Continuing its transformation to a true high-horology brand, Louis Vuitton this year for LVMH Watch Week 2025 has introduced 6 news models of its fascinating Spin Time collection. The new models, dubbed the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time watches follow on from 2023’s introduction of an entirely new Tambour base collection and 2024’s redesigned Escale line. Both of those revealed a brand that was no longer interested in “fun” watches, but instead had refocused itself on making truly high-end timepieces. The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time watches continue that shift, and may even set the brand’s positioning firmly in stone.

 

The Spin Time and its idea of having rotating blocks that flip to indicate the present hour is not new. It was the first movement patented by Louis Vuitton (or rather, by La Fabrique du Temps in 2009, which was acquired by Louis Vuitton in 2011), and we covered a GMT version of it all the back in 2010. Nor is the Spin Time Air concept new: we went hands on with one in 2022. This new series represents a redesign and refresh, bringing the Spin Time more in line with LVMH’s current vision for LV watchmaking as a high-end producer competing with the very best brands. To that end, the brand has been thorough, clearly re-establishing the Spin Time as a core component of its catalog. In total, six new models are made available, perhaps better seen as two model groups: The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time with two variants and the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air with four.

Since the complication isn’t entirely new (we even reviewed a tourbillon Spin Time), it’s worth looking at what has changed, and that’s the case. Instead of the blocky drum shape of the earlier Tambours, these new models carry forward the family’s redesign from 2023, with a much more organic shape and finishing that shows off the capabilities of La Fabrique du Temps’ workshops. The 18k white gold cases taper as they rise from the wrist, with a satin-brushed caseband with individually attached mirror polished lugs that have hollowed, sandblasted sides. As seen in the 2023 launch, the bezel is sandblasted with polished brand lettering tracing its circumference. The models all use 18k gold hands and, where applicable, matching markers, and the dials are described as Dolphin grey, though I’d call them “blue.” While every model gets a sapphire crystal, the solid dial Spin Time models are rated to 100m water resistance while the Spin Time Air models understandably rate to only 50m.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time is a bit less exciting than the wide-open Spin Time Air, but most will agree that see-through dials are better in theory (or hairless wrists) than they are in person. These measure 39.5mm wide and 12.15mm thick, with the gem-set model replacing the branded bezel ring with 68 baguette diamonds, including those set into the lugs. These time-only models have a solid Dolphin grey dial in which the spinning hour blocks are nestled. The standard model has a matching sunray Dolphin grey center with an 18k white gold minute hand and 18k white gold markers, while the gem-set model features a beautiful hawk’s eye dial with diamond hour markers. The They’re both offered on matching Dolphin grey rubber straps with 18k white pin buckles (with diamonds on the gem-set model).

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air models will likely get more attention. Instead of that solid hour ring, the hour blocks float in midair. The cases remain unchanged except for the dimensions, which grow to 42.5mm wide and 12.45mm thick, likely to accommodate the more complicated movements, and beige calf leather straps. The gem-set model also goes further here: instead of 68 baguette diamonds and 12 more on the dial, the Spin Time Air case is bejeweled with 909 brilliant-cut pavé diamonds while its hawk’s eye dial and blocks are encrusted with 118 more. But the Spin Time Airs bring much more. You have the option of time-only and time-only blinged-out, but more impressively, of a central tourbillon or a world time complication; though both omit the “Air” from the name, they are see-through.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Antipode offers the world time complication, swapping the hour blocks for city blocks, with two cities, twelve hours apart on each; there’s no need to engage the watch to determine the time, just find your city and look at the corresponding hour marker (reading local time is done with the small yellow arrow on the rotating world map disc). The cities are color-coded to show whether the city is in AM or PM, and the blocks rotate when that changes. The Spin Time Flying tourbillon keeps the hour blocks but replaces the central dial with a flying one-minute tourbillon set above a mirrored plate to show off both sides of the mechanism. The minutes are indicated with a short, floating minute hand that traces around the tourbillon.

Though you can only see the movement on the Air models, that’s enough to allow us to appreciate the movement on every one of these watches. The four time-only watches use the same LFT ST13.01 caliber, while the Antipode uses the LFT ST12.01 and the Flying Tourbillon uses the LFT ST05.01. All of these movements feature solid 18k pink gold rotors and deliver 45-hours of power at 28,800 vph. Some may balk at such a power reserve, but given the dimensions and the are in which the movement needs to fit, 45 hours seems more than reasonable. Decoration is kept simple: polishing and graining make up most of the surfaces.

These watches are a far cry from the chunky, street style of the previous Tambour and most previous Spin Times. While those may have better embodied a tambour drum, these are far more aesthetically pleasing, looking more 2025 than 2005. With pricing set between $72,5000 USD and $172,000 USD, these aren’t going to be for everyone, but the pricing is in line with the level of watchmaking presented here. Combined with apparent top-tier finishing, this complication, though not new, is both novel and impressive, with few if any real competitors at this or any price point; the only modern offerings that come to mind are from Ludovic Ballouard and Byrne, the latter of which is just allows you to change the format of the cardinal markers. All told, this refresh is a welcome continuation of Louis Vuitton’s transformation from flashy fashion watches to serious high horology.

The entire collection is reportedly limited to a total of 500 pieces, spread amongst the models, with the jeweled and tourbillon models presumably being the most restricted. Pricing for the watches is set at $72,500 USD for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time W9WG62, $145,000 USD for the gem-set Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time W9WG52, $81,500 USD for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air W9WG41, $145,000 USD for the gem-set Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air W9WG31, $99,500 USD  for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air Antipode W9WG21, and $172,000 USD for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time Flying Tourbillon W9WG11. For more information, please visit the Louis Vuitton website.