THEATRICAL MASTERPIECES

From fluorescent to operatic expressions done with a healthy dose of whimsy, Louis Vuitton proves the maison stands irreproachably so at the forefront of high watchmaking today

- JUSTIN NG

HIGH WATCHMAKING is an exclusive playground for established manufactures seeking to push the boundaries of horological possibilities through innovative complications that perfectly showcase their pedigrees and savoir-faire. Brilliance of the minds is met with dexterity of the hands as watchmakers and craftsmen transform their vision into elevated luxury – or in the case of Louis Vuitton, animated luxury. It may be fledgling by the conventional standards of Swiss watchmakers, but it is flourishing in its unique role as agent provocateur in unleashing audacious and sensorial automata. La Fabrique du Temps, a sanctum dedicated to conception, development and assembly, is spearheading Louis Vuitton’s continuous charge skywards.

TAMBOUR OPERA AUTOMATA

Inspired by the Sichuan Opera’s age-old Bian Lian, an operatic performance headlined by the mask-swapping artist conducted in a rapid, fluid motion, the journey into the heart of Chinese culture culminates in a decorative watch that comes alive on demand. In the same vein as the Tambour Carpe Diem, which won the Audacity Prize at the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève in 2021 for its expressive Vanitas, the oriental-influenced version highlights several mechanisms of patent interest.