Louis Vuitton has announced the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata, a new high-end watch, crafted in-house from the movement to the enamel dial.

©Ulysse Frechelin
Beyond the world of sweetness──
Louis Vuitton showcases its mastery of automata watches through a new feminine timepiece

©Régis Golay
The Tambour, the first in-house automatic automata movement, The Fiery Heart Automata, crafted by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the Maison's Geneva-based watchmaking atelier, epitomizes the savoir-faire of high watchmaking. Beneath the vibrant candy-like hues and captivating textures of its engraved Grand Feu enamel dial, the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata houses a movement of astonishing ingenuity and razor-sharp precision. A sharp intelligence concealed beneath its beauty, this latest Louis Vuitton creation reminds us once again that "every beautiful rose has its thorns."


A mechanism in full bloom

Louis Vuitton's journey in high watchmaking blossomed in the early 21st century, when the Maison began creating special-order automata-equipped timepieces in limited quantities for select clients. In 2021, the Maison presented the Tambour Carpe Diem at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), revealing for the first time the Maison's previously enigmatic expertise in high watchmaking. At the competition, the Jumping Hour automaton won the Audacity Prize, a discretionary award given only to worthy candidates by the jury. Taking the next step in the realm of automaton timepieces, Louis Vuitton continues its exploration of the fusion of passion and savoir-faire. The exhilarating Carpe Diem and the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata are captivating in their duality.

The motifs of roses, intertwining vines, and sharp thorns return, more evolved than when they were first featured on the Maison's enamel-dial Escale Spin Time Only Watch (2019). The Tambour Fiery Heart Automata is characterized by motion and dynamism. But even more provocative is the surprising message hidden beneath the vibrant petals and lustrous heart that bloom on Louis Vuitton's first in-house enamel dial.

Press the button at 8 o'clock to unleash the rich animation of the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata's dial.


Beware of the thorns or beware

Time can be dangerous. The Tambour Fiery Heart Automata tells the time with hands clad in thorn armor and a subdial surrounded by inward-facing thorny vines. The Tambour Fiery Heart Automata seems to convey the message that those who do not value time or who tend to be distracted will soon find themselves in a thorny situation. The watch's rhythmic pulse is driven by a flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock, which rotates once every minute while marking the seconds. A flaming heart sits at 9 o'clock. A symbol of affection, the heart is engraved with the word "SWEET" and, just above it, a small gold crown adorned with Monogram flowers. The heart harbors a hidden power, which is revealed when the diamond-set pusher at 8 o'clock is activated.

A halo of spines emerges from the vines surrounding the hour and minute subdials, radiating outward. The enamel roses (one at 12 o'clock and one at 4 o'clock) initially appear understated and silent, but their rotating Monogram Flowers at their centers evoke new vitality, their diamond pistils shining with a sharp light. A fiery heart roars to life, its flames soaring as if fanned by an invisible gale. A jagged crack appears in the heart, splitting it in two to reveal the rest of the gentle, soothing inscription "SWEET" above, completing the bold statement: "SWEET BUT FIERCE."


A World of Mechanical Excellence

If knowledge is power, then unique knowledge—know-how—is the most powerful. Equipped with one of the most spectacular mechanical creations ever presented by the Maison, the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata epitomizes La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton's unique savoir-faire in innovative automaton watches.

The Tambour Fiery Heart Automata's automaton arrangement comprises five independently moving dial elements. Pressing the pusher at 8 o'clock sets these elements in motion simultaneously. First, spines radiate from the outer periphery of the hour and minute subdials. Next, two Monogram flowers, located in the centers of the enamel roses at 4 and 12 o'clock, rotate simultaneously, one clockwise and the other counterclockwise. After a brief pause, the two flowers then dance counterclockwise. Finally, the heart splits in two, revealing the full message: "SWEET BUT FIERCE." Finally, a golden flame atop the heart undulates to mimic a real flame.

©Régis Golay
This watchmaking feat is the culmination of three years of research and development in high watchmaking at Louis Vuitton. Delicate signatures in the movement's design and finishing indicate that the Caliber LFT 325 has been created exclusively for the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata – dedicated movements have long been a mark of prestige in the world of watchmaking. The microblasted movement bridge is adorned with a rose stem adorned with thorns in pink gold, gently enveloping the exposed gears visible through the openwork. The 18K pink gold oscillating weight and the automaton regulator bridge at 12 o'clock are also engraved and openworked with Monogram flowers. The dial's history continues, carving the movement's shape. The dance of colors and the seductive play of textures continues, with the contrast between the softness of gray and the brilliance of pink gold achieved after lengthy research and development. The exploration of color, the work with materials, and the attention to detail speak to the precision and meticulous attention required to achieve the highest level of finish.

