From Japan to the Amazon to Space: Louis Vuitton Unveils a Trio of Masterpieces

Louis Vuitton, long admired for its formidable reputation in the worlds of luxury travel and fashion, ventured into the realm of fine watchmaking in 2002, introducing the Tambour collection. The Tambour (French word for ‘drum’) represented a new chapter in the Maison's storied history, combining its deep-rooted design philosophy with Swiss horological perfection. Far from being a mere extension of the fashion empire, Louis Vuitton's timepiece section immediately forged a strong commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and artistic expression. 

In 2025, Louis Vuitton once again demonstrates its artistic and technical expertise in haute horlogerie with the release of three novelties, namely Bushido Automata, Escale En Amazonie, and Tambour Taiko Galactique. Each watch exemplifies the Maison's commitment to crafting exceptional timepieces, drawing inspiration from a variety of cultural traditions while displaying exceptional métiers d'art and technical expertise.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Bushido Automata

Building on the success of Carpe Diem and Opera Automata, the third installment of the La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton series brings the Bushido code to life — both mechanically and artistically — via an automaton display. Louis Vuitton's Tambour Bushido Automata (Ref. W1PG31) transports its wearers to ancient Japan, paying tribute to the Samurai's discipline, honour, and artistry. The Samurai, a warrior class in pre-modern Japan, followed a strict moral code known as Bushido that emphasised strength, discipline, loyalty, and duty. Bushido, a Samurai way of life, has moulded Japanese society for generations through its emphasis on morals, honour, and artistic expression. The mask, an essential component of Samurai armour, was vital to the Bushido code.

The finely decorated 46.8 mm enamelled case, bezel, lugs, crown, and automaton pusher of the Tambour Bushido Automata are rendered in hand-carved pink gold gold, with the pusher adorned by two rubies. The bezel is etched with delicate striations and clouds that delicately hold the letters of Louis Vuitton. The handcrafted enamel dial has been crafted using the paillonné, cloisonné, and miniature enamel techniques; handcrafted engravings can be found on the mask, helmet, katana, yokai, and bow. On this canvas, in a unique way, the Maison depicts the rich and profound world of the ancient Samurai. Developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini,  the Tambour Bushido Automata boasts five animations on the dial, which together power a hypnotic change of expression on a Samurai mask, revealing the time on-demand. Against a golden backdrop,  the scene is set by a Samurai in the neutral position. The push of a button activates the automata mechanism  and the animation of the yokai, a symbolic, supernatural creature, which rises and swings aside to reveal the jumping hour inscribed on the helmet’s forehead. Meanwhile, a retrograde display — depicted by a sleek katana sword — glides to indicate the minutes. 

After a few seconds, the Tambour's mesmerising automaton spectacle continues. The mask of the Samurai's emotionless, confident face is emboldened, and a look of resolve begins to emerge. The placid eyes tighten, expressing resolve and strength. The complication magically transforms one of the eyes from a rounded LV Monogram Flower to a pointed one. The jaw also reflects the Samurai's intensity. The message, "Bushido", is printed in red Japanese letters and framed by hand-crafted mother-of-pearl teeth. It then closes again. Rising above a depiction of Mount Fuji at the 9 o’clock position is a deep red sun that acts as a power reserve indicator. 

The dial comes alive with details and loudness. The Samurai is portrayed with intrigue, intensity, and dynamism. Take the kabuto helmet as an example: a piece of Samurai armour serves both as a form of protection and a symbol of their distinct identity and position. The piece was created by etching a rose gold kabuto and burning it at high temperatures using the calamine process. The process resulted in a thin layer of carbonaceous residue with a burnt appearance. This was then hand-reworked to reveal the underlying gold. 

The Samurai’s menpo or facial armour, another protective element intended to signal strength and power, is engraved  in white gold using the bas-relief technique; the menpo here is rendered in meticulous, almost realistic detail and with contouring. The helmet’s yokai creature is also carved in rose gold and the Samurai features ruby-set eyes. Other elements that also feature engraving are the knot, and the katana sword and its accompanying handle. 

