Louis Vuitton published a book celebrating 20 years since their entry into luxury watchmaking by telling the “audacious tale” of the Tambour watch. Audacious may be a little self-congratulatory but it isn’t completely off-base considering that LV have managed what few fashion brands have achieved – legitimacy in watchmaking. You can maybe count on one hand how many fashion brands have done that, and one of them is Cartier. 

Louis Vuitton is incredibly new to the watchmaking game relatively speaking. 30 years is a long time for most companies and brands to stick around, but watchmaking has brands with hundreds of years of heritage, so to be able to win approval from the industry is a big win. This was almost certainly made possible by the huge conglomerate LVMH which is home to several watchmakers, so resources are certainly no issue. 

The key resource is surely the acquisition of Le Fabrique du Temps (“the time factory”), LV’s own dedicated watch manufacture. After the purchase, LV watches earned the Geneva Seal, a rarefied standard of Swiss watchmaking for the best in the game. 

Whether or not these are the types of stories in the “biography” is unclear. What is clear is that the book will feature essays by journalist and luxury watch expert, Fabienne Reybaud, who explores “the creative origins of the Tambour design and the history of Louis Vuitton watches, along with the precision work of La Fabrique du Temps.” 

Also included is a catalogue of major models, exclusive insights from watch specialists, and over 350 illustrations. 

For $245 AUD, it’s a collector’s item that will certainly please.