Depending on who you are, either this Tambour Convergence or the new assortment of Spin Time watches is going to be the hit new Louis Vuitton watches of LVMH Watch Week 2025. Both debut models feature new movements and unique styles that show Louis Vuitton’s watch department has no desire to be predictable or conservative, even if they are always decidedly classy. It took me some time to think about the Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence watches to understand what I think the team at La Fabrique du Temps was trying to accomplish with this new model. Like all interesting things, the story of the Tambour Convergence takes some time to unravel. It serves business purposes and allows the Louis Vuitton design team to be rather intellectual with their creative process and outcomes. In an attempt to dispel the notion that Louis Vuitton watches are as mainstream as their handbags, I believe the timepiece team (under the leadership of Jean Arnault) is making a clear stand by saying that Louis Vuitton watches are an intersection of the best of the worlds of fashion and horology, with their only creative limitations being a sincere respect for the traditions (and limitations) of the Swiss watch industry.

The genius of the Tambour Convergence is that it seeks to make something typically very unsexy or unassuming an object of beauty and desire. That thing is disc-based “digital” watches that are a fun novelty but rarely very good-looking. The concept is really simple, actually, and requires exchanging traditional watch hands for moving discs. Instead of looking at where each of the hands is in order to read the time, your eye lines up to one position and then looks at where the discs are to determine the current time. When such discs move in discrete, stepping positions, these are often known as jumping discs or displays. When they move constantly in the way that hands do, they are known as dragging displays. I am a fan of jumping discs far more because it allows for a more precise reading of the time; jumping mechanisms are also typically more high-end because they are more complicated (though they also experience more wear and tear).

Dragging disc time displays are, historically, not very fancy or expensive. In the 1970s, they existed in various forms of fun novelties and were inspired by the ensuing era of digital watches. In fact, for a period of time, it was less expensive to purchase a mechanical digital watch than an electronic, screen-based one. In the years since, screens have become far less expensive than physical displays and dials. Nevertheless, the allure of many mechanical digital watches (especially those with dragging time indicators) never exited the arena of mostly inexpensive novelty-style watches — until Louis Vuitton decided to spruce up the concept and make it high-end. The result is the Tambour Convergence, and its a very lovely thing, indeed.

The product itself is meant to be a modestly sized, rather thin Tambour case with a face that is customizable. It includes a brand-new in-house automatic movement made by La Fabrique du Temps known as the calibre LFT MA01.01, and it is thin by design. The calibre LFT MA01.01 operates at 4Hz with 45 hours of power reserve and indicates just the hours and minutes via turning discs. The movement is highly decorated and visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.

The Tambour Convergence case is like a squashed version of the Tambour’s drum shape, with nice-looking skeletonized lugs. The case is 37mm wide (water resistant to 30 meters), which is on the smaller side, but should look nice on the wrist given the thin, 8mm-wide thickness of the case. Louis Vuitton debuts the Tambour Convergence in two precious metal models including the reference W9PG11 in 18k pink gold and the reference W9PT11, which not only has a platinum case but also a series of diamonds set on the case front. That case front real estate is where Louis Vuitton wants the magic to happen with a watch like the Tambour Convergence. While Louis Vuitton hasn’t formally announced any details about it, it is obvious that this entire watch concept was designed as a frame for art. Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking facility in Switzerland boasts an impressive artistic handcraft production environment. The company is very open about the fact that many of its customers order bespoke watches and that most of the core designs can be customized on order. Having a watch like the Tambour Convergence makes it possible for clients to order watches with a variety of miniature paintings or decorative motifs right on the top of the case. With something like a Jaeger-LeCoultre Monoface Reverso, there is a plain rear side of the case that can be flipped over, but you can’t see the art and the time simultaneously. There are other watches out there that have dials or displays that can be customized with art, but rarely are the watches set up for that, and it can create practical issues when art happens on the same surface as moving parts like watch hands. With a case like the Tambour Convergence, Louis Vuitton has a purpose-built watch that allows people to have always-visible personalization along with the ability to read the time (and no need to flip a case around or make a decision between practicality and fashion.

I hope Louis Vuitton will show me some of the custom Tambour Convergence watches it produces, but for launching the product, the brand doesn’t want anyone to really think about that. Instead, the pink-gold model has a plain, polished face with no extras. The platinum model goes full-evening styling with 795 glittering diamonds that add a major jewelry component to the piece’s personality. If the indication of time on the Tambour Convergence seems to not be center stage, that is purposeful. And that is exactly why I think some people will be thrown off by this watch because it is high-end in all ways but clearly de-emphasizes telling the time in favor of more vanity-related pursuits.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence is probably the prettiest execution of a dragging-disc display watch I can think of. It is also a clever addition to the brand’s catalog and allows top Louis Vuitton clients the ability to have personalized art on the front of their watches. The watches are also thin and elegant, so they wear comfortably and discreetly. Louis Vuitton really wanted the Tambour Convergence to be suitable as a daily wear, and it certainly succeeded. Now, all I need is for someone to explain to me why these watches are called the “Convergence.” The Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence in pink gold (Reference W9PG11) is priced at CHF 33,500 and in platinum (Reference W9PT11) is priced at of CHF 61,000. Learn more at the Louis Vuitton website.