Let There Be Light And Magic

Creativity, finesse and whimsy govern Louis Vuitton's two most spectacular watch launches for the year.

- Candice Chan

Louis Vuitton's Tambour collection has come a long way. Introduced in 2002 as a stylish ticker proudly bearing the house's iconic logo, it has evolved into a technical and aesthetic tour de force. In the last 20 years, the Tambour's silhouette drum-shaped case, octagonal crown and the 12 letters of the brand's name engraved into the case side - has largely remained unchanged. The complications, however, are a different story, drastically evolving through the decades. There have been chronographs, minute repeaters, world timers, tourbillons, multiple iterations of the Spin Time (its own modern version of a jumping hour mechanism), and even a jacquemart. The list isn't comprehensive, but it does illustrate Louis Vuitton's commitment to developing and mastering its watchmaking savoir-faire.

This year, the maison continues to march to the beat of its own drum with two spectacular timepieces that offer unique portrayals of time. Tambour SpinTime Air Quantum is the latest interpretation of its Spin-Time mechanism that premiered in 2009.