Tag

manual-wind

Browsing
The Watches

Louis Vuitton Creates Voyager with “Stained Glass’ Enamel Dial

Louis Vuitton dresses its already impressive in-house flying tourbillon with stunning ‘stained glass’ artisanal enamel to create the new 41mm platinum and white gold Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève“ Plique-à-jour. 

The new 41mm platinum and white gold Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève“ Plique-à-jour.

By pairing a modern flying tourbillon movement developed within the La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshop with a traditional enameling technique, Louis Vuitton draws attention to its wide-ranging mastery of artistic craftsmanship, which for this model focuses on plique-à-jour, a  technique pioneered by Byzantine artisans in the 4th and 5th centuries.

Essentially, the technique consists of depositing enamel into open cells and allowing it to color the space in a ‘capillary action fill.’

The artisan must apply the enamel in multiple layers and kiln fire it each time in order to achieve the correct transparency that, when completed, echoes a stained glass window. More than 100 hours of artisanal work are required to complete each dial.

The blue hue that dominates the new watch was particularly difficult to create, according to Louis Vuitton, which adds that “many months of research were needed to obtain this blue gradient.

To achieve this, the Maison worked with several master enamelers within its atelier at La Fabrique des Arts.”

The transparent enamel panes are set within a white gold dial created with repeated interlocking Vs (for Vuitton).

This pattern pairs perfectly with the skeletonized LV 104 Caliber, a beautifully finished manual-wind movement also developed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. 

Note that the watch’s Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève) certification is visible both on the front of the watch and in border on the caseback.

Echoing the workmanship required to construct the enamel work here, the flying tourbillon movement also requires painstaking watchmaking and design technique. Louis Vuitton explains that more than 120 hours of work are required to assemble all 168 parts of the caliber, which boasts a strong 80-hour power reserve.

Price: Upon request. 

 

Specifications: Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève” Plique-à-jour 

Movement: LV 104 Calibre: mechanical movement with manual winding developed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, “Poinçon de Genève” certification, visible on the face and back. Functions: Skeleton flying tourbillon, hours and minutes, V tourbillon cage fully rotating in one minute. Eighty hours of power reserve, 21,600 oscillations per hour.

Case: 41mm by 11.68mm platinum 950 and 18-karat white gold with polished and brushed finishes, anti-reflection sapphire crystal, transparent caseback, water-resistant to 50 meters.

Dial: Handmade plique-à-jour enamel dial crafted within the in-house workshop of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

Strap: Navy blue calf strap with platinum buckle.

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Nomos Expands Colorful Club Campus 

Nomos debuts two colorful watches in its Club Campus series, an entry level collection that the Glashütte-based independent watchmaker calls an “ideal gift—for recent graduates and all those celebrating milestone moments in life.”

The new Nomos Club Campus Endless Blue, here in 36mm. A 38.5mm model is also available.

While its relatively affordable price tag (starting at $1,500) may attract many gift-givers to the charms of Club Campus, it’s the clean dials, artful colors and watch’s solid manual-wind in-house calibers that seal the deal.

Club Campus 38 Nonstop Red from Nomos Glashütte.

With two new models in eye-catching ‘nonstop’ red and ‘endless’ blue hues, each available in two sizes (36mm and 38.5mm), the new Club Campus models expand the series with new color options and a continued focus on gift-giving.

The optional stainless steel back of Club Campus is available for engraving–at no extra charge.

To further enhance this prospect, Nomos offers free engraving on an optional solid caseback for all watches in the series. 

Of course, many future Club Campus watch owners might prefer to see the excellent manual-wind Nomos Alpha movement through the clear sapphire back, which is also available for an extra $300.

The dials here are contemporary, with a playful mix of Roman and Arabic numerals, echoing what is sometimes called a ‘California dial.’  In an interesting dial detail, Nomos has outlined the hour markers and numerals with contrasting color outlines.

Thus, the outlines are in light blue on the red model and are violet on the blue edition. Nomos also chooses differing hues for the minute numerals: light blue on the red dial and mint green on the blue dial. The seconds hand on both dials is neon orange.

A screw-down back ensures that this watch is water-resistant to 100 meters. The case is held to the wrist with a vegan velour strap.

Prices start at $1,500 for 36mm model with a solid back. 

 

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Louis Vuitton Teams with Rexhep Rexhepi

In the first of series of watches built in collaboration with independent watchmakers, Louis Vuitton in late 2023 launched the LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie, developed by Louis Vuitton and the independent Geneva brand Atelier Akrivia (founded by watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi) in a redesigned Louis Vuitton Tambour case.

The Louis Vuitton/Atelier Akriva LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie.

The new watch, a luxurious double-faced chronograph with a chiming complication, is powered by an all-new tourbillon movement. The chiming function can be activated by the pusher at two o’clock, which will initiate a chime heard once per minute while engaged.

When compared with conventional movements, the new LVRR-01 caliber is inverted, with the chronograph and chiming mechanisms visible on the front with the more traditional displays on the back.

The cubic motif is a nod to the Spin Time jumping-hours display, one of Louis Vuitton’s patented complications.

Louis Vuitton and Akrivia have devised a contemporary look for the front side of the watch, opting for a modern tinted sapphire crystal that echoes the innovative dual functions placed there.

On the back, the watch offers a more traditional face, with a white grand feu enamel dial. This dial was designed by Rexhep Rexhepi and crafted by Nicolas Doublel, the in-house enameler at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Note that enamel dial echoes the look of the premiere wristwatch made by Louis Vuitton in 1988.

While the white-gold disc for the dial base is produced by Atelier Akrivia, the enamelling is completed by the in-house Louis Vuitton enamel atelier led by Nicolas Doublel.

