The Return of the Louis Vuitton Monterey (Incl. Video)

If you consider Louis Vuitton’s horological journey, many might think that it all began in 2002 with the launch of the Tambour watch, which was later transformed into an integrated sports watch in 2023. While this watch really brought the brand onto the map, it’s another watch that started it all. And it was all the way back in 1988, with Louis Vuitton’s first ever wristwatches, the Montre LV 1 and LV2. These watches, which gained the nickname Monterey, are now the source of inspiration for a reinterpretation. Sleeker, more modern, now mechanical, let’s discover the new Louis Vuitton Monterey.

Background

Before the Tambour, Louis Vuitton made its first foray into watchmaking in 1988 with the LV 1 and LV 2, which were created in collaboration with Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who had just completed the transformation of the Orsay Museum in Paris and was also famous for the Pipistrello lamps.

Aulenti designed a rather unique watch, with a pebble-shaped case and no lugs, which somehow recalls pocket watches converted into wristwatches, with a crown at 12 o’clock. The watch was a nod to travel with its railway track and specific functions. But one word about the name… The watch was never officially named Monterey back then. This was a nickname given by American clients, having a bit of a hard time with the pronunciation of montre (French for wristwatch), as the LV 1 and LV 2 were originally referred to as Montre 1 and Montre 2. And with the years, the name stuck and is now becoming official…

Back to the past. The two Gae Aulenti-designed watches were produced in collaboration with IWC and came packed with complications, yet powered by a quartz movement. The LV 1 was 40mm, made of yellow or white gold. It featured a starry sky dial with the time, a retrograde date, a moon phase and a world time function with a GMT hand and 24 time zones. And there was also an alarm function. The second watch, the LV 2 or Monterey 2, was pretty unique as it came in a 37mm case made of black or green ceramic – a rarity back then, but made possible thanks to IWC. This smaller and thinner version was equipped with a quartz movement, with time and date displays as well as an alarm function, but still the same overall travel inspiration for the dial design.

Now in 2025, following the revamp of the Tambour and Escale collections, it’s time for the Louis Vuitton Monterey to come back.

The new Louis Vuitton Monterey

Let’s start with the obvious. The new Louis Vuitton Monterey (yes, it’s now officially its name) is deliberately inspired by the old models and brings back the emblematic pebble-shaped case of the past. Made at La Fabrique des Boitiers, the shape of the new Monterey stays true to the original version. The fully polished, super-smooth case, made of 18k yellow gold, measures 39mm in diameter. It’s not the thinnest of watches, though, at 12.2mm without the sapphire crystal. It’s a deliberate design choice of LV, but I’d love to see it under 10mm. It also retains the same position for the crown at 12 o’clock, but it’s been widened and redesigned with a clou de Paris pattern.

One of the defining elements of the original model was the ingenious caseback construction and lug-less form, which are still used now in the new Monterey. And that makes this watch particularly comfortable on the wrist, as the case is basically as long as it is large. The black leather strap is attached under the case and seems to be integrated within the watch when worn… Pretty cool.

Moving to the dial, you’ll see both classic elements, but all done in a much skeeter way. The complex display of the LV 1 is gone and replaced by a simpler time-only style. That said, the watch remains unmistakably Monterey, thanks to the shape of the railroad tracks and hands, as well as the use of touches of red and blue. What has changed most is that the dial is now made of grand feu enamel, the traditional way to create such a dial.

The result is a glossy, brilliant finish with a unique warmth, and enamel also brings colour stability and resistance to fading. A real enamel dial is made by hand, with multiple layers of vitreous enamel powder applied to a white gold plate, then fired at high temperatures in a kiln multiple times. Finally, the stamping process for the numerals and tracks requires applying ground enamel powder in black, red, or blue, and a total of eight stamping applications are needed for each of the three colours. Each time, the dial is fired in the kiln. This brings a dial that combines traditional techniques with a highly graphic style, thanks to the use of primary colours and edgy syringe-style hands in red lacquer and a blued steel seconds hand.

From Quartz to Automatic

One of the main evolutions for the Louis Vuitton Monterey is the move from a quartz movement to an automatic calibre. Inside is a movement developed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps, which we discovered as the base for the updated Tambour Spin Time and the Tambour Convergence earlier this year. Although the movement isn’t visible, it’s a fine, compact movement and the result of an internal development. The movement is wound by a central 18k rose gold rotor decorated with V-shaped notches. The decoration includes sandblasted bridges with micro-sandblasted edges, perlage on the main plate, polished bevels and colourless jewels. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and stores 45 hours of power reserve.

Thoughts & Price

With the new Monterey, Louis Vuitton pays tribute to the earliest days of its watchmaking journey, with a modern interpretation of its first watch. The new Monterey is a nice mix between classic design cues, traditional crafts and modern features, such as the sleeker display and the automatic movement – all being more in tune with the expectations of collectors. 

That being said, even if we are not the biggest fans of quartz watches here at MONOCHROME, I somehow miss the complexity of the first two models. Maybe LV should bring back a worldtime version of the Monterey, with an automatic movement or a model with a moon phase in the centre. That would be rather cool! 

The 2025 Louis Vuitton Monterey is released in a limited run of 188 pieces and is priced at EUR 56,000. It is delivered in a Louis Vuitton trunk. For more details, please visit LouisVuitton.com.