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La Fabrique du Temps flaunts its meticulous craft of watchmaking in an environment that reflects the innovative universe of Louis Vuitton
Earlier this year, DA MAN was welcomed with open arms at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. As the name implies, this manufacture is where Louis Vuitton has gathered its watchmaking trades and talents. Located near Geneva in Switzerland, where the world’s finest timepieces are made, this manufacturing is carried out by leading specialists and technicians overseen by its maîtres horlogers, Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini.
<figure id="attachment_93875" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93875" style="width: 820px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93875" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="820" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1.png 820w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-256x300.png 256w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-768x899.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-315x369.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93875" class="wp-caption-text">The front entrance of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton</figcaption></figure>
<h2>THE SPACE INSIDE</h2>
Like everyone else who got the rare chance to visit the heart of Louis Vuitton’s high-end watchmaking ventures, my journey here began with my arrival at the multi-story reception area peppered with Objets Nomades artworks. With an understated, modern design fostering a creative environment where the smallest of wonders can occur, the area certainly created a lasting first impression.
<figure id="attachment_93876" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93876" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93876" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="605" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2.png 605w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2-189x300.png 189w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2-315x500.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93876" class="wp-caption-text">The reception area filled with Objets Nomades artworks</figcaption></figure>
Of particular note, large-scale graphic artworks with custom insignias originally painted on travel trunks were used to animate the natural wood paneling. If the stylized lettering looked familiar, it was because it inspired the hand-painted face of Louis Vuitton’s Escale Worldtime timepiece. The environment is further improved with modern furnishings and podiums that display a variety of watches. Another major architectural highlight was a solid white winding staircase—a nod to the hairspring inside a watch’s balance wheel—that leads to a salon for small gatherings and events.
In short, through everything from the seating arrangements to the display cases, artworks and more, La Fabrique du Temps holds the essence and culture of Louis Vuitton’s universes.
<h2>ART IN THE MAKING</h2>
This state-of-the-art facility is home to some of the world’s most skilled and experienced watchmakers. They are dedicated to creating timepieces that are not only beautiful but also technically groundbreaking. During my visit, I was given a tour of the whole facility by the co-founder and Master Watchmaker behind La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, Michel Navas, and I had the opportunity to meet with some of the watchmakers.
<figure id="attachment_93877" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93877" style="width: 950px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93877" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="950" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3.png 950w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3-297x300.png 297w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3-768x776.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3-315x318.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93877" class="wp-caption-text">Assembly of the Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem</figcaption></figure>
Long story short, I was amazed by the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every Louis Vuitton timepiece. From the design of the movements to the finishing of each case, every aspect of watchmaking is carefully considered. The resulting timepieces are both works of art as well as precision instruments. I was also impressed by the maison’s commitment to innovation. Louis Vuitton is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in watchmaking, seemingly unafraid to experiment with new materials, complications and designs while ensuring that the work is held to the highest quality standards.
This commitment to innovation is particularly evident in the Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant Poinçon de Genève. The watch bears the famed Geneva Seal and features cases crafted from single blocks of synthetic sapphire.
<figure id="attachment_93878" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93878" style="width: 774px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93878" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="774" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4.png 774w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4-242x300.png 242w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4-768x953.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4-315x391.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93878" class="wp-caption-text">The LV 108/9 calibre for the Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève</figcaption></figure>
Another timepiece worth mentioning here is Louis Vuitton’s first in-house self-winding automaton movement, which is presented in a new feminine timepiece: the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata. It features a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock that provides the watch’s pulse, a hidden power that throbs within the heart when the wearer activates through the pusher at 8 o’clock and a 13-second symphony of mechanical excellence that’s produced on the dial by the automata’s delicate movements. The range of movements includes the revealing of a hidden message and the opening of the heart to spinning Monogram Flowers, dancing flames and emerging thorns. It is, in short, one of the most mechanically-impressive creations by Louis Vuitton.
