The head of Louis Vuitton's watchmaking atelier explains what sets it apart from other companies

Today, Louis Vuitton makes watches that are exceptionally like a manufacture watch.
We spoke to Michel Navas, head of the watchmaking atelier La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFTLV), about this particularly unique stance.

The will to stay on a human scale supports the Dream Team

　Among the "non-specialized watch manufacturers" that are moving toward in-house production, Louis Vuitton is maintaining a unique stance. The company has not only improved the quality of its watches, but has also created products that appeal to watch enthusiasts. Moreover, many of its complicated watches are certified with the Hallmark of Geneva. This might suggest the existence of a high-class manufacture, but Louis Vuitton continues to carefully distance itself from full in-house production.

　Despite this, Louis Vuitton today produces exceptionally manufacture-style watches. We spoke to Michel Navas, head of the watchmaking atelier La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (hereafter LFTLV), about this distinctively unique stance.

　The first thing I wanted to ask was what makes Louis Vuitton different from other companies.

"We are a young watch brand with a 20-year history, and we believe that our lack of tradition allows us to come up with bold ideas that no one else can. Furthermore, LFTLV, the complex watchmaking workshop, is a dream team of the best creators, designers, and watchmakers, and is a human-scale company. And because we are active in many luxury fields, we have a strong knowledge of what ideas we should tackle in design, art, culture, technology, and more."

　This is certainly evident in the unique new designs. So why doesn't Louis Vuitton move towards fully in-house production of its parts?

"We want to be a human-scale company that benefits from the skills of each individual. That's why we work with the best suppliers when it comes to parts, rather than producing everything in-house. But at LFTLV, we handcraft every part we receive from our suppliers, to a standard that meets the Hallmark of Geneva. Very few brands can boast that."

"Instead of manufacturing all parts in-house, we work with the best suppliers."

　How did Louis Vuitton, which has only a 20-year history of watchmaking, build relationships with suppliers? Unless it was a manufacturer with a long history, it would be difficult to obtain good parts.

"Enrico Barbasini, co-founder of LFTLV, and I are both veteran watchmakers and know the best Swiss providers in our field. We know them, and they know our high standards."

　The reputation of Navas and Barbasini is key to securing a supplier, but the exception to this rule is the dial. Louis Vuitton now produces exceptionally high-quality dials in-house.

"We want to make the dials in-house, because they are the face of the watch. If we do it in-house, we can maintain confidentiality and it will be easier to get feedback from within the company. The dials we produce at LFTLV are unique and incorporate artisanal skills. We recently acquired a microparts supplier in Geneva, and we are now able to do prototypes and small-scale production of very high-quality parts for our movements."

　Louis Vuitton's watchmaking is extremely unique. Does the company have any connections with other companies in the LVMH group?

"We have meetings with each company in the group, which is good for knowledge and innovation, but it maintains our exclusivity and DNA."