Louis Vuitton starts 2025 with a surprise, the Tambour Convergence. Modelled on traditional “digital” pocket watches, the Convergence indicates the time with discs visible in a pair of small windows at the top of the face. The unusual design, coupled with the compact, 37 mm case gives the Convergence an elegant, vintage-inspired aesthetic atypical of Louis Vuitton.

Equally notable is the newly-developed in-house calibre inside, the LFT MA01.01. The movement is of a family of movements that will underpin Louis Vuitton’s timepieces going forward; variants of the movement are also found in the new Tambour Taiko Spin Time.

Initial thoughts

The Convergence is unexpected because it isn’t typical of Louis Vuitton. The vintage-inspired styling and proportions are almost antithesis of the brand’s conventional look, which was historically colourful and modern. Even though such territory is relatively new to Louis Vuitton, the Convergence is executed well.

The design has intrinsic appeal, and shows off good proportions and details. The Convergence demonstrates the refined style of the redesigned Tambour case, which barely resembles the chunky original that was often thick and paired with narrow lugs. While I myself liked the quirk look of the original Tambour, the revamped model is undoubtedly more elegant and consequently will have a wider appeal.

The Convergence debuts in pink gold

The Convergence does well in almost all respects – fit, finish, design, and dimensions – save for the fact that the time display is a “dragging” indicator instead of a jumping display.

Granted, a jumping display would have entailed a trade-off in terms of power reserve, amplitude, or thickness, but it might have been worth it given the added technical sophistication. A jumping hours alone would have been interesting, while a double-jumping display would have been the technical ideal (but probably impossible while retaining the same dimensions and specs).

And a second version in platinum with “snow-set” diamonds

On a wider level, the Convergence reflects Louis Vuitton’s evolution towards watches oriented to watch enthusiasts, an impetus that comes from Jean Arnault, the director of Louis Vuitton watches and himself a collector with well-honed tastes.

The specific feel of the Convergence, with its slim dimensions and refined proportions – it is almost identical in size to the Philippe Dufour Simplicity – feels like it emerged from the experience and knowledge an enthusiast, particularly since this isn’t Louis Vuitton’s historical speciality. It will be interesting to see where this evolution takes Louis Vuitton, given the brand is armed with more resources than any other.

Classical styling

The Convergence gets its name from the vertically integrated Louis Vuitton manufacture in Geneva that’s comprised of several workshops that have “converged” to create the watch.

La Fabrique des Arts is dedicated to artisanal decoration and is responsible for the gem-setting, while La Fabrique des Boîtiers produced the Tambour case. And of course the movement was developed by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the primary Louis Vuitton watchmaking facility in Geneva. All of these workshops are located a few minutes from each other in the Geneva suburb of Plan-les-Ouates, home to numerous watchmakers besides Louis Vuitton.

The Convergence debuts in two variants, one in 18k pink gold with a polished front, and the other in platinum fronted by 795 snow-set diamonds totalling 1.71 carats.

Both have time display discs of brass plated to match the case material, while the numerals and scales on the discs are a uniform dark blue across the models.

The redesigned Tambour case of the Convergence borrows the slim, sloped case middle found on the Tambour with an integrated bracelet, but matched with the hollowed out lugs that are now a trademark of the design.

The case middle is brushed, while the bezel is polished. And because the lugs are separate components, they boast a complex finish that would be impossible if they were fabricated as integral with the case. Each lug has polished outer surfaces on the top and side, while the concave hollow on the side is frosted with laser, giving it a granular finish.

The “face” of the watch is essentially the bezel, which covers the entire front save for two windows at 12 o’clock. The upper window indicates the hours, and the lower window the minutes, with an applied lozenge pointing to both simultaneously.

The Convergence is powered by the LFT MA01.01. It’s part of a new family of high-end industrial movements that will become the workhorses of Louis Vuitton’s line-up.

Compared to the outsourced movement of the 2023 Tambour (that was produced by Le Cercles des Horlogers), the LFT MA01.01 is evidently a more sophisticated construction. One of the most obvious upgrades is the free-sprung balance wheel with a screwed Geneva stud to secure the hairspring.

The movement is decorated in the distinctive style first seen on the 2023 Tambour that’s now the signature of Louis Vuitton’s in-house movements. Laid out in a circular manner, the bridges are finished with frosting ringed by raised borders, while the rotor is 18k pink gold with an engraved repeating “V” motif on its rim.

As dictated by the smallish case, the LFT MA01.01 is compact movement with a shortish 45-hour power reserve. It runs at 4 Hz, or 28,8000 beats per hour, as is expected of a modern movement. Presumably the future, wider calibres in the family will have a longer power reserve.

Key facts and price

Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence
Ref. W9PG11 (pink gold)
Ref. W9PT11 (platinum)

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 8 mm
Material: 18k pink gold; platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. LFT MA01.01
Functions: Dragging hours and minutes
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 45 hours

Strap: Camel calf leather strap; blue calf leather strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Louis Vuitton boutiques
Price: €37,000 in pink gold; €67,000 in platinum with diamonds (prices include VAT)

For more information, visit LouisVuitton.com.