Louis Vuitton’s foray into haute horology takes an artistic turn with the introduction of the Escale Cabinet of Wonders, a collection of three meticulously crafted métiers d’art watches. Scheduled to make their debut on March 6, these exclusive timepieces pay homage to Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the third-generation leader of the iconic French luxury brand.
Inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton’s extensive collection of Japanese tsuba, or sword guards, the limited-edition watches are priced at $269,000 each and are restricted to a mere 20 pieces per design. The tsuba, once owned by Gaston-Louis, who helmed the company from 1936 to 1970, served as the aesthetic foundation for the stunning creations.
Crafted with unparalleled precision, the watches showcase a harmonious blend of artisanal techniques, including enameling, marquetry, miniature painting, engraving, and damascening. The latter involves hammering gold wire into a background material, exemplifying the commitment to rare and traditional craftsmanship. Notably, one dial featuring a serpent required an impressive 260 hours of meticulous work.
Six skilled craftspeople, including Rose Saneuil, recognized for her marquetry work with Piaget, and independent watch design consultant Marie Boutteçon, collaborated on these artistic timepieces. Michel Navas, head of Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps specialist watchmaking center in Geneva, expressed the desire to honor Gaston-Louis Vuitton’s legacy and the heritage of La Maison Asnières, the brand’s long-time headquarters in a suburb of Paris.
The 18-karat gold watches feature dials adorned with creatures inspired by Gaston-Louis’s collection of 1,000 tsuba, currently housed at Asnières. Representing elements like water, earth, and fire, the designs showcase hand-engraved and miniature-painted gold carp, an engraved and enameled serpent, and a mystical dragon inlaid with gold wire and paillonné enamel.
Emblazoned with Gaston-Louis’s signature GLV monogram, introduced around 1910, the watches beautifully capture his passion for Japanese art and culture. The Escale Cabinet of Wonders is an embodiment of Louis Vuitton’s commitment to preserving rare artisanal handicrafts.
The watches, designed, assembled, and partially decorated by La Fabrique du Temps, feature a proprietary ultrathin micro-rotor automatic movement from Le Cercle des Horlogers. The calfskin leather straps, hand-braided in the style of a katana handle, are produced by an undisclosed French company.
Michel Navas emphasized that the Cabinet of Wonders collection is a step towards Louis Vuitton’s vision of self-sufficiency in watchmaking, aiming to gather all crafts under one roof. The watches, in development for 18 months, are slated for delivery in July, marking a significant milestone in Louis Vuitton’s journey to celebrate and sustain métiers d’art.
