It goes without saying that timepieces today are exactly that – creative and artistic pieces first that have the added function of telling the time. And to be considered luxury and collectable, they must tick certain boxes on lists that collectors find acceptable, some of which include the rarity of the model and the skill and precision that went into its manufacture. Going by these, therefore, we can safely conclude that the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Sapphire by Frank Gehry is a modern-day luxury, collectible timepiece that would be hunted by collectors for years to come.
It is not altogether surprising that Frank Ghery has put his spin on a Louis Vuitton timepiece. The renowned architect has had a longstanding relationship with the lifestyle maison spanning decades. It started back in 2001 when the LVMH chairman, Bernard Arnault and Ghery met, and the former commissioned the architect to design the Foundation Louis Vuitton. Years later, and Ghery has since designed more than buildings for Louis Vuitton: an 11-piece handbag collection was unveiled last year, and now, the Tambour Moon Poinçon de Genève Sapphire.
The Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Sapphire by Frank Ghery — which is the first ever LV timepiece to get the Poinçon de Genève stamp — is first of all a sapphire timepiece: more than 50% per cent of its parts are sapphire with the entire case and its components made from a single block of sapphire. The dial, its case and its crystal are the most impressive features of this piece aesthetically. Each dial is handmade from start to finish – because it is too thin to stay on a mount – in a process that took 250 hours to complete. It was finished with diamond powder and a diamond-tipped drill that imparts asymmetric patterns and swirls that can be seen at different lighting angles, all inspired by Gehry’s deconstructivist designs.
For movement, Louis Vuitton chose the LFTMM05.01 the delicate, open-work mechanical movement that gives the timepiece 80 hours of power at 21,600 vph. The entire timepiece is attached to white leather straps with a rose gold folding buckle that matches the movement’s base plate.
Limited to just 5 pieces, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Poinçon de Genève Sapphire by Frank Ghery will set you back a whopping 935,000 USD. But, if you’re a lover of fine art, then it is a small price to pay for a truly remarkable, dual-function piece.