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If you are trying to establish a reputable watch manufacturer, you can proceed slowly, by trial and error, figuring out what works and continuing to refine that recipe. Or you can go all-in on all fronts, like Louis Vuitton has done in the past few years. Admittedly, there hasn’t been as much frenzy with the various releases before, but now that La Fabrique du Temps is fully operational, a baseline has been established with the new Tambour, and up-and-coming manufacturers are gaining recognition, it’s time for the various artisan departments to really show off their skills. We’ve seen plenty of examples of mechanical mastery — tourbillons, automata, automata with tourbillon — but it’s the enamel workshop that crafted the watch with the long-winded name Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-à-Jour. For an overview of other métiers d’art created by LFT’s workshops, check out the video below, in which Andrew chats with legendary watchmaker Michel Navas as he walks us through the brand’s latest offerings. For a detailed rundown of the new Voyager, read on.
Long name aside, this watch, which I will refer to as the “Voyage Plique-a-Jour” from now on, employs perhaps the most complex enameling technique, but does so with what I call the “LV Twist.” Enameling has always had an air of refined classicism about it, which is what you would expect to see on the dial of a time-only watch with Breguet hands and numerals. Louis Vuitton’s use of enamel is very different, as the brand approaches it in a completely avant-garde way.
If you delve a little deeper into fine watchmaking, you will undoubtedly come across different enamelling techniques: Grand Feu, Cloisonné, Grisaille, etc. But what about Plique-a-Jour? This is similar to Cloisonné, where the craftsman creates a grid pattern out of precious metal and then fills it with enamel powder. With Plique-a-Jour, there is no backing on which the enamel rests, but rather it is suspended in air, allowing light to pass through.
Impressively, the white gold lattice dial and the capillary-drawn enamel pockets were made in-house at La Fabrique du Temps, a testament to the talent Louis Vuitton has made for its watchmaking department. Surely the most impressive technical display is the round subdial at 12 o’clock and the central finish that LV calls “needle pipe.” To attach the hour and minute hands, the brand had to find a solution to thread the pinion through the dial, and they chose a rather complicated method. You’ll notice that the little ring is not connected to the rest of the gold framework, and is in fact only fixed by the three-colored gradient enamel that surrounds it. I’m not sure how much hand stability is required for such precision work, but the fact that Louis Vuitton claims 100 working hours per dial suggests that it’s a difficult task even for the best craftsmen.
At its bottom, Louis Vuitton uses an annular bridge with as little surface area as possible to hold the movement parts in place so as not to block the light passing through the enamel gradient. At first glance, it may look like a skeleton, but in this case, the movement was designed this way rather than having the craftsmen shave off “unnecessary” pieces of metal.
So let’s say a bit more about the movement. The LV104 is committed to being as light as possible, which is all that it can be – a flying tourbillon. With no upper bridge to impede the 60-second rotation of the carriage, it is free to continue the “V” theme dedicated to the entire watch. A quick touch on the specs before we go into the details: the LV104 is made up of 168 components, has an 80-hour power reserve, and beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour.
Flip the watch over and the LV104’s clever layout becomes even more apparent. It does a great job of hiding the less attractive parts of the movement, such as the keyless mechanism, and placing the V-shaped bridge that holds the skeletonized parts in place in the middle. Two ingenious touches stand out here. The first is the size of the movement parts. They get smaller in diameter as they move from the barrel, down the gear train, and along the direction of the arrow-like V to end at the tourbillon. It’s a really nice effect. The second is the finish. Rather than aiming for a uniform look, the movement’s wide angles are rounded at most points except for the tips and corners of the V-bridge, emphasizing its sharpness and presence. It’s no wonder the movement is engraved with the Geneva Seal, proudly displayed through the caseback and dial-side enamel.
While finishing is by no means an afterthought, the Voyageur Plique-a-Jour’s platinum and white gold case certainly remains in the background. At 41mm in diameter and 11.68mm tall, it embodies Louis Vuitton’s circle-in-a-square idea, a not uncommon inspiration for watch designs. It’s pretty big, considering there aren’t that many complications to cram into the case, but that’s not really the point. Had Louis Vuitton crammed the LV104 into a smaller case, the elegance of the watch would have been lost, as would the Plique-a-Jour dial.
The sapphire crystal is surrounded by a monocle-shaped brushed ring that meets with flat horizontally brushed sides at 3 and 9 o’clock. The rest of the case is mirror polished to a smooth, highly reflective surface. The small lugs protrude slightly and the watch is presented on a cerulean blue leather strap attached to a platinum folding buckle.
Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Prix a Jour Price and Availability
The Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Pric à Jour is now available, prices available upon request.
Brand Louis Vuitton Model Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-a-Jour Reference Q7EBBY Case Size 41mm (D) x 11.68mm (T) Case Material 950 platinum and 18K white gold Water Resistance 50 meters Crystal Sapphire on front and caseback Dial Blue gradient Plique-a-Jour enamel Lug Width Integrated Bracelet Blue calfskin, 950 platinum folding buckle Movement LV104, manual winding, Poinçon de Genève Power Reserve 80 hours Functions Hours, minutes, flying tourbillon Availability Current Price POA
