Louis Vuitton knows you need to shake things up from time to time. The French fashion house has decided to reimagine the Tambour watch. More than two decades into its life, the timepiece has evolved into a sports watch with an integrated bracelet.
Since arriving on the scene in 2002, the Tambour has been used as a test bed by the maison. The drum-style timepiece has served as the basis for several daring stylistic experiments—to mixed results. Now, though, under the supervision of watch director Jean Arnault, the timepiece has been treated to a distinctive redesign that offers a preview of what is in store for the brand’s horological output going forward.
The first new version of the watch is the Tambour Steel. Although it carries the name and case shape of previous Tambours, that’s about it. The biggest change, of course, is that the stainless-steel watch has an integrated bracelet made of the same material that gives it a much sleeker feel. The streamlined case measure 40 mm case and is 8.5 mm thick, which is a new low for the model. The dial, available in blue or grey, has a throwback feel thanks to its white-gold hands, applied Arabic numerals, and a small-seconds display at six o’clock. The changes, both big and small, give the watch a look that is at once modern and timeless.
The Tambour Steel is powered by the calibre LFT023 automatic movement. It has a 22-karat rose-gold micro-rotor, 31 jewels and a power reserve of approximately 50 hours. The watch is also water-resistant up to 50 metres (just shy of 165 feet).
“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.” Arnault said in a statement.
The new Tambour is open for orders and will be available in September, with both dials priced at RM83,500. And don’t worry if you prefer the older version of the timepiece. Past iterations, such as the Tambour Horizon Light Up and Tambour Street Diver, are still available and part of the Tambour offer.
Previously published on Robb Report.
