In luxury, ‘maison’ is a special word. It refers, on one hand, to a business founded by an individual, then carried on by subsequent generations. History, heritage and a continuous line of transmission that suggests not merely a brand, but an entity that lasts and stands for something. On the other hand, and just as often, a maison—French for ‘house’—can be literal. As in a family home or headquarters that can be thought of as a geographical heart. This dual meaning of a maison has found its way into a special, new timepiece by Louis Vuitton that showcases virtuosity and classicism: its first pocket watch.
The value of the word ‘maison’ certainly applies to Louis Vuitton, founded in 1854 as, first and foremost, a maker of high-end steamer trunks. The literal house in question is located in Asnières-sur-Seine, a suburb northwest of central Paris. It’s here that founder Louis Vuitton set up a family home and trunk-making workshop that honed the brand’s savoir-faire and expertise.
It was, until the late 1980s, a private home to generations of the Vuitton family. Today, the historic address houses a museum and a small atelier that continues to produce special-order creations.
A little farther afield in Geneva, Switzerland is a different kind of home for Louis Vuitton. In the Meyrin municipality lies La Fabrique du Temps, or factory of time, the cutting-edge facility that is the epicentre of the brand’s watchmaking operations. If Asnières is the historic and symbolic home, think of La Fabrique du Temps as a younger beating heart.
La Fabrique du Temps was founded in 2007 by master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini as a highconcept laboratory of complicated watchmaking. Vuitton acquired it in 2011, imbued it with its name and just a decade ago opened the doors to the manufacture in Meyrin. It’s no understatement to say that the brand has made incredible leaps in its horological story. Since Navas and Barbasini were brought into the fold, it has staked a claim in utterly novel and unusual complications.
More recently, La Fabrique du Temps is taking its place as the keystone of Louis Vuitton’s horological ambitions. Under the direction of Jean Arnault, appointed since 2023 as watches director, the brand has made an about-turn in its regular collections and aimed squarely at fine watches for the high end. The brand’s cherished Tambour and Escale wristwatches, for instance, were completely revamped and relaunched this year upmarket. In its high watches, the brand has also chased and attained the Poinçon de Genève, an independent standard of watchmaking that’s one of the oldest and most stringent.
There’s action on the softer side too. La Fabrique du Temps has been key to earning Louis Vuitton—young in the watches space compared to historic and established Swiss brands and makers—credibility. It inaugurated this year the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize to recognise and support independent makers, positioning itself as a thought and community leader. And under the care of La Fabrique du Temps are the revivals of independent watch brands Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta, watch makers and designers whose names carry nearly mythic weight.
For a maison like Louis Vuitton, understanding its mythos and turning it into present-day innovations is vital. Which perhaps explains the latest piece of haute horology to come from the brand. Enter the Escale à Asnières, the first pocket watch in Louis Vuitton’s history.
The exclusive creation is conceived as an ode to the house’s history and craftsmanship, combining the skills of La Fabrique du Temps and the heritage symbolised by the Asnières house. To wit, it features an in-house movement with jacquemart mechanical animations and a chiming minute repeater function. Jacquemarts, which are basically animations on the dial activated by a button, are becoming a signature for Louis Vuitton’s high watchmaking.
In Escale à Asnières, the jacquemart includes seven discrete animations. At the push of a button, the sun, which is actually an LV cut diamond of 0.06 carats that is the smallest the brand has ever made, rotates. The carriage and horses move, with turning wheels and jaunty legs. The coachman’s arms go up and down. The stacked trunks open and monogram flowers reveal themselves from within.
It also combines the savoir-faire of métiers d’art skills such as engraving and enamelling, contributed by master craftsmen Dick Steenman and Anita Porchet. The former to provide the three-dimensional relief of the design and the latter to give it vibrant, colourful life.
The Escale à Asnières pocket watch might be materially different to the famous trunks of Louis Vuitton, but it carries in it the shared ideals of creativity and craftsmanship. Family, or house, values, if you will. In this exclusive interview, master watchmaker and cofounder of La Fabrique du Temps Michel Navas shares more.
How did the Louis Vuitton Escale à Asnières Pocket Watch come about?
It’s a special commission from a client who requested a unique pocket watch that would honour Louis Vuitton’s history and craftsmanship. One of the client’s most important requests was that the dial should tell the story of Louis Vuitton through details that narrate the heritage of the maison.
The pocket watch connects newer and historic aspects of Louis Vuitton, watches and trunks. How did you approach this connection?
The connection between these two entities is seamless as both are dedicated to preserving and elevating the maison’s savoir-faire. The techniques used for making our watches require deep historical expertise, just as the techniques used for making the trunks. Whether it’s in our manufacturing processes or at the Asnières workshop, we remain committed to the same principle: innovation rooted in tradition.
High watchmaking used to be reserved for a small handful of historic manufactures. But with sufficient resources and investments, it seems like the field has opened up.
High watchmaking is not something every brand can access and it goes beyond creating a tourbillon. At La Fabrique du Temps, we strive to work with the finest artisans and to push the boundaries of techniques and craftsmanship. Investing in a manufacture is significant, but it’s equally crucial that this acquisition holds genuine meaning. For Enrico and I, the connection was strong and it was clear that collaborating with Louis Vuitton, a brand with whom we share similar values, was a good choice.
How do you balance creativity and innovation with traditional savoir-faire?
The balance is central to our approach at Louis Vuitton. Our division’s relative youth provides valuable creative freedom, allowing us to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of watchmaking. However, we also recognise the importance of the heritage and credibility that come with traditional watchmaking. The design of the new Escale à Asnières as a traditional pocket watch reflects our commitment to historical watchmaking excellence.
There’s been a massive change in direction for watches at Louis Vuitton since Jean Arnault joined the brand, with many designs being discontinued. What are your thoughts on that?
We talk often with Jean about Louis Vuitton and its place in the watch industry. He decided with our agreement to discontinue certain models despite their popularity. It was a courageous decision on his part, but the right one.
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