Flower Power: Introducing the Latest Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Kaleidoscope

As one of the leading global luxury goods emporiums, Louis Vuitton knows a thing or two about winning designs and contemporary trends, especially when American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and fashion designer Pharrell Williams has been roped in as its new Men’s Creative Director. The Maison debuted the Tambour watch in 2002; since then, the timepiece has become their flagship creation. The latest Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Kaleidoscope (Ref. Q1EN2Y) pays tribute to the brand’s iconic Monogram Flower with a finely crafted cloisonné enamel dial, animated by a flying tourbillon.

Anita Porchet, one of the most celebrated names in watchmaking, has crafted the exquisite enamel dial of the new Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Kaleidoscope watch. Using cloisonné enamel, gold threads are soldered to each dial to create a kaleidoscopic pattern. The threads form thin partitions separating the different colours of the enamel. Using a predominantly purple (the most difficult colour to achieve in enamelling) and blue palette, the dial took nearly two weeks to get completed. The gold hands are skeletonised to ensure full viewing pleasure and discreet gold semi-spherical dots represent the hour markers.

Crafted from 18 ct rose gold, the 42 mm Tambour case features the signature drum-shaped concave profile, reminiscent of a crescent moon. Louis Vuitton chose to let the cloisonné enamel details shine by leaving the dial's "canvas" unsigned. The effect is strengthened by the infinitely recurring Monogram Flower pattern, wherein the central motif, made of gold threaded cloisonné enamel, seems to get repeated beyond the dial’s limits, just like a Mandala. Time can be viewed via gold hour and minute hands. 

Louis Vuitton decided to equip the watch with one of its self-winding movements: the flying tourbillon LV 81 calibre, offering 40 hours of power reserve. It is entirely designed, developed, and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. The iconic regulator at 6 o’clock boasts a refined design that reveals the V for Gaston-Louis Vuitton at the heart of the flying tourbillon carriage.

On the caseback, a sapphire crystal opens a window into the micro-rotor and watch mechanism. Its delicate adornment recalls the striped Trianon canvas, created in 1858. The watch is presented on a blue alligator strap with an 18 ct rose gold pin buckle.