Louis Vuitton has unveiled the Escale au Mont Fuji, a unique pocket watch from its Escales Autour du Monde collection that captures the essence of Japan's Mount Fuji at dawn. Assembled in Geneva, this haute horlogerie piece combines intricate mechanical features with artistic enamel work. The timepiece highlights the brand's commitment to blending travel heritage with exceptional craftsmanship.
The Escale au Mont Fuji pocket watch marks the latest addition to Louis Vuitton's Escales Autour du Monde series, following explorations of the Amazon rainforest and Paris. This one-of-a-kind creation evokes the serene beauty of Mount Fuji during spring mornings, using a pastel palette of pinks and blues.
Crafted at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in Geneva, the watch features a dial animated by four automata. A gold compass rose rotates at the 12 o'clock position against a sky dotted with Louis Vuitton Monogram flowers. A detailed wooden fishing boat moves across crystalline water, with small trunks that open to reveal blossoms. The figure of Ebisu, a symbol of luck and prosperity, holds a fishing rod and sea bream at the helm. Swaying sakura cherry blossoms, made from yellow gold and enamel, add to the scene.
Powered by the manual-winding LFT AU14.03 caliber, the movement includes 561 components, a minute repeater for chiming hours, quarters, and minutes, a tourbillon for precision, and an automaton module. Finishes include 700 hand-beveled inner angles, mirror-polished parts, blued hands via flame tempering, and Geneva stripes. The ratchet wheel required three weeks of handwork, and solid gold is used for the tourbillon wheels.
Artistic elements involve over 160 hours of engraving, including the fisherman's features and a Seigaiha wave motif with Monogram flowers on the case. Enamel techniques such as Grand Feu, champlevé, paillonné, and miniature enamel use 33 hues and 40 firings to depict the sky, water with silver leaf, Mount Fuji gradients, and surrounding details like buildings and trees.
Complementing the watch are travel-inspired accessories: a white-gold chain, a bespoke trunk from Asnières, a 'doctor’s style' bag from the early 20th-century automotive era, and light blue leather. The entire piece represents more than 1,000 hours of labor, emphasizing human artistry in luxury horology.