Louis Vuitton Revives An Icon With The New Monterey: The Watch That Started It All
4 min read
While many may recall the elegant Tambour or even the intricate Automatas when it comes to Louis Vuitton watches, it is a far simpler watch that laid the foundations of horology in the Maison’s glorious history. Unveiling a watch that would become both a cult favorite and a collector’s treasure, the Monterey quickly earned iconic status back in the 1980’s. Today, nearly four decades later, Louis Vuitton revisits that seminal moment with the Louis Vuitton Monterey, a limited-edition timepiece that bridges history and modern craftsmanship.
A Tribute to Gae Aulenti and Avant-Garde Vision
While the new launch is certainly impressive, the history of the Monterey makes for a captivating tale. The Monterey is inspired by Louis Vuitton’s first-ever wristwatches, the LV I and LV II, designed in 1988 by the visionary Italian architect Gae Aulenti, famed for transforming Paris’s Musée d’Orsay. These watches broke conventions with a revolutionary lug-free pebble shape, a crown set at 12 o’clock reminiscent of pocket watches, and features including railway-track motifs, GMT, world time, and even an alarm function in the LV II.
Aulenti’s collaboration reflected Louis Vuitton’s enduring spirit of travel, and her designs quickly became an icon of avant-garde horology. The nickname “Monterey,” drawn from the American pronunciation of the French word montre, reflects the watch’s playful, collector-driven cult status.
Reinterpreting a Cult Icon
The new Louis Vuitton Monterey preserves the bold graphic identity of the original while introducing modern refinements. Crafted in 39mm yellow gold, the pebble-shaped case houses a Grand Feu enamel dial that recalls the original design’s striking red and blue accents. Replacing the quartz movement of 1988, the watch now features Louis Vuitton’s in-house automatic calibre LFT MA01.02, with a 45-hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour — marrying aesthetic heritage with contemporary horological excellence.
At La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, every detail of the caliber reflects meticulous craftsmanship, even those that remain unseen. The same meticulous level of precision and craftsmanship of the watch’s exterior is celebrated within, through features like of a circulargrained main plate, sandblasted bridges and micro-sandblasted edges. It also features the Maison’s signature design codes like an 18K rose gold rotor that’s been trimmed with V-notches, recalling the LV Monogram, while hidden beneath the barrel lies the poinçon LFT, a discreet seal of excellence from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, explains: “We retained the polished 'pebble' spirit, the unique leather attachment, and the iconic crown at twelve o'clock, all hallmarks of the 1988 LV I and LV II. This watch is a tribute to enduring craftsmanship while offering a brilliance, tone, and warmth that will last over time.”
Limited to 188 pieces, the Monterey is both an homage and a modern collectible, blending past audacity with today’s savoir-faire.
The Art and Science of Enamel
Central to the Monterey’s visual impact is its Grand Feu enamel dial, a painstaking craft requiring around 20 hours of layered application and repeated high-temperature firings. White, one of the most challenging hues, is hand-applied on an 18K white gold plate and repeatedly fired between 800–900°C to achieve depth, tone, and opacity. Each dial is meticulously stamped with vivid blue, red, and black accents echoing the original watch, while the syringe-style hands depicting hours and minutes in lacquered gold, seconds in blued steel pay homage to the heritage design. The result is a dial that not only gleams with exceptional luster but preserves its vibrancy across generations, reflecting Louis Vuitton’s dedication to meticulous craftsmanship.
A Case That Captures History
The Monterey’s 39mm yellow gold case stays true to Aulenti’s lug-free pebble shape, polished in-house at La Fabrique des Boîtiers. Its pocket-watch-inspired crown is widened, notched, and textured in Clous de Paris, ensuring tactility and comfort. The quick-release strap system and engraved caseback, discreetly marked “1 of 188,” honor the original design while adding a contemporary flair for collectors.
Inside, the automatic movement showcases Louis Vuitton’s attention to detail even where it cannot be seen: circular-grained main plates, sandblasted bridges, and a pink-gold rotor trimmed with V-notches reminiscent of the LV Monogram. The movement is robust, precise, and entirely in harmony with the Maison’s ethos of elegance and performance.
The Legacy Continues
Nearly forty years after the debut of LV I and LV II, the Monterey is a bridge between eras. Seen on influential tastemakers and accenting Louis Vuitton’s Fall-Winter 2025 runway show, the watch captures both the bold nature of 1988 and the technical mastery of today.
By honoring Gae Aulenti’s revolutionary vision while embracing modern craftsmanship, Louis Vuitton has created a timepiece that is timeless yet contemporary, a celebration of the Maison’s horological journey, and a reminder that innovation and heritage can shine together. Louis Vuitton has, since 1854, redefined luxury by blending audacity, style, and unmatched craftsmanship. With the Monterey, the Maison revisits its first wristwatch not merely as a nostalgic gesture, but as a testament to enduring innovation, elegance, and the art of travel brought to horology.
Price: Rs 57,99,136 Approx
