The overhaul of Louis Vuitton’s watch lineup continues. Today, the brand announced a refresh of the Escale, and it’s the dressed-up answer to last year’s sporty Tambour. Louis Vuitton introduced the Escale lineup 10 years ago, so it was time for an update. To start, LV is keeping it simple with a quartet of classic, three-hand dress watches: Two rose gold models and two platinum models that take it even further with diamonds and stone dials. All feature a reworked case, textured dials, and leather straps.
The updated case measures 39mm and 10.2mm thick (46mm lug-to-lug). Like the previous Escale, the integration of the lugs and case is meant to echo the brass brackets of LV’s famous trunks. It’s a nice bit of storytelling and also happens to make for an interesting case, even if those rivets are decorative. The crown builds on this theme: It’s octagonal and domed to mimic the shape of a trunk’s rivet. The case has a mixture of brushed and polished surfaces that LV says require hand-finishing.
The callbacks to LV’s heritage as a trunkmaker continue on the dial, with the quarter-hour markers also designed to look like the brand’s brass brackets. Louis Vuitton says these gold markers are actually functional, too – they’re hand-applied and hold together the center dial and the outer minute track. The rose gold case comes with either a silver or blue dial. Both have a fine-grained texture – achieved by stamping – a reference to LV canvas. The outer minute track is brushed with studded gold markers.
The platinum models get somewhat more opulent. There’s a meteorite dial (with no diamonds) and a black onyx dial (with lots of diamonds). The platinum models use white gold hands, while the rose gold models have matching rose gold hands. Both have a titanium seconds hand that curves gently follows the curve of the dial; titanium is used because it’s lighter and more energy efficient than gold.
The LFT023 powers each version of the new Escale. It’s the same automatic micro-rotor we saw introduced in last year’s Tambour, designed by La Fabrique du Temps with Le Cercle de Horlogers. The movement is relatively restrained, with a uniform granular finish on many components. The movement decoration is mostly industrial, but it’s certainly attractive, and the engraved, 22-karat gold micro-rotor is a nice touch.
The more technically inclined will point out that the movement uses an ETAchron regulator, which is not unheard of for luxury watches at this price point, though you can certainly find competitors with free-sprung regulation. Both rose gold models cost $26,400. The platinum meteorite with dial is $35,500, while the platinum with baguette-cut diamonds is $168,000. All are delivered on a calfskin leather strap and matching pin buckle.
Louis Vuitton’s transformation into a serious watchmaker continues. Last year’s Tambour was a respectable entry into the already-crowed integrated bracelet sports watch space, and now the Escale is the complementary dress collection. It makes for a solid, well-rounded, and conventional collection, if a bit predictable. A 39mm precious metal dress watch in a variety of dial colors (and even some diamonds) feels like a strong commercial proposition for the world’s largest luxury watch brand. The meteorite with platinum looks cool, even if it’s something we’ve seen in dress watches from other brands.
The Louis Vuitton Escale is well-considered in its details. Every single component seems to make some reference to the brand’s heritage as a maker of luxury trunks or leather goods but in a relatively thoughtful and discreet way. Those decorative rivets “connecting” the lugs to the case aren’t too ostentatious.
Mechanically, the Escale doesn’t offer anything new after last year’s Tambour introduced the LFT023. It’s a decent-looking and well-spec’d movement, but so are other dress watches at this price. It’s chronometer certified by the Geneva Observatory. You can complain about the finishing or the regulation, but brands that offer an upgrade over what’s seen in the Escale on those vectors seem to be the exception nowadays, not the rule.
For around the same price, let’s call it the pre-Calatrava price (though a Patek 6119R costs $32,110, so we’re almost in the same zip code), one might look to other dress watches from Rolex (the 1908), Lange, or Chopard, to name a few. It’s stiff competition. Only one of those offers the same global brand recognition as Louis Vuitton. Perhaps if you’re considering the Escale, that’s what’s most important to you, and I wouldn’t tell you that’s the wrong way to think about buying a watch. But there are certainly many other factors that you or I might prioritize instead. While I might personally look to one of those brands for a dress watch at this price first, but the Louis Vuitton Escale is a solid, classically-inspired entry into a competitive space.
Over the past few years, Louis Vuitton – and LVMH more broadly – has made clear that it sees a big commercial opportunity in the watch industry and seems poised to do in this industry what it’s done in other segments of luxury. More than anything, the Escale feels perfectly tuned to capitalize on this commercial opportunity. Sure, it’s a fine watch – considered, well-executed, and technically sound. But more than anything, LV builds great businesses, and its hope is that the Tambour and the Escale are the foundation of another one.
The Basics
Brand: Louis Vuitton
Model: Escale
Diameter: 39mm (40.5mm for the diamond-set platinum)
Thickness: 10.3mm
Case Material: Rose gold or platinum
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Dial Color: Textured silver or blue (rose gold); meteorite (platinum); black (diamond-set platinum)
Indexes: Applied gold hands and markers
Strap/Bracelet: Calf leather strap, pink buckle (20mm lug width tapering to 18mm at buckle)
The Movement
Caliber: LFT023
Functions: Time only
Diameter: 30.6mm
Thickness: 4.2mm
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Winding: Automatic, micro-rotor
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: Certified by the Geneva Chronometric Observatory
Additional Details: Designed by La Fabrique du Temps in conjunction with Le Cercle de Horlogers
Pricing & Availability
Price: €26,400 (pink gold versions); $35,500 (platinum with meteorite dial); $168,000 (pavé platinum)
For more, visit Louis Vuitton’s site.
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Louis Vuitton is part of the LVMH Watch Group. Although LVMH Luxury Ventures is a minority investor in Hodinkee, we maintain complete editorial independence.