Taking inspiration from its iconic trunks, Louis Vuitton has unveiled the LV Fifty Five, a new versatile and contemporary watch designed for world travelers. The stunning new timepiece is designed from scratch and features a brand new case. It gets its name LV Fifty Five from the Roman numerals (LV) to Arabic numerals (55).
The Louis Vuitton baggage, of which hundreds of different types have been made is known for its rigid and sturdy structure and has been considered the exclusive preserve of the rich and famous. It was also astonishingly modern, for by as early as 1892 Louis Vuitton was already offering its explorer clients a waterproof aluminium model.
The LV Fifty Five watch is housed in a round steel case with a slight curve and features two metal plaques – like those on the historic trunks, riveted and engraved with the name of Louis Vuitton. The dial is composed of two pieces and boasts of the letter V which is featured prominently at every quarter and a LV signature at 12 o’clock. The letter V is engraved across the timepiece from the hands, hour-markers, crown and buckle. The finely engraved winding crown is also a subtle reminder of the heads of the trunk rivets.
Built for travelers, the LV Fifty Five also features a horological complication clearly designed for globetrotters and is currently available in steel only. The Fifty Five will also represent another first with its leather straps as this will be the first time Louis Vuitton is using a strap made from its own in-house crafted leather for its watches.
Currently available in three sizes, each sporting a different movement, for men and women, the timepieces will be available in January 2016 with prices ranging from $3,300 to $5,000. The small, feminine pink model sized at 31 mm is fitted with the ETA 256.031 quartz movement, the medium unisex grey model, with its 36 mm dial is powered by the ETA 2892 self-winding mechanical movement and the largest, black model measures 41mm is powered by the ETA 2893 with a self-winding mechanism with GMT function.
