When unveils new- look Escale watches to mark 10 years since the collection debuted, you can’t help but pay attention – especially when they immediately (and unexpectedly) change up the game entirely.
Although the majority of us who are law abiding may agree, today’s rules appear to simply exist to be broken or modified. Similar to dress code, which are more specific about which watch you may wear and when.
Dressing up for a special occasion ( a wedding, a group, an annual treatment program ) used to permit wearing your smartest, most delicate wristwear – aka a dress view. The is currently largely the de rigueur option, and it is definitely the pinnacle, albeit almost impossible to obtain without spending £50k. On first glance, the new Escale ( French for “stopover” ) is a very appealing alternative, sitting between Cartier and Patek in terms of price, accessibility, and vibes. This is where Louis Vuitton sees potential for itself.
Before Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique de Temps manufacturing facility ( which opened in 2011 ), at best you could classify its watches as fashion pieces. Then, once the service was operational, the jewellery veered toward the extreme, becoming increasingly complex and pricey.
“They didn’t have much in the area where, really, the majority of the watch business lives – what I would describe as upper middle,” says watch expert, before suggesting that both this Escale and 2023’s relaunch of the ( both with new, impressive LFT 023 in- house movements ) are Vuitton’s attempt at staking its place in a marketplace they’ve previously stayed away from.
“I would define this novel Escale very much as a pivot”, adds Dowling. It is moving them from their current situation, where they were competing with Michael Kors at one finish and Michael Kors at the other, to the center to the top of attainable luxury. They’re not really trying to take on Patek]Philippe ] and Audemars]Piguet], but they’re certainly taking on brands like Czapek and Parmigiani Fleurier”.
When the first Escale view was created in 2014, Louis Vuitton’s watch musical director, Matthieu Hegi, wanted a model that would be an obvious choice for the house – “round, classic, anchored in Vuitton’s DNA and inspired by its lengthy- standing expertise: the trunks”, he says. With a softer rim and back, which are both pleasant to touch and eye-catching, the fresh Escale is an extension of this nature. And the finishes on the top of the bolts, which have velvet finishing on them, are even more advanced, he adds, with significant nods to LV’s recognizable tree design on the bolts and some information on the dial ( such as the quarter-hour signs ).