Further enriching the range of timepieces conceived, developed, and produced in La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, comes the new Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon featuring a 46 mm case whose shape is an extrapolation of those of the Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève, launched last year. This acclaimed, high-impact design presents a modern, contemporary look with a luxury that is all about understatement. The design, considered one of the most successful and dynamic on the market, gives
it a graphic signature inspired by the original Tambour watch launched in 2002 whose curves were inspired by the architecture of the most stunning international airport terminals. The Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon stylishly demonstrates the way in which shape influences function and vice-versa.
Extrapolated from the Möbius strip, the 46 mm case middle on this timepiece, made of shot-blasted Grade 5 titanium, deconstructs the circle. Stretched and elongated, it catches the eye with the convex curve of its bezel and crystal. With this innovative view from both the front and the side, it propels the Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon into the imagination, the tangible expression of a perpetual invitation to travel.
Designed to accompany its owner wherever they are in the world and on all their adventures, the Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon is available in titanium, in titanium with 18K pink gold —with horns, push-pieces and winding crown in 18K pink gold—, or in an entire titanium version with its dial carved out of the Gibeon meteorite that landed in Namibia and hour markers set with baguette-cut diamonds.
The true face of this timepiece, the dial of the Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon has been given a refined contemporary look, down to the smallest detail. Open-worked without being truly skeletonised, it is crafted in two separate parts in order to present a strong, minimalist architecture conducive to reading the time. The “V” for the Gaston Vuitton logo punctuates the dial on the flying tourbillon carriage at 9 o’clock. It can also be spotted between the counters where, through dovetailing and relief effects created with the delicately sunray-brushed grey, pink gold or meteorite dial, it depicts the silhouette of an hourglass —an allusion to a historical instrument often used to symbolise the passing of time.
But of all the components visible beneath the sapphire crystal, the hour markers are certainly the most astounding. Suspended from the flange whose complex outline follows that of the case, they have been machined individually to follow the curve of the dial, once fitted. They also feature a solid block of luminescent material made of superluminova rather than simply being coated in the material. This produces a much more powerful and lasting glow in the dark and reinforces the cutting-edge element of the watch. On the titanium and meteorite version, the luminescent material is replaced by baguette-cut diamonds set into each hour marker. These rigorously selected jewels extracted from the depths of the Earth combine beautifully with the polished disc taken from a meteor that came from the depths of the universe.
Since its foundation, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton has been creating original, exclusive, bold and competitive complications. Taking this idea to its natural conclusion, it has developed its own automatic mechanical movement, the calibre LV82 composed of 201 components and 29 jewels. This automatic movement beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph and boasts an 18K pink gold oscillating weight, guaranteeing a 65-hour power reserve, and an entirely black contemporary finish combining circular satin brushing and shot blasting, all visible through the display case back.
Committed to offering the very best, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton has finely crafted the timepiece’s finishing touches. The push-pieces, which move in a supple manner under pressure from the finger, move the transparent disc with the LV logo forward or backward to indicate the time of the second time zone, displayed at 3 o’clock. As for the winding crown, in order to ensure a good grip when setting the time or winding the calibre, it incorporates slightly protruding rubber parts.
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