The dial’s golden, shimmering backdrop utilises the paillonné enamel technique — an underlying layer of pink enamel was first set with silver leaf before being covered with two layers of translucent enamel, giving a golden look to the dial. This has created a gradation of colours, especially on the edge of the mountain. Finally, a thin layer of fondant enamel was applied across, achieving a shiny, glistening finish to the dial. Mount Fuji too comes to life thanks to cloisonné enamel, which applied gold thread to encapsulate a white enamel colour that depicts snow. The mask itself is another masterclass in merging a multitude of artistic crafts with savoir-faire. The mask is covered in two layers of red enamel. The piece was then treated with a special layer of painted enamel that creates an almost matte, antique-like finish. Meanwhile, the eye of the mask combines cloisonné enamel for the outer eye and a dash of paillonné enamel with a tiny piece of gold for the centre of the eye. 

A final flourish of blue enamel adds vitality and emotion. Elsewhere the helmet’s shikoro feature, which protects the Samurai’s neck, is embellished with an array of Monogram Flowers. Created using a special combination of deep black and red enamel, this technique and colourway is also echoed within the Samurai’s mouth. Even the knot is treated to a mix of miniature enamel techniques like enamelwork and a host of firings, ultimately creating a velvet-like finish. Powering the watch is a manual winding Calibre LV 525 with 100 hours of power reserve. The caseback has a red lacquer yokai, echoing the narrative on the dial with perlée and Côte de Genève finishes. The watch is finished on a red calf strap leather strap with an 18 ct pink gold double folding buckle. 

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Escales Autour du Monde ‘Escale en Amazonie’ Pocket Watch

Continuing its legacy of exceptional watchmaking savoir-faire and audacious creativity, Louis Vuitton travels to the lush landscapes of the Amazon rainforest with one of the most complicated watches to date. Housed in a 50 mm case incorporating 18 ct white gold, the unique piece has a bezel set with coloured stones, crown, and suspension ring at 12 o’clock. In fact, the bezel has 60 baguette-cut precious stones and coloured stones (31 emerald stones, 13 tsavorite stones, 11 tourmaline stones, and 5 yellow sapphires). The hand-engraved dial has a monkey, leaves, parrots, a snake, a compass, a canoe, and a trunk, all handcrafted with enamel techniques, including paillonné enamel and miniature enamel. 

Clearly, the pocket watch depicts an Amazon rainforest, a land with vegetation and wildlife, boasting breathtaking views of waterfalls and rocky terrains. The miniature spectacle is activated by a slide piece at 6 o’clock. A long wooden pirogue, stacked with Louis Vuitton trunks, glides through luxuriant verdant foliage. The trunks then slowly begin to open, revealing golden LV Monogram Flowers, and catch the eye of wild animals: a pair of parrots, their heads and wings cocked in curiosity; a snake with its head and tail swinging enquiringly; and a monkey holding an oversized leaf. Presiding over this scene at 12 o’clock is a sculpted gold rose compass, which spins to its own tune. Featuring seven animations, the dial comes alive with a total of 15 moving elements, each stirring to their own motion and pacing independently. 

Complementing the overall look are the snailing on the barrel, the hand engraving on the bridges, the hand finishing to bring forth a mirror polish on numerous components including all the screws, the monobloc gongs, the tourbillon cage, and the ratchet, the latter part of which was sculpted into a concave shape over three weeks. For the first time the prongs for the ruby settings are in yellow gold while the wheels connecting the tourbillon are in solid gold. Elsewhere, the movement’s upper section, where the bridges are visible, feature the celebrated Côtes de Genève finish while the hands are blued using the traditional flame technique. 

A total of 31 colours were ultimately chosen, in varying shades of green, blue, brown, and white. This effort was complemented by three types of enamel — translucent, opaque, and opalescent — that feature unique properties for light transmission, and which produce a wonderful play of light, brilliance, and depth. No less than 30 firings were required to achieve the dial’s exact, rich tones, with the risk of breakage or damage ever-present with each firing. Miniature enamel was used on the dial’s backdrop, like the waterfall that incorporates varying hues of white, green, and blue. These colours are expertly blended and applied to create a blurred effect, evoking a real waterfall, which is especially complex to achieve via enamel art. The palm trees are likewise painstakingly rendered in different shades of miniature enamel, creating a sense of visual depth and scope.

