Louis Vuitton Fifty Five

The timeless, sophisticated steamer trunk has remained the thematic and aesthetic centrepiece of Louis Vuitton for well over a century, even though its role has moved from the functional to the figurative. Take the petite metallic vanity case that stole the show in Nicolas Ghesquière’s Fall 2015 women’s runway, which winks to the aluminium trunks commissioned for French colonial and military types destined for the heat of the tropics. The same technical trunks are now shaped into a new watch collection, the LV Fifty Five, whose timepieces are rendered in the clean reflective beauty of classic steel.

The LV Fifty Five’s slim form is a different proposition from the drum-shaped Tambour or even the more recent Escale. Rather, its organic lines are reminiscent of the Ebel Wave and Jorg Hysek’s designs for Tiffany, Tag Heuer and Seiko, all of which are emblematic of the mid to late 1980s. Design-wise, the watch is awash in references to Louis Vuitton (here is a brand known for promiscuous self-promotion, after all), the most obvious being the V-shaped quarter hour markers (quoting the famous triple V logo) and signature entwined initials at noon. Even more obvious are the two metal plaques riveted and engraved with the Maison’s name, modelled after similar nameplates on vintage Vuitton trunks. There’s one more reference hidden in plain sight: Louis Vuitton happens to be the foundation of the name of this watch, as “LV” in Roman numerals translates to 55.

Besides being marked with “V’s, the dial also draws on the watchmaking expertise of La Fabrique du Temps for its complex construction and subtle finishes. It’s composed of two pieces, a satin-brushed centre with a sunburst motif, and a convex chapter ring on which elongated hour markers are blended into. The hands are a bold choice of metallic emerald green, while the discreet and finely engraved winding crown derives from trunk rivets.

Conceived as its entry-level mechanical wristwatch, the LV Fifty Five is offered in three sizes – a feminine 31mm, unisex 36mm and masculine 41mm. All three bear ETA movements, with the top end men’s model being a GMT Automatic. With its history in leather crafting, Louis Vuitton naturally uses its own leathers for the watches (a black Taurillon for the large and grey Veau Cachemire for the medium), but the collection also debuts a new steel bracelet, whose supple links reference the curve of the handles of the brand’s historic trunks.

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