The Charming Louis Vuitton Tambour Répétition Minutes
With a brand value worth more than $42 billion, Forbes has dubbed Louis Vuitton as the most valuable luxury brand in 2020. To complement its extensive catalog of coveted leather goods, handbags, trunks, shoes, high jewelry, and fragrances, Louis Vuitton also boasts an impressive watchmaking division that is behind a wide assortment of creative and complicated fine timepieces. One example is the Louis Vuitton Tambour Répétition Minutes timepiece, which thanks to its surprising combination of intricate watch complications and ultra-luxurious finishing, is well-deserving of a closer look.
The Tambour Répétition Minutes
Making its debut in 2011, the Tambour Répétition Minutes combines Louis Vuitton’s signature drum-like case silhouette with a dual time display, in addition to one of watchmaking’s most revered complications—the minute repeater. As many of you already know, striking watches were invented to sound out the time in the dark before the invention of electricity. While there are various types of striking watches, a minute repeater watch chimes the hours, quarter hours, and the number of minutes since the last quarter-hour.
Rather than sounding out the main time display, Louis Vuitton developed the Tambour Répétition Minutes to have the mechanism chime the second time zone, which for many travelers is set to home time. Given Louis Vuitton’s long history of catering to travelers by making high-quality leather trunks and luggage, it comes as no surprise that the Tambour Répétition Minutes is built with the globetrotting watch connoisseur in mind.
A day/night indicator accompanies the second time zone indicator at the center of the dial while the traditional hour hand jumps in one-hour increments to easily adjust local time whilst traveling. Meanwhile, a running seconds subsidiary dial graces the bottom portion of the dial. A day/night indicator accompanies the second time zone indicator at the center of the dial while the traditional hour hand jumps in one-hour increments to easily adjust local time whilst traveling. Meanwhile, a running seconds subsidiary dial graces the bottom portion of the dial.
At the heart of the Louis Vuitton Tambour minute repeater watch is the hand-wound LV 178 mechanical movement with an impressive 100-hour power reserve. Not only does the dial include a power reserve indicator to notify the wearer when the watch needs a winding but it also offers a peek of the skeletonized movement powering the watch. What’s more, there’s also the sapphire exhibition caseback for an even better view of the intricate mechanics.
White Gold Louis Vuitton Tambour Répétition Minutes
This Tambour Répétition Minutes was originally offered in white, rose, and yellow gold. This particular example sports a generously sized 44mm case in 18k white gold. The Tambour line, which takes its name from the French word for “drum,” features curvy watch cases with dramatically sloped sides and a prominent profile to mimic the instrument it is named after. Among all the watch models that have come out of Maison Louis Vuitton, the Tambour silhouette is by far the most recognizable.
Naturally, since Louis Vuitton is the master of leather, the Tambour Répétition Minutes is fitted with an elegant leather band. Not one, but two leather straps—black and brown—are included in the full set, which is beautifully presented in a miniaturized version of a Louis Vuitton travel trunk. The leather strap is fitted with a matching 18k white gold deployant clasp for a secure fit around the wrist.
High Horology By Louis Vuitton
From its arresting aesthetics to its charming acoustics to its travel-friendly functions, the Tambour Répétition Minutes is a remarkable high horology watch worthy of the renowned Louis Vuitton name.
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