Welcome to Watch Man Watches, GQ’s month-to-month curation of high-end timepieces for the true watch nerds amongst us. This June, we’re witnessing the revival of a well-known Louis Vuitton assortment, the genesis of a high-speed TAG Heuer racing watch, the evolution of a wildly difficult MB&F chronograph, and the delivery of a ludicrously luminous Panerai.
Within the second decade of the twentieth century, Cartier launched the Tank, a timepiece that will turn into synonymous with the time period “costume watch.” Roughly 15 years later, within the early Nineteen Thirties, Patek Philippe debuted its personal costume watch—a easy, spherical mannequin devoid of the maison’s typical issues—which it known as the Calatrava. Within the intervening century, these two fashions have set the bar for stunning, pared-down, time-only watches designed to be worn with formalwear. And whereas different costume watches have hit the market with various levels of success, none has reached the dizzying heights of recognition or ubiquity to which the Tank and Calatrava have soared.
Compelling as these two fashions are, nonetheless, it could possibly be argued that the twenty first century wants its personal costume watch—one thing elegant and refined, to make sure, but in addition decidedly trendy and elevated. This month, Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking division launched a new model of the Escale, its distinctive journey watch from 2014, repurposing the title within the type of a 39-millimeter, precious-metal timepiece with an automated, micro-rotor motion constructed by La Fabrique du Temps and Le Cercle de Horlogers. May this be the modern costume watch of the brand new century—the one which turns into horological lore for generations to return?
Louis Vuitton Escale
Following Louis Vuitton’s acquisition of motion manufacture La Fabriques du Temps in 2011, the corporate set to work revamping its watchmaking program with its sights set firmly on haute horlogerie. In 2014, it debuted the Escale Worldtime, a singular tackle that traveler’s complication that includes a wildly colourful, hand-painted dial. Now, the Escale has been reconsidered as a high-end costume watch—type of a chic companion to the model’s sportier Tambour. Obtainable initially in 4 references, every contains a valuable metallic case, a time-only dial, and a slim, automated motion with micro-rotor for automated winding.
To paraphrase the Haggadah, “What makes this watch totally different from another (costume) watch?” Effectively, to be honest, it nonetheless retains many “costume watch” cues: It’s acquired a comparatively easy show with solely the time as informed by way of a fairly alpha handset; its case is skinny, at simply 10.3 millimeters; it’s long-established from valuable metallic; and it’s paired to a easy leather-based strap. However take a better look, and also you’ll discover sure touches impressed by Louis Vuitton’s historical past as a trunk maker. The way in which the lugs meet the case, for instance, remembers the brackets on one of many firm’s well-known items of baggage; ditto for the “rivets” connecting the outer minute observe with the inside dial in contrasting end. And the stippled end discovered on the rose gold-cased dials? It references the floor on monogrammed Louis Vuitton canvas.
On the platinum-cased variations of the Escale, you will have your alternative of a black tuxedo dial (paired with a baguette-cut diamond bezel) or a Gibeon meteorite dial; on the rose gold variations, the aforementioned textured silver or blue. Dial furnishings is utilized gold in a case-matching colour, and every case contains a signed, octagonal crown and a sapphire case again. Inside this caseback is the LFT023 from La Fabrique du Temps, a time-only, automated caliber powered by a micro-rotor and chronometer licensed by way of the Geneva Observatory. Completed with frosting, perlage, and different contrasting methods, it’s a good-looking mechanical engine that’s positive to excite followers of the model.
