New Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spintime Collection (with video)

Things have changed rapidly since Jean Arnault took over as head of Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking division, with a new Tambour in 2023, an Escale dress watch in 2024, and several more. The Automata and Métiers d’Art watches were also launched. Today we’ll be talking about perhaps LV’s most famous luxury watch, timepiece, or indeed movement and its display, which has been part of the collection since 2009. It’s spin time. For 2025, the collection is completely revamped with an updated design and a new in-house movement, creating the Tambour Taiko Spintime collection.

spin time concept

This complication was developed by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbagini for Louis Vuitton at a time when the French powerhouse did not yet own La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). The Spin Time concept emerged in the minds of LFT founders Navas and Barbasini in 2007. The idea of ​​a dynamic display that uses 12 rotating cubes to tell the time was inspired by the overhead flap panels that display airport timetables, and the idea is to bring these watches to the spirit of travel that is dear to Vuitton. and reconnected. This display can be seen as a three-dimensional reinterpretation of the traditional jumping hour complication.

These 12 cubes, one for each hour, are connected to the central movement using arms. These cubes rotate every 12 hours and have four sides. Two display the time, and the other two have a subdued tone-on-tone background that blends in with the rest of the dial. Once 60 minutes have passed, the current cube quickly and firmly rotates 90 degrees and disappears, while the next cube rotates 90 degrees to indicate the upcoming time with a contrasting background. The central hand classically indicates the minutes. These cubes can be inserted into a solid dial, or they can be suspended so that each cube floats within the case while the movement floats in the center. This formula has been well-known since 2009, but this year it’s going to be rejuvenated.

Renewed tambour taiko spin time

Introducing the new Tambour Taiko Spin Time collection, consisting of six models. All released in limited editions, with four different mechanical bases and a new design code that follows the work started on the Tambour Automatic in 2023.

Centered around a patented three-dimensional jumping cube display, Tambour Taiko Spintime debuts in 39.5 mm and 42.5 mm sizes, depending on complication and display, both sharing the new Tambour Taiko case. All are finished in white gold with a dolphin gray color scheme, including some with dials made from Hawkseye, a type of grey-blue quartz, in line with the trend for stone dials. has been confirmed once again. But more importantly, the new Tambour Taiko Spin Time also introduces a completely new in-house caliber, including the all-important classic automatic movement, which will be used as the basis for future developments.

First, let’s talk about design and the redefined case of Tambour. A classic since 2002, the Tambour has been reimagined in 2023 as an elegant, lag-free sports watch. With the Tambour Taiko Spin Time, Louis Vuitton continues its already established design language, but evolves it again to reintegrate the lugs and emphasize the drum-like central case. “Taiko” refers to a large drum used at Japanese ceremonial occasions, and while the outline of the drum-shaped case remains the same, it has been made smaller and slimmer than the previous Spin Time. If you look closely, you’ll see that most of the style elements of the 2023 Tambour have also been maintained. The indexes, hands, typography, and bezel are more subtly engraved with the Louis Vuitton 12 letters.

La Fabrique du Temps’ in-house cases combine convex and concave shapes, polished, brushed and matte surfaces with elegant details such as carved lugs that are individually machined and screwed into the center of the case. I am.

New in-house automatic base movement

Louis Vuitton presents four main versions of the Tambour Taiko Spin Time. A classic closed dial, a version with a floating cube, a version with a travel time display, and finally a central tourbillon model. Although the four calibres are different, they all have the same basic movement: compact automatic calibers developed and manufactured in-house at La Fabrique du Temps.

These movements feature a solid gold rotor with a repeating LV motif, while the rest of the movement features microblasted bridges, polished edges and chamfers, a round-grained mainplate, and a transparent instead of the traditional magenta. It is decorated in a modern and attractive way, including jewelry. Ruby. From a technical standpoint, the base movement boasts a 45-hour power reserve and a free-sprung balance with an inertia block that oscillates at 4 hertz. This base caliber serves as a timekeeping ground to power the upper module with a rotating cube reworked with curved surfaces.

This complication works on the same principle as before: an instantaneous and simultaneous jump of the two cubes, as the previous time disappears and the current time appears. Still, the brand has reimagined the original Spin Time concept. A patented Maltese cross gear is located at the bottom of each cube, allowing you to adjust the watch forward or backward without damaging the movement, providing added convenience. The heart-shaped cam ensures crisp jumps of the cube. Compared to previous editions, the display module is simplified and cleverly constructed. This can be clearly seen in the video at the top of the article.

Tambour Taiko Spin Time Collection

As mentioned above, the new Spin Time will be launched as a collection of four main models, starting with the purest and most compact Tambour Taiko Spin Time. This white gold version, like all other models, is fairly compact at 39.5mm in diameter and 12.15mm thick. The sleek case, with its brushed surfaces, hollow lugs and 12 letters on the bezel, has a closed caseback and is incredibly versatile, with a water resistance of 100 meters and a tonal rubber strap.

