Louis Vuitton Taps Master Watchmaker Kari Voutilainen for Travel-Inspired Timepiece

Louis Vuitton has revealed the latest addition to its ongoing watchmaker collaboration series: a travel-inspired, head-turning timepiece made in partnership with expert horologist Kari Voutilainen.

Dubbed the LVKV-02 GMR 6, the elevated 40.5mm time-teller is based on the most recent Escale model, which debuted last year. The name “Escale,” which translates to “stopover” in English, is a nod to Louis Vuitton’s deep roots in travel and, more specifically, its masterful trunkmaking. The watch’s lugs resemble the brand’s signature trunks with angular details and rivets reminiscent of the brass brackets on the classic leather carriers.

Meanwhile, the watch boasts a gold dial that is manufactured in four parts. The hour circle features a diamond-polished painting hand-decorated by Maryna Bossy, which utilizes 28 different colors and took 32 hours to perfect, while the center of the dial is marked with Voutilainen’s special engraving technique called hand guilloché, which essentially creates patterns out of curved and straight lines. In the lower sub-dial, a day-night disc features hand-engraved sun and moon-inspired motifs shaped after Louis Vuitton’s monogram flower in saffron and blue tones.

The brand’s GMR 6 moniker is a reference to Louis Vuitton’s travel legacy, with the “R” standing for the power reserve display and the “6” denoting the location of the aforementioned time zone subdial. The GMT disc is built to be set to its wearer’s “home” time, and the central hour hand can quickly be adjusted with a click of the crown while traveling.

Louis Vuitton will only make five examples of the collaborative timepiece, and each of them will be delivered in a bespoke travel trunk made with the House’s signature workshop methods in Asniéres.

Louis Vuitton did not disclose the price of the watch, but you can learn more about the design on the brand’s website. Take a look at the model in the gallery above.