Somewhere between the era of psychedelic rock from The Beatles and the Memphis Design style decor of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse lies the aesthetic of the new Louis Vuitton watches.
The style composition clearly draws inspiration from the 'Free Love' era of the late 1960s while embracing the history of visual arts, including hand-drawn animation, fantasy, and vivid imagery continuing into the 1990s. The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata is the most unusual watch in the Louis Vuitton lineup, making it both controversial for critics and desirable for fans. Whether or not you like the design, one cannot deny the quality and craftsmanship required to create a mechanical art watch worth nearly half a million dollars. They are made in Geneva at the Louis Vuitton La Fabrique du Temps manufacture. Most Louis Vuitton watches are more conservative, but annually, the company experiments with some of its top models.
History and Features of the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata Case
Last year, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Galactique Automata Minute Repeater model used the Tambour Taiko case concept as a starting point. Those watches, with an astronaut dial in space, featured manual winding and a minute repeater, while the case had a slightly different version of the Tambour Taiko. Nevertheless, they were equally bold. The Tambour Taiko case for Arty Automata is different in style and has a diameter of 42 mm, made of 18-carat white gold. As with other high-end Tambour models, the outer bezel is adorned with a series of 'rainbow' baguette rubies and sapphires. Louis Vuitton explains that the stones are oriented to the sides to avoid distracting the gaze when viewing the dial directly.
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Mechanism and Dial Animation
Inside the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata is the proprietary La Fabrique du Temps LFT AU05.01 caliber, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz with a power reserve of about two days. This automatic mechanism is equipped with an offset dial for hours and minutes, a flying tourbillon, and a series of animated elements that are activated by pressing a button on the case. It is unknown whether Louis Vuitton has used this specific caliber before, but the company actively experiments with mechanisms that include animated figures (automata) on the dials. For example, a few years ago, the Tambour Fiery Hearts Automata model was released with a similar automatic tourbillon and animation from La Fabrique du Temps.
Symbolism and Tourbillon Design
The feature of the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata is the tourbillon with a bridge in the shape of a peace sign. This is both amusing and somewhat contradictory - a symbol of global unity adorns a mechanical system traditionally associated with the upper class. Whether the owner wants to appear as an advocate of peace and freedom, such an image would be more of a costume. Perhaps the owner's grandmother was a hippie, but in the end, capitalism prevailed. This becomes evident when wearing Louis Vuitton watches with hand enamel, a multi-layered dial, and hand-engraved gold figures.
Unique Dial Details
One of the most unusual figures on the Arty dial is the eye next to an open mouth. The mouth seems to hold a candy-like heart, and to the left of it floats an eye with eyelashes. The eyelashes are made from a natural material - very fine bird feathers. The word 'Love' on the dial changes to 'Move' when the animation is activated, likely a call to dance along with the dancing dial. The offset hour and minute dial is my favorite element, symbolizing sunlight, brotherly love, and psychedelic memories from youth.
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Enamel Painting Technique and Visual Aesthetics
One of the reasons I appreciate enamel painting is its similarity to animation cels. This is beneficial for the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata composition, as the visual style should look cartoonish. The La Fabrique du Temps team understands this well, especially after creating the unique Gerald Genta Mickey Mouse Minute Repeater watch. The Arty dial consists of multiple layers and components, each requiring meticulous processing and multiple firings during enamel application. According to the manufacturer, it takes about 250 hours of work to create one dial.
Rotor Painting and Back Cover Details
Additional enamel paintings are applied to the automatic rotor, visible through the sapphire back cover. This beautiful element is adorned with clouds and rays of light, reminiscent of the stained glass from the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral after the 2019 fire - LVMH was a major donor for the restoration. Although the animation themes of Louis Vuitton do not always seem perfect to me, I hope that La Fabrique du Temps will continue to use cartoon motifs in future art collections.
Limited Release and Market Positioning
Louis Vuitton has not announced the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata as a limited series, but such pieces are by definition produced in small batches. The artisanal team has limited capacities, as they also produce current and future models. Louis Vuitton knows how to attract attention even in the premium segment. The company's ability to create unusual and avant-garde models is a positive factor, as excessive conservatism is often associated with fear and insecurity.
On the contrary, the regular release of bold and experimental pieces indicates a readiness for creativity and ease of perception. This complex and adorned 'hippie tourbillon' is a fun contrast of ideas and values, as well as an artistic collection of images and effects. For the few who can afford such a watch, it will be a conversation starter. For the rest, there are plenty of models with a peace symbol, but not necessarily with a tourbillon and animated dial.
The price for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata (reference W9WG71) is USD 485,000.