The flying tourbillon, a frequent feature in Louis Vuitton's high watchmaking, is paired for the first time with a self-winding movement featuring an automaton on the dial side. The Tambour Fiery Heart Automata. The automaton is powered by its own mainspring, allowing the flying tourbillon to maintain its high level of chronometric performance throughout the movement's 65-hour power reserve.

©Ulysse Frechelin
The challenge of synchronizing the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata's dial animation was met through the decades of expertise and experience of the movement development team at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the Maison's watchmaking atelier. The team, led by Master Watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas, is dedicated to providing the watchmaking experience of Louis Vuitton. The dial comes to life almost magically in an instant, and the open caseback offers a glimpse into its secret mechanism. An openworked bridge in the movement's upper right corner offers a captivating view of the automatic spring, driving wheel, and regulator. This complex mechanism powers, times, and even controls the speed of the seven-dial automaton.

Each of the automaton's graceful movements—from the opening of a heart to reveal a secret message, to the spinning monogram flower, the dancing flame, and the floating thorns—is precisely orchestrated to create a 13-second symphony of exquisite mechanical movement, uniquely suited to the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata.


Art, Glass, and Fire

The Grand Feu enamel dial of the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata represents an important step for the Maison in its in-house savoir-faire—a blend of craftsmanship spanning more than a millennium.

The Grand Feu enamel process begins with silica powder. Finely ground by hand, the silica is mixed with various metal oxides that impart color to the final finish. The powdered enamel is then applied to the prepared surface and fired in a kiln at temperatures between 700°C and 1,200°C, vitrifying the enamel. This unlocks the intense, durable colors that have made Grand Feu enamel the decorative technique of choice for watches for centuries. The dial of the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata expresses various aesthetic elements through a combination of champlevé and cloisonné enamel. Champlevé is a technique in which enamel powder is poured into cavities carved into the dial surface and then fired. Cloisonné involves carefully hand-forming thin gold wires and fixing them to the dial surface, creating small compartments into which enamel is then poured. The Grand Feu enamel technique requires a delicate touch, years of experience, and a highly disciplined, technical approach. Having collaborated with some of today's most revered enamel artists, including legendary enameller Anita Porchet, who created the dial for the Escale Spin Time Only Watch, the Maison now boasts in-house savoir-faire of this precious technique, under the skilled hands of its master enamellers. Born from the melting pot of Louis Vuitton's horological knowledge and multifaceted expertise, the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata is a transcendental beauty, the result of the Maison's multi-layered approach to high watchmaking, elevated to a level never before seen in the Maison's 169-year history.


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©LOUIS VUITTON
Tambour Fiery Heart Automata
Price: Inquire

Movement
■LFT 325 Caliber: Self-winding mechanical movement developed and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton
Automata mechanism with seven animations, flying tourbillon and hour and minute displays
Number of components: 325
Power reserve: 65 hours
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations/hour
Jewels: 67

Case
18K pink gold case
Crown, push-pieces and horns in 18K pink gold set with diamonds
Case diameter: 42.0 mm
Thickness: 13.0 mm
Domed, anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 50 m

Dial
Handmade enamel and miniature painting by La Fabric du Temps Louis Vuitton (dial, hearts & roses)
Hand engraving by Dick Steenman (crown & roses)
Dial set with white diamonds

Strap
Green alligator strap

Buckle
18K pink gold folding buckle

Set with 107 diamonds (up to 0.53 carats)


About Louis Vuitton
Since its founding in 1854, Louis Vuitton has consistently offered distinctive designs that combine innovation and style, always with the finest quality. Today, through its travel luggage, bags, and accessories, the brand remains faithful to the "essence of travel" created by its founder, Louis Vuitton, and is creative, elegant, and practical. Boldness has shaped the story of Louis Vuitton. Respecting tradition, the brand has opened its doors to architects, artists, and designers throughout its history, pioneering fields such as ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches & fine jewelry, and fragrance. These carefully crafted products are a testament to Louis Vuitton's dedication to craftsmanship.