The two watchmakers not only combined their watchmaking talents, but enshrined their dual efforts on the dial with a new logo. 

While at arms length the logo seems conventional, a closer look reveals a union of the two brand names. The ‘LV’ is incorporated into ‘AKRIVIA,’ which represents the first time in history that Louis Vuitton has combined its logo with of the logo of another brand. 

Historic tourbillon 

Beneath the LVRR-01’s tinted sapphire front, the tourbillon at the six o’clock position completes one revolution every five minutes, far slower than conventional tourbillons, but not unusual among older chronometers.

The innovative chiming chronograph that indicates elapsing minutes marks a first for a wristwatch, according to the watchmaker. However, the combination of elapsed time measurement with a striking mechanism has been used in pocket watches and more recently on Omega’s Speedmaster Chrono Chime, though the Omega chime operates in a different sequence.

Inside the LVRR-01’s tourbillon cage you’ll find a balance wheel with twin broad arms and eight inertial regulating weights, inspired by those found in marine chronometers.

For the chime, Atelier Akrivia has developed a black-polished steel hammer that strikes a tempered steel gong.

In order to power both the chronograph and the chiming mechanism, Louis Vuitton and Rexhep Rexhepi have outfitted the movement with twin barrels, one power source for the timekeeping portion of the movement and the chronograph and another for the chime. Unusually however, the second barrel only supplies power when the chronograph/sonnerie is activated.

The case is somewhat thinner than the traditional Tambour shape, with its more streamlined form.

Louis Vuitton and Atelier Akrivia applied all this innovation within a 39.9mm platinum Tambour case with touches of Rexhep Rexhepi style. This means the case is somewhat thinner than the traditional Tambour shape, with its more streamlined form, sloping bezel and sculpted lugs.

Similarly the crown and pusher are seven-sided, as on Louis Vuitton watches, but they are hand-hammered in the Atelier Akrivia style with added chamfering on their edges.

The LVRR-01 is delivered in a unique Louis Vuitton traditional trunk.

Price: CHF 450,000, limited edition of ten.

Specifications: Louis Vuitton/Atelier Akriva LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie 

Movement: 

  • LVRR-01 caliber: Manual winding movement developed by Atelier Akrivia
  • Functions: Central hours and minutes, 5-minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock; Chronograph à sonnerie (minutes & seconds)
  • 391 components, including 55 for the tourbillon only
  • 72-hour power reserve
  • 21,600 vibrations per hour
  • 41 jewels
  • Case:
    • Reinterpreted Tambour case
    • Diameter: 39.9 mm
    • Thickness: 12.2 mm
    • Water-resistant to 30 meters.
  • Front dial:
    • Smoked translucent sapphire dial
    • Six gold cubes filled with translucent Plique-à-jour
    fired enamel
    • 3N Gold railway and logo
  • Chronograph dial:
    • Traditional Grand Feu enamel on a palladium-gold base • Enamel dial features twin scales for hours and minutes
    Strap:
    • Natural calfskin leather
    Buckle:
    • Platinum ardillon buckle
    Trunk:
    • High watchmaking special trunk with hand-painted Monogram canvas.
by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Behold the Parmigiani Fleurier L’Armoriale

Parmigiani Fleurier adds a stunning new one-of-a-kind pocket watch to its “Objets d’Art” collection.

The new timepiece, called L’Armoriale, features a minute repeater and chronograph pocket watch movement made by A. Golay Leresche & Fils in 1890. In 1985, Michel Parmigiani restored the movement and added a perpetual calendar and has now created the exceptional case and dial for the movement.

Within the 58.2mm white gold case Parmigiani’s artisans have placed the perpetual calendar and its moon phase display against an aventurine sky and hand-hammered moons, all on white gold.

The lunar display is itself set within a stunning brown engraving in the “mezzo vibrato” theme. Around the dial also note almond motifs present on the case and lugs. The counters are also white gold and engraved.

On the back of the watch, you’ll see an equally stunning hand engraved design. Inspired by a tiled floor at Mantua’s Palazzo Te, the polished and grand feu enameled white gold back revels in its translucent yellow, brown, and red pattern, all completed by master enameler Vanessa Lecci.

Even the chain is a piece of artisanal workmanship.

Made by master chain-maker Laurent Jolliet, the 18-karat white gold 300mm chain features thirty-five square links and thirty-three oval links are all entirely handcrafted, beveled and polished.

All connect to one oval link with an engraved Parmiginai Fleurier logo.

As a one-of-a-kind project, the L’Armoriale is priced upon request. 

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Bell & Ross Blues its Cyber Skull 

Bell & Ross expands its BR 01 Cyber Skull collection with the new BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire Ice Blue, a 45mm clear sapphire watch with an automaton skull whose jaw moves when the watch’s crown is turned while winding the movement.

The new Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire Ice Blue.

The high-tech composite sapphire case allows a completely clear view of the manual-wind caliber and its components, whether viewed from the front or back of the watch. The highlight ice blue skull, made of galvanized brass and blue PVD (on the dial side), serves as a backdrop and mainplate for the skeletonized caliber BR-CAL.209, with its 48-hour power reserve and 28,800 vph frequency.

Bruno Belamich, creative director and co-founder of Bell & Ross, explains that the newest skull hue “combines perfectly with the transparency of the sapphire of the case, like a faceted iceberg.”

The watchmaker notes that the case’s sapphire material is almost as hard and scratch-resistant as diamond. To produce the case, technicians use a hydrogen flame to heat an alumina powder to a temperature exceeding 2,000°C., a delicate and painstaking process

Bell & Ross equips the watch with a transparent soft silicone strap held to the wrist with a polished and satin-finished steel pin buckle. The new BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire Ice Blue is a limited edition of 25 pieces, each priced at $115,000. 

by
Keep Reading