Interview: Inside the making of the Tambour Convergence by Louis Vuitton

Like the sun shining through parting clouds, the time on the Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence drifts across the art deco-style aperture at 12 o’clock of its solid rose-gold case, polished to a high shine. This uniquely stylish new expression from the fashion maison’s La Fabrique du Temps is not so much a departure from its Tambour collection as another step in the evolution of the watch manufactory’s call to arms: to create Swiss watches at the highest possible level of technical expertise and artistic savoir faire.

For La Fabrique du Temps’ artistic director, Matthieu Hegi, this is a perfect example of the driving ethos of collaboration between designers, watchmakers, case experts, métiers d’art and more – that drives the manufactory to create ever more interesting, artistic and technically impressive timepieces.The first Tambour Convergence novelties both sized at 37mm and powered by the in-house automatic movement LFTMA01.01 showcase the dragging hours and minutes visible via the sculpted window on the watchface. Available in gleaming mirror-polished Pink Gold expression or in Platinum and Diamond – glittering with snow-set diamonds applied by hand over 32 hours. On the reverse, the open case back exposes the precise inner workings of the timepiece.

Here, Matthieu shares the inspiration behind these unique watches and why collaboration is the key to pushing the boundaries of watchmaking.Matthieu, tell us about the genesis of the new Tambour Convergence. What inspired this novelty?
The genesis of this project was about finding an interesting way of displaying time. I really wanted to have time passing in a way that showed its constant movement. That’s why we have this circular display of time in a very small niche and, in doing this, it created a good occasion to have a unique case. Aesthetically speaking, I wanted the time window to be like an opening in the clouds where you can see the sun shining through. The shape is reminiscent of 1920s architecture. You have this big, polished surface, which really is eye-catching. It’s something you can spot from very far away, because it’s a luminous, bright and joyful design. That is very important for me. 

The eye-catching case surface also allows for so much creativity, as we can see in the Platinum and Diamonds expression.
Yes, in terms of creativity, it opens many doors – and we can imagine a lot of things coming in the future. We have the two first editions with polished pink gold, and the other with what I call the ‘caviar setting’ because the diamonds are set in such a close and skilful way. This allows us to have a lot of sparkle, all while demonstrating the knowledge we have at La Fabrique du Temps’ métiers d’art.

Is that high level of métiers d’art something you’re very keen to emphasise and elevate?
It’s true that we have been elevating the watches. It is really where we want to go, and I am never satisfied. I like to challenge myself and everybody else. Our team is incredibly committed to the highest standards of watchmaking and, when you look at the detail of the finishing in both Convergence watches, this is a clear example of that.How unique is it to have such a range of in-house expertise as you do at La Fabrique du Temps?
It is absolutely fundamental, for me. To have all these units, métiers d’art and savoir-faire at the same place is unique, and we really do work hand-in-hand. Every single step of the process is a real collaboration; there is a family spirit where we all communicate with each other – this is the key to the success of the products.

Matthieu, you and your team are all experts within their fields – what drives your desire to innovate?
What drives this spirit of searching, all the time, for new techniques, materials and more, is a combination of spontaneous ideas that pop up from the studio but also from our watchmakers in every field. When we approach a new material, for instance, we really try to approach it in our own way. When you make a ceramic watch, most of the time, it’s a powder of ceramic that is compressed together to produce a case. Instead of doing that, we wanted to have a polished, satinate surface, and you can do that only in one way – the most complex way! We treated the ceramic like we would a piece of gold or metal. It takes more time and skill, but the result is the Tambour Ceramique.Part of the joy of the Tambour expressions is the Louis Vuitton design references. How does this feature impact design?
We have a brand with a very rich history, and from the very beginning Louis Vuitton displayed creativity. It is easy to look at the past and be inspired. At the same time, in terms of watchmaking, we are only 20 years old – so we don’t have boundaries. We can display all our creativity in the watch field because we don’t have to respect specific rules, like might be the case for watchmakers with long histories, like Patek Philippe. In watchmaking, we have no taboo. That’s the reason why we came out with designs that I think are quite bold, sometimes audacious, like the Carpe Diem or Precisely. We push the limits every time.

Looking at the wider watchmaking industry, are there any important trends that you think are shaping horology?
I’m always curious about what our fellow watchmakers are doing, but I tend to be, as much as possible, focused on Louis Vuitton and our own history, how we display our creativity through our own perspective. My main focus is on what we have in our collection and how we develop. Clearly, Tambour is a good expression of that and plays a big role in the creativity we display. 

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