This year, Louis Vuitton revamped its iconic Spin Time. Not only is the case thinner, but it's also significantly more practical, and the base movement is a completely new, in-house manufactured watch. The decision to evolve it into something completely different is a testament to Louis Vuitton's unwavering determination, as the brand now produces even its own movement components.
This watch is made possible by a new module. By miniaturizing the ring that switches the cubes and replacing its power source with a Maltese cross, it has been possible to successfully house a tourbillon, something that was previously impossible. The quality of the interior and exterior is also impeccable. Automatic winding (Cal. LFT ST05.01). 40 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 45 hours. 18KWG case (diameter 42.5mm, thickness 12.45mm). Water resistant to 50m. 27,830,000 yen (tax included).
Photographs by Yu Mitamura
Kronos Japan Editorial Department (Masamasa Hirota, Chieko Tsuruoka): Interviews and writing
Text by Chronos Japan Edition (Masayuki Hirota, Chieko Tsuruoka)
Edited by Yuto Hosoda (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2025 issue of Kronos Japan]
Renewal of the iconic "Spin Time"
With the new Tambour and Escale, Louis Vuitton has made a strong impression by completely revamping itself as a watch manufacturer. Moreover, with outstanding comfort and excellent packaging, it's no surprise that they have garnered support from many watch enthusiasts, including myself. I never expected that Louis Vuitton would compete not only with a strong brand image but also with the products themselves, and that they would be so well received.
Then, in 2025, Louis Vuitton relaunched its iconic Spin Time watch. Six collections were released, each with a diameter of 39.5mm or 42.5mm. These included two watches: the Tambour Tyco Spin Time Air Flying Tourbillon with a central tourbillon, and the Tambour Tyco Spin Time Air Antipodes, which uses a cube to display the time of each country.
A world timer that simultaneously displays the time in 24 time zones around the world and indicates day/night. To create a unified look as a Tambour, the dial and cubes are colored dolphin gray. The lugs are also screwed in place, rather than welded. The exterior is also exceptionally well-made. Automatic (Cal. LFTST12.01). 36 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 45 hours. 18KWG case (diameter 42.5mm, thickness 12.45mm). Water resistant to 50m. Price: 16,115,000 yen (tax included).
The Tambour Spin Time, released in 09, featured a movement with a rotating cube module mounted on an ébauche. While the design was certainly ahead of its time, there was undeniably room for improvement. Louis Vuitton later acquired La Fabrique du Temps, the company that developed this mechanism, and made extensive improvements, but the limitations of the original design continued to haunt it.
This time, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton undertook a complete overhaul of that module. The previous Spin Time had a structure in which a snail cam was attached to a gear that rotated once every 12 hours, which pushed an hour lever to turn an interlocking disc, and a protrusion on the disc turned the cube. This was simple and durable, but its structure had a weakness: it could not reverse time. In contrast, the new Spin Time does not use a cam and lever that only moves in one direction, but instead uses a Maltese cross, which is used to stop the winding of a barrel, to control the rotation of the cube. This can be turned in both directions, making the new Spin Time capable of reversing time.
This is the most basic Spin Time. To match its name, "Taiko," each of the 12 cubes has a slightly bulging surface. The all-new mechanism also produces a precise sound and feel when the cubes switch. Automatic winding (Cal. LFT ST13.01). 35 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 45 hours. 18KWG case (diameter 39.5mm, thickness 12.15mm). Water resistant to 100m. Price: 11,715,000 yen (tax included).
The base movement has also been replaced with a completely new in-house automatic. This movement is compact enough to fit into the Tambour Tyco Spin Time Air series, which is constructed with a hollowed-out cube. Even with the heavy module, it still boasts a power reserve of approximately 45 hours. Additionally, instead of the regulator needle (like an etachron) used in the Caliber LFT023, the regulator has been changed to a free-sprung masslot. Incidentally, Michel Navas says, "This is completely in-house." It's fair to say that the Manufacture's maturation has dramatically evolved the Spin Time. The thinner case also boasts better graining and better interlocking of parts than ever before. The new Tambour has evolved into a complication that goes beyond mere flashiness, including its astonishing tactile feel.
The newly developed Cal. LFT AU14.02 is a masterpiece featuring a long cathedral gong made up of two parts and seven automata. The movements of the astronaut, satellite antenna, solar panel, thruster, meteor, and sun are all deliberately not synchronized. Manual winding (Cal. LFT AU14.02). 50 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve of approximately 100 hours. 18KWG case (46.7mm diameter, 14.6mm thick). Water resistant to 30m. Estimated retail price: 175.78 million yen (tax included).
This trend is also evident in two complications: the Tambour Tyco Galactic Jacquemart, which combines an automaton with a minute repeater, and the Tambour Bushido Automata, which features a jumping hour automaton and a retrograde minute hand. Their exteriors are in no way inferior to their extraordinary contents. The combination of automata with grand feu, paillonné, miniature enamel, and engraving is a standard technique in the watch industry. However, the depictions of astronauts and masked samurai demonstrate a confidence in the ability to transform any theme into a work of art. Incidentally, the techniques used in these two models, as well as the movements and cases, are all crafted by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
This new model, which repurposes the mechanism of the "Tambour Carpe Diem Automata," houses a whopping five automata. The enamel technique is even more elaborate, with the red faceplate being a matte enamel and the dial itself being made using the paillonné enamel technique. Automatic winding (Cal. LV 525). 50 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve of approximately 100 hours. 18KPG case (diameter 46.8mm, thickness 14.4mm). Water resistant to 30m. Price: 122,320,000 yen (tax included).
