Before the Tambour became Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking signature, the maison had a stranger and more architectural idea on the wrist.
The Monterey traces back to 1988, when Gae Aulenti gave Louis Vuitton a lug-free watch with a pebble-shaped case and a crown placed at 12 o’clock.
Now the design returns in glossy green and black ceramic, bringing the modern Monterey closer to the character of the historic LV II.
At a glance
- Louis Vuitton has introduced two permanent Monterey Ceramic watches in green and black ceramic.
- The 37mm lug-free case revives Gae Aulenti’s 1988 LV II silhouette, with a crown at 12 o’clock and an integrated strap construction.
- Both watches use the automatic LFT MA01.02 calibre by La Fabrique du Temps and are priced at EUR 23,000.
Aulenti’s 1988 Louis Vuitton watch returns to ceramic
The Monterey story begins with the Montre LV I and LV II, launched in 1988 and designed by Italian architect and industrial designer Gae Aulenti.
Those early Louis Vuitton watches were produced in collaboration with IWC and used quartz movements, but their design language was anything but conventional.
The rounded case, absence of visible lugs and crown at noon gave the watch the feel of a pocket watch adapted for the wrist.
The LV II was especially forward-looking, using black or green ceramic at a time when the material was still rare in watchmaking.
Louis Vuitton’s new Monterey Ceramic models pick up that thread with a 37mm case size, matching the diameter of the 1988 LV II rather than the larger gold limited edition that preceded these models.
Glossy ceramic and a sculpted pebble case
The case remains the central object here.
At 37mm wide and 11mm thick, it keeps the compact presence of the historic design while making room for a self-winding mechanical movement.
The ceramic case is made from ceramic powder, zirconium oxide and pigments, compressed into a solid block before being shaped by three-axis machining.
It is then fired at 1,000°C, hand-ground and hand-polished to achieve the smooth, reflective surface that defines both versions.
The green model pairs a green ceramic case with a matching lacquered dial, while the black ceramic version uses a white lacquered dial for sharper contrast.
Both dials are finished with a matte varnish, giving the colour a controlled sheen rather than a mirror-like surface.
A pared-back dial with traces of the LV II
Louis Vuitton has removed the alarm and date functions of the vintage LV II, leaving the new Monterey as a cleaner time-only watch.
The dial still keeps the double railway tracks that give the design its distinctive graphic rhythm.
The openworked syringe-style hour and minute hands are lacquered yellow on the green model and red on the black model.
A fine blue seconds hand adds a deliberately offbeat note, complete with a circular openworked counterweight.
The crown at 12 o’clock is now wider than on the 1988 watch and finished with a Clous de Paris grip in steel.
The strap construction also preserves one of Aulenti’s cleverest ideas, with the calfskin strap threaded through the caseback so it disappears beneath the watch rather than attaching to external lugs.
La Fabrique du Temps inside the closed caseback
The movement is hidden behind a closed caseback, but Louis Vuitton has not treated it as an afterthought.
The automatic LFT MA01.02 calibre is conceived and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s high-end watchmaking workshop.
It measures 23mm by 5.4mm, runs at 4Hz and delivers a 45-hour power reserve.
Finishing includes sandblasted bridges, micro-sandblasted edges, perlage on the mainplate, polished bevels and colourless jewels.
The calibre is wound by a central 18k pink gold rotor decorated with V-shaped notches.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Louis Vuitton |
|---|---|
| Model | Monterey Ceramic |
| Case size | 37mm diameter, 11mm thickness |
| Case material | Green or black high-tech ceramic |
| Case style | Lug-free pebble-shaped case |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating |
| Caseback | Closed caseback |
| Crown | Steel crown at 12 o’clock with Clous de Paris texture |
| Water resistance | 30 metres |
| Dial options | Green lacquered dial or white lacquered dial |
| Movement | Automatic calibre LFT MA01.02 |
| Movement maker | Conceived and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps |
| Components | 174 components, including 26 jewels |
| Frequency | 28,800vph, 4Hz |
| Power reserve | 45 hours |
| Rotor | 18k pink gold central rotor |
| Functions | Hours, minutes and seconds |
| Strap | Black or green calfskin strap with steel pin buckle |
| Availability | Permanent collection |
| Price | EUR 23,000 |
The Monterey Ceramic is a smart return because it doesn’t try to smooth away the oddness of Aulenti’s design.
It keeps the watch compact, sculptural and slightly unconventional, which is precisely where its appeal lies for collectors who want Louis Vuitton watchmaking at its most distinctive.