This classic version is also the most discreet of all, with a closed streamlined dial. The dolphin gray base is brushed and decorated with markers, white gold hands, and 12 cubes inserted within this base. It is also the version that best shows off the curved outline of the cube, as it has a closed bottom. These have the classic numbers from 1 to 12, with the current time highlighted in silver. This version is limited to 150 pieces and costs 80,000 euros.

There is also a gem-set version featuring 4.30 carats of baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel, lugs and dial, with a Falcon Eye stone in the center of the dial. This edition is limited to 50 pieces and costs 160,000 euros.

Overview: 39.5mm x 12.15mm – White gold case – Sapphire crystal, closed back – Screw-down crown, 100m water resistant – Dolphin gray closed dial, white gold markers and hands – Caliber LFT ST13.01, in-house automatic; 28,800vph, 45 hour power reverse, 246 components – Integrated rubber strap with 18K white gold pin buckle – reference. W9WG62 (without stones), 150 pieces, €80,000 – ref. W9WG52 (diamonds), 50 pieces, €160,000

Next up is the Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air, a larger version that uses the collection’s fairly iconic style, with the cube suspended in thin air, almost suspended within the case while the movement is suspended in the centre. I am. This Air version is even larger and comes in a 42.5mm x 12.45mm white gold case. It has sapphire crystals on both sides to create this suspended effect, while the back side also displays the automatic movement.

The movement is located in the center of the watch, and the cube floats around like a satellite. The movement is essentially the same as the closed version, but features a cube attached to a long shaft to support a floating display. This Spin Time Air version comes with a beige calfskin leather strap. The peculiarity of the Air model is seen in the cube. Instead of numbers, it features the 12 letters of Louis Vuitton. This version is limited to 150 pieces and costs €90,000.

Also available is a jewel model with over 1,000 diamonds arranged in a snow setting and a Hawkeye chapter ring. This limited edition of 30 pieces is priced at 160,000 euros.

Overview: 42.5mm x 12.45mm – White gold case – Double-sided sapphire crystal – Water resistant to 50m – Dolphin gray sunray dial, white gold markers and hands – Caliber LFT ST13.01, in-house automatic winding, 28,800 vph, 45 hour power Reverse, 246 components – Beige calfskin leather strap with 18K white gold pin buckle – Ref. W9WG41 (without stones), 150 pieces, €90,000 – ref. W9WG31 (diamonds), 30 pieces, €160,000

And then there’s the Tambour Drum Spin Time Antipode, an innovative interpretation of the World Time Watch. Featuring a central jumping hour mechanism, this watch displays the time in 24 time zones around the world simultaneously, along with a day/night indicator. A traditional 360-degree hand indicates the minutes, and the hour is indicated by a yellow arrow pointer. The pointer is attached to a rotating disk with a world map on it.

The World Time feature uses 12 rotating cubes, and the hour numbers next to each cube indicate the time in the two cities on each cube. In addition to providing a great way to indicate time zones, each cube has two colors. , indicates whether the background is day or night. The pairs of cities on each cube are exactly 12 time zones apart. For example, it’s midnight in Los Angeles, but it’s noon in Dubai.

The Spin Time Antipode is housed in a 42.5mm x 12.45mm white gold case and is powered by the same automatic base movement. Of course, the display module and cube have been reworked to accommodate the Traveler complication. This version is limited to 50 pieces and costs 110,000 euros.

Overview: 42.5mm x 12.45mm – White gold case – Double-sided sapphire crystal – Water resistant to 50m – Dolphin gray sunray dial, galvanically grown world map, white gold markers and hands – Caliber LFT ST12.01, inch house automatic, 28,800vph, 45 hour power reverse, 271 components, jumping center hour, world timer – Calfskin leather strap with beige 18K white gold pin buckle – ref. W9WG21, 50 pieces, €110,000

The final version is the Tambour Tyco Spintime Flying Tourbillon, which combines the floating display of the Spintime Air with a central flying tourbillon regulator. The base automatic movement has been completely reworked to integrate this central tourbillon. The going train was repositioned to place the tourbillon on the dial, but the minute hand also had to be placed below and around the tourbillon. The latter is housed in a monogrammed flower-shaped cage, with the lower steel plate polished to reveal the underside of the trolley.

This tourbillon version of the Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air inherits the same 42.5mm x 12.45mm case, with a dolphin gray dial, white gold hands, and markers and cubes to display the numerals. Priced at 190,000 euros, only 70 pieces of this stunning timepiece will be produced.

Overview: 42.5mm x 12.45mm – White gold case – Double-sided sapphire crystal – Water resistant to 50m – Dolphin gray sunray dial, white gold markers and hands – Caliber LFT ST05.01, in-house automatic winding, 28,800 vph, 45 hour power Reverse, 283 components, central flying tourbillon – 18K beige calfskin leather Strap white gold pin buckle – Ref. W9WG11, 70 pieces, €190,000

For more information, please visit LouisVuitton.com.