Louis Vuitton Is Bringing Back Its Most Coveted ’80s-Era Watch

So what would a modern, haute horlogerie interpretation of the LV I and the LV II look like? For the answer, meet the new Louis Vuitton Monterey: Housed in an upsized 39mm, 18-karat yellow gold case, it still features the pebble-like profile and notched 12 o’clock crown of the original models, though its anti-reflective sapphire crystal and engraved caseback—“1 of 188”—speak to something more distinctive. The watch’s dial, furthermore, is indicative of the seriousness with which Louis Vuitton’s treats its horological endeavors: While the LV I and LV II featured typical lacquer dials, that of the new model is grand feu enamel, a material produced by layering vitreous enamel powder and firing it multiple times in a kiln at a temperature measuring over 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. With its red and blue chemin de fer minute track and black Arabic indices, it makes a clear nod to pocket watches, though its matching red and blue skeletonized syringe handset is a more playful take on an old watch-world trope.

Requiring over 20 hours of production time, this dial is noticeably devoid of the complications that made the original LV I and II such distinctive travel watches—though we’d argue that this does the new model a distinct favor. While the originals were certainly unique, they were also singularly busy, with a host of hands and scales making time-telling a complicated affair. The new Monterey simplifies things, offering a dressier look that could easily form the basis of a GMT or world time model somewhere down the line. As it stands, what we have here is a mix of vintage inspiration in a packaged sized for modern tastes, with high-end materials that add cachet for the collector set. And we haven’t even gotten to the movement yet!