Louis Vuitton Tambor All Black

A house whose history spans close to 165 years has clearly has a very special relationship with time. Louis Vuitton made its first foray into watchmaking back in 2002 with the Tambour, a stalwart drum dial seemingly sculpted from a block of metal, synonymous with strength and solidity. Fast forward fifteen years and that integrity has never once wavered, an accolade that’s not lost on the label, which will mark the anniversary of its debut with a reintroduction of the classic timepiece: the Tambour All Black.

As the name suggests, the new rendering emerges with an entirely matte black metal form, its brooding palette emphasizing the noble contors of the construction. Etched into the barrel of the case, the twelve letters of the title ‘Louis Vuitton’ encircle the body like the hours on a dial, while the hour markers of the face itself opt for the offbeat count of 2, 4, 8, 10, with a V signature at the 12. The initial that adorned the iconic 1901 Steamer Bag also whispers like a watermark at the center of the face, while digits are rendered in stainless steel, and its spacers in brilliant Superluminova white. Interchangeable straps, each equipped with the brand’s innovative patented system, complete the design, which has been diligently devised in two editions; the first, the Chronographe, bears an urbane and sporty sensibility, housed in a 46mm case, impelled by a self-winding caliber. The Petite Seconde, meanwhile, hones understated sophistication with a 41.5mm case and a small second function at 6 o’clock. Time to put the pedal to the metal.