Photography by Ariel Adams
Vivienne is Louis Vuitton‘s Monogram Flower-inspired mascot. The character was first developed in 2017, and has since appeared on various LV products ranging from jewelry, to leather goods, to ready-to-wear. Hr latest appearance is on two of the brand’s newest timepieces: the Louis Vuitton Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours Sakura and Astronaut watches. We here at aBlogtoWatch went hands-on with this pair of highly decorated gem-set jumping hour watches, one space-themed and the other centered around the cherry blossom.
This isn’t the first time Louis Vuitton has highlighted Vivienne in Tambour Slim Jumping Hours watches. We’ve previously seen her take on the roles of a fortune teller, croupier, and juggler. For 2024, Louis Vuitton has added two new variants to its catalog. The first is the Louis Vuitton Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours Sakura (Sakura is Japanese for cherry blossom) in a pastel pink colorway. The second is the Louis Vuitton Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours Astronaut in blue.
Both watches feature 18k white gold cases that measure 38mm in diameter and 12.21mm thick— easy proportions for a range of wrist sizes to pull off. The slight curvature of the case sits nicely on the wrist, and the lugs do a good job of hugging where they need to. The bezel and lugs are set with diamonds, and there’s also a rose-cut diamond set into the faceted winding crown. Both sides of the cases are furnished with sapphire crystals, and water resistance is rated to 50 meters. As finely executed as the high-polished white gold cases are, it’s undoubtedly the dials that steal the spotlight.
The Sakura version is home to a pink mother-of-pearl dial, decorated with Louis Vuitton’s famed floral monogram motif. To achieve the iridescent effect, Louis Vuitton used what it calls the “Holomonogram” technique, whereby the pearl is sand-polished to produce the pattern. Miniature cherry blossoms and branches were then hand-painted onto the surface and a kimono-clad Vivienne stands at the center clutching a parasol and fan. The fan serves as one of the two jump-hour windows; the other is positioned under the parasol-holding arm. A quirky take on a jump hour display, the numerals alternate between the pair of apertures, switching with an icon that follows the particular theme of the watch. A transparent hand with a cherry blossom tip sweeps around the dial to indicate the minutes.
The Astronaut version includes a blue dial that combines mother-of-pearl and aventurine — a first for Louis Vuitton watches — resulting in a rich and glistening Milky Way-like sky. Emphasizing the space theme of the timepiece are the miniature paintings of a rocket and planets framing Vivienne in the center, who is aptly dressed in an astronaut suit. There are also the circular jump hour windows, one even decorated with planetary rings. Whether in pink or blue, both dials include a heavy dose of diamond embellishments including snow-set diamonds on Vivienne’s “hair.” There are also diamonds on the 18k white gold buckles attached to the leather straps that are color-matched to the dials.
Naturally, these kitschy dials and bejeweled components won’t speak to everyone, yet the craftsmanship that they took to execute and the attention to detail can nonetheless be admired regardless of personal taste. The dials are tiny works of art that marry various materials, artistry, and plenty of fun. My pick would have to be the Astronaut version; not only is the execution of the shimmery blue dial beautiful but the piece is also so far removed from what is traditionally considered a “space watch.”
The movement driving the Vivienne Tambour Slim Jumping Hours watches is the LV 180 movement, entirely developed, produced, and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in Switzerland. Note the “Fab en Suisse” inscription on the dial, which is both short for “Fabriqué en Suisse” and also a chuckle-inducing play on words I can appreciate. Yes, I’d love to be “fabulous in Switzerland,” thank you very much. The self-winding caliber is visible through the display caseback and in true LV fashion, the rose gold rotor is decorated with the maison’s Monogram flowers. Specs-wise, the jumping hours and minutes caliber comprises 112 components and 33 jewels; furthermore, it operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and supplies 42 hours of power reserve.
No surprises here, but the watches are expensive. We are talking about complicated watches from Louis Vuitton crafted in precious metal and set with loads of diamonds, after all. The new Louis Vuitton Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours Sakura and Astronaut watches will retail for $118,000 USD. The Sakura version includes 299 brilliant-cut diamonds (~3.86 carats) whereas the Astronaut version includes 309 brilliant-cut diamonds (~3.88 carats); both versions also include one rose-cut diamond (~0.2 carat) in their crowns while the Astronaut version has one additional baguette-cut diamond (~0.2 carat). For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
