Introducing: Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Guilloche

July 01, 2013

Last year, Louis Vuitton introduced what Thomas called a bold new effort. He was right; the Tambour Convergence, a montre guichet with a mirror-polished rose gold case, was a true stunner. This year, at LVMH Watch Week, Louis Vuitton introduces an enhanced version of the Tambour Convergence. Its mirror-polished fa?ade is now hand-decorated with a rippling halo and an array of undulating rays. Let s take a quick look at the new Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Guilloche.Indeed, with last year s version of the Tambour Convergence, Louis Vuitton had already demonstrated its capabilities in both design and execution. However, with this new Guilloche version, the house takes both those aspects to a whole other level.The Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence GuillocheI m glad to report that, in principle, not much has changed about the Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence. The proportions, for example, are still the same. The 18K rose gold case - no, there is no platinum version this time - still has a 37mm diameter and an 8mm thickness. It features the Tambour collection s signature tapered and brushed flanks, which give it a confident presence on the wrist. The sculpted lugs stand out with their hollowed-out sides and polished and sandblasted finish.The LFT MA01.01 automatic caliber in last year s Tambour ConvergenceWith the tapered, signed, and knurled crown, you can operate the same automatic caliber LFT MA01.01. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, holds a 45-hour power reserve, and features 26 colorless jewels. The sapphire crystal in the case back offers a view of the caliber s free-sprung balance and 18K rose gold rotor. When the latter is out of the way, you get to see the sandblasted bridges and meticulously polished chamfers.A close-up of the hour and minute apertures on last year s Tambour ConvergenceThe movement powers the continuously rotating hour and minute discs. They both rotate clockwise, which means the hours and minutes are printed in reverse order. As Thomas already mentioned in last year s article, this may take some getting used to. However, due to the broad aperture, the next hour is always in view, so you ll be able to check if you re ever in doubt.A new hand-turned fa?adeIt s now time to explore the novelty of this year s Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence -its guilloche front. Of course, the apertures for the hours and minutes are still there. Their shape was inspired by the rising Sun. This time, Louis Vuitton takes the theme to the next level with the addition of an array of undulating rays and a rippling halo all around the fa?ade. For the circular pattern, LV used a hand-turned rose engine from 1850. The sunrays in the center were created with a hand-turned straight-line engine from 1935. Both machines were restored in-house at the brand s La Fabrique du Temps. It took approximately 20 trials and over six months to achieve the desired result on the engravings. What you might not immediately notice if you haven t seen the Tambour Convergence in person is that the front is slightly domed. This makes it extremely challenging to engrave, as the artisan doing it constantly needs to adjust the applied pressure to get an even result. The process also requires even deeper cuts than you can see because the fa?ade must be polished again after the guilloche is applied. In total, it takes the artisan about 16 hours to complete the decorations on one watch.Initial impressionsLast year s Tambour Convergence, with its wide aperture and fully mirror-polished front, was already a masterpiece. I haven t seen the new Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Guilloche in person yet, but in photos, it already looks like a head-turning watch. I can only imagine how the guilloche decoration plays with the light, but I m sure it ll be a spectacle. The pressure on the artisan working on one of these cases must be immense. One mistake, and he or she must start all over again. The wearer, however, is fortunate enough to simply enjoy the beautiful decorations.The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Guilloche retails for $59,500 / US$58,500 / $51,500 and comes fitted with a blue calfskin strap and an 18K rose gold pin buckle.Let me know in the comments below what you think of the new Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Guilloche.Watch specifications Brand Louis Vuitton Model Tambour Convergence GuillocheReference W9PG21Dial Hand-guilloche fa?ade with sunrays and halo, two curved sapphire apertures displaying scrolling hours and minutesCase Material 18K rose goldCase Dimensions 37mm (diameter) 8mm (thickness)Crystal SapphireCase Back 18K gold with sapphire window, affixed with six screws Movement LFT MA01.01: automatic winding, 28,800vph (4Hz) frequency, 45-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 18K gold rotor, perlage, sandblasting, and circular-brushed finishesWater Resistance 30 metersStrap Blue calf leather with quick-release pins and 18K rose gold pin buckleFunctions Time only (hours, minutes)Price $59,500 / US$58,500 / $51,500