Louis Vuitton Escale Collection Overview

During the LVMH Watch Week in Milan, Louis Vuitton unveiled several new additions to the Escale collection. The collection includes watches with world time functions, a worldtimer with a central tourbillon, multiple time zone display options, and a minute repeater.

The return of a model first introduced in 2014. The watch features a compact platinum case measuring 40 x 10.3 mm. It retains all the stylistic elements of the Escale collection: lugs styled like suitcase studs, an octagonal crown, and a gold plate with a serial number on the case back.

The main feature of the watch is the colorful flags marking the city indicators in the worldtimer system. They are hand-painted using 35 colors of enamel and fired in stages in a kiln. Creating one dial takes a week.

All functions are controlled by the crown, and the hour disc makes a visible jump every hour. Inside is the caliber LFT VO 12.01 - a manufacture automatic movement with a 62-hour power reserve. The watch is offered with a blue leather strap. The estimated price of the model is €95,000.

A worldtimer similar to the previous model but with an added central tourbillon. Due to the convex sapphire crystal, this model is thicker at 12.8 mm. A different technique for creating the flags is used here, namely, hot enamel combined with cloisonné enamel.

Due to the central position of the tourbillon, the hours are displayed in a "jumping hour" format, while minutes are indicated by a small triangular marker. The same base movement as in the previous model is used. The estimated price of the watch is €240,000.

This is not a classic worldtimer... Instead, it's a watch that addresses the display of the 38 time zones of the planet. Two new models in this series feature two sets of hands: solid hands display local time, while skeletonized ones serve as home time indicators.

An additional minute hand is calibrated to move in 15-minute increments when setting. This allows for accounting for all nuances of differences between time zones and regions. If necessary, the skeletonized hands can be hidden under the main ones. A subtle day/night indicator helps orient in home time.

The watches are available in two versions: rose gold + silver-grey dial and grey-beige Saffiano leather strap (40 mm) or platinum + aventurine dial, 170 baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel, and blue leather strap (41 mm). The first is priced at €58,000. The estimated cost of the second is €230,000.

The watch is presented in a 40 x 12.3 mm rose gold case. To maintain the model's sleek style, the minute repeater lever is integrated into one of the lugs. The dial, decorated using the flammé guilloché technique, has no hands. The "jumping hour" is displayed at the bottom of the dial, while minutes are shown on a scale at the top.

Inside is the caliber LFT SO13.01 - the same movement used in last year's Gerald Genta novelty with a minute repeater. The watch comes with a beige calfskin strap. The estimated price of the new model is €350,000.