Of this year's new releases, the one that personally caught my eye the most was the Tambour Convergence. It's powered by the Cal. LFT MA01.01, which shares the same base movement as the Spin Time. It simply features rotating hour and minute discs, but the watch itself is exceptionally well-rounded. Not only does it keep its diameter to 37mm, but the logo is kept small and the discs feature a serif font, giving the watch an extremely classic look. It's typical of Louis Vuitton that it didn't simply go retro.
This is an attempt to revive the direct lead movement, which is rare these days. The deliberate simplicity is perhaps due to the confidence in the finish. Its small size and short overall length make it suitable for women as well. This is the masterpiece of the year. Automatic (Cal. LFT MA01.01). 26 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 45 hours. 18KPG case (37mm diameter, 8mm thick). Water resistant to 30m. 5,423,000 yen (tax included).
The model in the photo has been given a perfect mirror finish on the top of the case. Considering practicality, it would be better to add some lines, but "by intentionally leaving small scratches on the finish, we wanted the owner to feel the time spent with the trunk, just like with a Louis Vuitton trunk," explains a person involved. That said, there is no distortion, particularly on the top of the case, that would make you hesitate to use it. The hidden message of wanting scratches on the case is perhaps a "provocation" by Louis Vuitton, just like with the Tambour and Escale.
Finally, I'd like to mention the differences between the two Tambour models. The new addition is a model with precious stones on the bezel and indices. The lack of ostentatious settings (which is even more striking in the snow setting of the Convergence) reveals Louis Vuitton's current aesthetic sense.
This watch features an onyx dial and saffron-colored sapphires on the indexes and bezel. The exterior is entirely made of gold, but the well-balanced weight makes it as comfortable to wear as ever. Automatic movement (Cal. LFT023.01). 31 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 50 hours. Pt case (diameter 40mm, thickness 8.30mm). Water resistant to 50m. Limited to 30 pieces worldwide. 19,030,000 yen (tax included).
This model features sapphires and rubies in eight different colors. The bezel is set with 48 stones, totaling approximately 2.19 carats, and the dial is set with 11 precious stones. The stones are from Sri Lanka or Mozambique and are unheated. Additionally, a 1.6mm saffron sapphire is embedded in the case back. Automatic movement (Cal. LFT023.01). 31 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 50 hours. Pt case (diameter 40mm, thickness 8.30mm). Water resistant to 50m. Limited to 50 pieces worldwide. Price: 21,945,000 yen (tax included).
The essence of Haute Horlogerie under one roof
Born in Salamanca, Spain. Influenced by his father, a watchmaker, Navas began making watches at the age of 10. In 2007, he co-founded La Fabrique du Temps with Enrico Barbasini, which became a subsidiary of Louis Vuitton in 11. He currently works as a master watchmaker at the atelier. He contributed to and oversaw the revival of the Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta brands. During the interview, Navas was wearing a Daniel Roth Extra Flat Subscription watch.
Despite not being a specialized watch manufacturer, Louis Vuitton has been promoting the in-house production of luxury watches. The key to this is Michel Navas, founder and master watchmaker of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFTLV). Of course, Louis Vuitton has produced many models in-house up until now. However, this year's new collection incorporates "new endeavors" in the movement manufacturing and métiers d'art that LFTLV has cultivated.
The new Tambour Convergence uses a "guiché" (French for window) to display the time, which is different from the existing Tambour. However, the opening is large. According to Navas, the reason they did not use a small rectangular window display is because "I was inspired by the 'philosophy of time', in which time flows while rotating slowly, and I wanted to express that philosophy."
All six Tambour Taiko Spin Time models are equipped with new in-house movements. As a result, they have succeeded in creating a compact case with a diameter of 39.5 mm and adding a world time function. "The most challenging model was the Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air Flying Tourbillon. The idea of combining a Spin Time movement with a central flying tourbillon was something I had been thinking about for a while," says Navas.
The Tambour Bushido Automata showcases exceptional craftsmanship: "For the first time, the case has also been enameled and engraved. The dial has also been enameled in a variety of ways, with some parts enameled with paillonné and others with cloisonné."
The highlight is the Tambour Tyco Galactic Jacquemart, also featuring an automaton. "Louis Vuitton is a brand that has elevated travel to the art of travel. That's why we wanted to express the greatest thing in terms of travel, and we came up with the idea of space travel. An astronaut is waving the Louis Vuitton flag with the moon in the background. The sun rotates behind him, a satellite operates nearby, and a shooting star streaks ahead." The design alone exudes a sense of "newness," but what's particularly noteworthy about this piece is that, in addition to the seven automata, it also features a minute repeater. "This piece embodies all of LFTLV's savoir-faire," says Navas.
In this way, Louis Vuitton is able to turn its creative ideas into reality by producing in-house.
"We don't want to be a manufacture. We want to have all the essential elements of fine watchmaking, such as all the artisans and savoir-faire, under one roof. I find this environment, where the best engineers, enamellers, engravers and watchmakers are always together, wonderful and makes me very happy."