<figure id="attachment_93879" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93879" style="width: 803px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93879" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="803" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5.png 803w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5-251x300.png 251w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5-768x918.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5-315x377.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93879" class="wp-caption-text">a watchmaker at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton</figcaption></figure>
In hindsight, it’s also interesting to note the announcement by LVMH about how La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton will become an incubator and provide guidance for Daniel Roth, which will be run as an independent brand. Then there are also updates from the Gérald Genta brand, which will focus on high complication watches in small quantities. Interestingly, Evelyne Genta, Gerald’s widow and business partner, has given the project her benediction and has allowed La Fabrique du Temps full access to her late husband’s design archives.
These developments, together with the commencement of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives announced earlier this year, might herald a new era in watchmaking.
<h2>A HOROLOGICAL ODYSSEY</h2>
As my tour ended, Michel Navas mentioned that special tools had been developed to optimize processes at La Fabrique de Temps. This is especially important as there are so many skill sets that can come into play when a watch is created, including highly-specialized ones such as handpainting, diamond setting and other decorative treatments like those seen on, say, the Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours. There are even more extreme examples, such as the painting of the Escale Worldtime’s dial which calls for the use of a fine brush made from a single hair.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-93880" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/6.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="673" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/6.png 673w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/6-210x300.png 210w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/6-315x449.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 673px) 100vw, 673px" />
Then there’s also the quality control aspect. Before leaving the workshops, every watch is checked for the highest level of precision. As such, the time span from start of production to finished product can vary widely, ranging from six months to years for complex pieces.
<figure id="attachment_93881" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93881" style="width: 1451px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93881" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="1451" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7.png 1451w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7-300x198.png 300w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7-1024x677.png 1024w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7-768x508.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7-315x208.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 1451px) 100vw, 1451px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93881" class="wp-caption-text">One of the 3D case modules being measured</figcaption></figure>
Finally, Navas also noted that special orders and bespoke requests can further expand the already limitless expressions of keeping time. Much like its paret company, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton takes personalization quite seriously.
<figure id="attachment_93883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93883" style="width: 820px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93883" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/9.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="820" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/9.png 820w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/9-256x300.png 256w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/9-768x899.png 768w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/9-315x369.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93883" class="wp-caption-text">A meeting room at the facility</figcaption></figure>
In the end, the journey to La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton proved to be an unforgettable experience, one that really gave me a new appreciation for the art of watchmaking. In that one all-too-short tour, I saw how the research and development team worked, I caught a glimpse of the movement assembly area as well as the dial-making workshop where artisans hand-crafted dials made of a wide variety of materials, utilizing everything from enamel and mother-of-pearl to precious stones of all kinds.
I also had the chance to meet one of the world’s most skilled and experienced watchmakers and see firsthand the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every Louis Vuitton timepiece.
<blockquote>“Through everything from the seating arrangements to the display cases, artworks and more, La Fabrique du Temps holds the essence and culture of Louis Vuitton’s universes”</blockquote>
All that being said, beyond being a showcase of technical feats and artistic know-how, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton stands as a testament of the brand’s commitment to fine craftsmanship.
<figure id="attachment_93884" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-93884" style="width: 761px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-93884" src="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/10.png" alt="Louis Vuitton's La Fabrique Du Temps" width="761" height="960" srcset="https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/10.png 761w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/10-238x300.png 238w, https://backend.daman.co.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/10-315x397.png 315w" sizes="(max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-93884" class="wp-caption-text">The Louis Vuitton Spin Time dial</figcaption></figure>
Louis Vuitton began its horological journey in 2002 with the now-iconic Tambour. Thanks to its unique shape, it became one of the most instantly-recognizable watches of the 21st century. And today, at 21-years young, Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking arm is set to further push the boundaries of watchmaking and produce even more groundbreaking timepieces.

Inside La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton

La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton,

Louis Vuitton,

Michel Navas