Miniature enamel also enlivened each animated element on the dial, from the snake and monkey to the canoe itself. Consider the monkey:  seven colours of applied miniature enamel ensured the correct thickness; this also produced a rounded cabochon effect, a feature that’s highlighted by the expression on the monkey’s face. Elsewhere, the depiction of the parrots’ range of colours uses  bright red enamel, among the most fragile of enamel colours; five layers of the material were applied on the leaves, for example, to bring out infinite details like tiny veins. Meanwhile, four layers of translucent enamel were applied on the snake, in a subtle graduation of colours, set on small, interwoven parts. Bringing to life the mesmerising scene of seven animations and 15 moving elements on the dial, the manual winding LFT AU14.03 calibre, which has been entirely  developed in-house, offers a power reserve of 8 days. Engraved with the LFT stamp, the movement also incorporates a minute repeater that chimes the hours, quarters, and minutes. Most noteworthy is the debut of the tourbillon. Meanwhile, two hands have been placed on the caseback, rather than on the face.

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Tambour Taiko Galactique

After celebrating Europe and its vanities, China and the Bian-Lan Opera, and Japan and Bushido, Louis Vuitton now embarks on a new journey by propelling High Watchmaking into space. For this interstellar odyssey, Louis Vuitton has created the Tambour Taiko Galactique (Ref. W9TI12). This 46.7 mm titanium and white gold-cased watch has a crown, lugs, and a slide-piece in 18 ct white gold; the slide-piece is set with six baguette-cut sapphires and two baguette-cut topazes. The handcrafted enamel dial uses the paillonné, cloisonné, and miniature enamel techniques; handcrafted engravings can be found on the astronaut, the satellite, and the flag with two diamonds set at 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock.

The shape of its integrated lugs is hollowed out. The crown of this watch is positioned at 12 o’clock. Like a precious signature, the letters “Louis Vuitton” are polished and affixed in relief on the bezel of the watch. In addition to the minute repeater being associated with cathedral gongs, there are seven animations on the automaton. Louis Vuitton harnessed technical expertise in no fewer than nine elements that smoothly come alive on the dial. Pushing the slide pusher activates the minute repeater that chimes out the hour, and the dial offers a visual spectacle with a gradient of blue sapphires and two topazes.

To the sound of a powerful and melodious cathedral chime, the astronaut moves through space, ready to plant his flag on the lunar ground. At the same time, the satellite’s antenna, solar panels, and thruster come to life, shooting stars oscillate, and the Sun begins its rotation, all at different speeds. Barely out of his spacecraft, the astronaut of the Tambour Taiko Galactique prepares to explore the Moon. In his right hand, he holds a saffron-coloured flag with the House’s logo while a satellite is stationed to his left. Illuminated by the Sun’s rays, the Earth shines brightly, offering a representation of the blue planet.

The Earth is drenched in orange, green, white, and blue shades, and these were obtained with seven layers of miniature enamel. The planet seems to fade delicately into the universe. While some stars sparkle, thanks to the delicate technique of paillonné, wherein a gold paillon is applied to the dial and then covered with enamel, the opalescent enamel perfectly transcribes the vaporous halo of the moon’s surface and the solar flare, thus reproducing the sun’s rays illuminating the dial. The sun uses the paillonné technique: yellow gold paillons are applied between different layers  of transparent enamel, allowing gold to stand out. Orange and red enamels are then added to reflect the fiery side of the star. Made with the champlevé technique, the astronaut seems to float weightlessly on the moon.

The lunar surface, with its craters reproduced, is obtained thanks to the grisaille technique. This technique is based on a black base on which different layers of white enamel are applied, creating a subtle chiaroscuro effect. The red Monogram Flowers on the astronaut’s suit are hand-painted in miniature. Their small size has three layers of enamel. Ultimately, eight layers give this unique decor a glossy finish. Powering the watch is LFT AU14.02, a manual-winding mechanical calibre with a 100-hour power reserve. Turning the watch showcases the skeleton caseback. Finishing the watch is a blue rubber strap with an 18 ct white gold double folding buckle.