully customizable Tambour Horizon Light Up in 2022.
The Twenty Drum: Celebration and Innovation
To celebrate two decades on the market, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton has created an exclusive anniversary model: the Tambour Twenty. This limited edition of 200 pieces pays tribute to the original Tambour by incorporating the iconic codes that made this model an icon of watch design.
Jean Arnault, Director of Marketing and Development for Louis Vuitton watches, explains: โWatch lovers will recognize all the elements that made the Tambour design so unique. This limited edition is a true concentration of everything that distinguished this watch, while introducing new features that will set it apart for collectors.โ
Technical and aesthetic characteristics of the twenty drum
The Tambour Twenty features a 41.5mm diameter case with the 12 letters forming โLouis Vuittonโ around the numerals and indexes, as on the 2002 version. This edition sports a brown dial with a sunburst finish, accompanied by yellow chronograph hands, a nod to the thread historically used in the houseโs leather goods.
The chronograph, which is water-resistant to 100 meters, is powered by the high-frequency LV277 movement, based on the Zenith El Primero. This version features a 22-carat gold rotor and offers a 50-hour power reserve. The Tambour Twenty is priced at โฌ16,500.
The Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty not only embodies the celebration of the 20th anniversary of this iconic model, but also paves the way for many future decades of fine watchmaking, true to Louis Vuitton's values โโof creativity, craftsmanship and excellence.
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