Louis Vuitton Rethinks The Diving Watch With New Street Diver Collection
The Tambour is one of the most important watch designs for Louis Vuitton. Launched in 2002, it was the watch that put the brand on the map in the world of the Haute Horlogerie. Over the years, it amassed a loyal group of admirers, not in the least because Louis Vuitton was always able to introduce innovating new varieties of this model while keeping it instantly recognizable as a Tambour. Inspired by the shape of a drum, the Tambour is one of the very few watches that is larger at the base than at the bezel. This gives the watch an undeniable enchanting character, in which it expresses its pedigree further by having the twelve letters of ‘Louis Vuitton’ engraved in the case-band. It also adds a timeless appeal to the watch, as even today the Tambour looks as contemporary as it did back in 2002.
One of the key elements that Louis Vuitton has always excelled in is knowing exactly what their clients want. With the Street Diver, the brand has created a diving watch as it is worn and appreciated the most: as a fashionable statement on the wrist that spends most of the time outside the water. In its design, Louis Vuitton emphasized the utilitarian character of the watch by playing with color. The elapsed minutes, an essential feature for any diving watch, can be measured by the internal rotating bezel, which is operated by the color-contrasting crown placed between one and two o’clock. It is color-matched by the hour markers and the minute hand, which cleverly resembles the iconic ‘V,’ a hallmark of Louis Vuitton. While looking good is something that comes naturally for the Street Diver, this does not mean that it is out of its element in the water. Thanks to its screw-down crown, internal rotating diving bezel, and 100-meter water-resistance it is a capable companion when going (scuba) diving.
Louis Vuitton is launching four different versions of the Street Diver, each highlighting different colors. The Neon Black features a case made from stainless steel with a black PVD-coating. This offers a stunning contrast with the neon yellow accents that give this watch a lot of character. The Neon Black is the only watch in the Street Diver collection that also has a bezel with a PVD-coating making, giving it more of a tool-watch appearance. The Tambour Street Diver Skyline blue has a blue PVD-coating applied on its case, which stands out against the bezel of polished stainless steel. The vibrant shade of light blue makes the details on this watch stand out against its dark blue backdrop in an almost nautical way. The most precious version is the Tambour Street Diver Black Blaze, as it combines black PVD-coated elements with pink gold. This gives a rich contrast that shows a different side of this unique watch altogether. All these three watches have a 44mm large case and are fitted with an automatic movement that can be admired through the sapphire caseback with Louis Vuitton logo.
The Tambour Street Diver Pacific White is the most elegant of the four new watches, as it is also the smallest. Its case measures 39.5mm in diameter, and it is crafted from polished stainless steel. It is also the only one fitted with a quartz movement instead of an automatic caliber, adding even more variety to the Street Diver collection, with which Louis Vuitton is proudly continuing the legacy of the iconic Tambour towards its third decade.
