Louis Vuitton’s passion for travel and daring creativity takes flight with the Montgolfière Aéro, a remarkable horological object that marks a new chapter for the Maison. Soaring to new heights, the Montgolfière Aéro is a precious fusion of the Maison’s distinct high jewelry and trunkmaking savoir-faire, combined to Swiss watchmaking.
The hot-air balloon – an imaginative, emblematic symbol of the Maison – now ascends into the world of Haute Horlogerie at Louis Vuitton, inspiring two incredible horological objects. Exploring a new way of telling the time, the piece’s creation began with a simple question: What is more precious than time ? As ever, the Maison looked to its dynamic, innovative founder. Before becoming a famed trunkmaker, Louis Vuitton himself cut his teeth as a packer, where he helped store and prepare his clients’ most cherished objects for travel, ensuring their safe and secure transport on their journeys.
A deep appreciation for adventure and discovery ensured that Louis Vuitton trunks were designed to be functional as well as elegant, innovative and expertly crafted. This led Louis Vuitton, in 1906, to create the Aéro Trunk, a state-of-the-art piece that attached to the basket of a hot air balloon. Light and durable, the trunk also featured a watertight seal, ensuring that in the event of a fall into the sea, the basket would float. Tapping into the fascination for hot air balloon flights, the Louis Vuitton Aéro Trunk captured the imagination of daring individuals keen to explore the world.
An invitation to dream
Two extraordinary Montgolfière Aéro horological objects now channel that very craft and creativity which enraptured Louis Vuitton over a century ago. A gorgeous balloon – in either traditional red and transparent glass, or another in precious wood – incorporates a Swiss mechanical clock. The balloon rests on a basket fashioned as a miniature Louis Vuitton trunk, which has been handcrafted using all the same centuries-old trunkmaking savoir-faire, completed with the Maison’s signature elements and design codes. The trunk also houses the movement’s winding mechanism. The clock embraces multiple codes of the Maison. A Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower indicates the hours and minutes, which are displayed on an upper and lower disc.
At the centre of the openwork balloon is a prominent Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower, while the underside of the trunk also features an Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower lever, which unfolds to wind the clock. An imaginative object that invites one to dream, the Montgolfière Aéro can be displayed in two ways. It’s either a table clock for a desk or shelf, or can be suspended from the ceiling. Floating in the air as the hot-air balloon intended. Designed by Louis Vuitton, the Montgolfière Aéro was manufactured with L’Épee 1839, the historic and award-winning Swiss clockmaker that this year celebrates its 185th anniversary.
A traditional balloon
With a playful transparent and white motif, the Montgolfière Aéro pays homage to a traditional object that has inspired Louis Vuitton campaigns and creations over the years. Each of the Montgolfière Aéro’s glass wings are fully handcrafted, meticulously and precisely made to fit the balloon’s structure. Like a watch or piece of jewelry, the structure incorporates different finishes, allowing for a wonderful play of light and reflections.
At the center of the balloon is a distinctive Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower, a dynamic motif that delightfully spins on its axis with a gentle push. Meanwhile, the remarkable Louis Vuitton trunk is among the smallest trunks ever created by the Maison. Though miniature in size, it retains all the codes of Louis Vuitton’s trunkmaking savoir-faire. Each trunk is entirely handmade from lozines embossing to nailing. The Maison’s emblematic Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas adorns the trunk.
A precious Montgolfière Aéro
Limited to only eight pieces, an exceptional Montgolfière Aéro creation pays homage to the beauty of precious wood. Complementing this craftsmanship, time and patience is Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry savoir-faire. Two exquisite gemstones were directly sourced by Louis Vuitton’s in-house stone department, which has been custom cutting Louis Vuitton Monogram-shape diamonds for over 15 years. A magnificent 9.06-carat citrine briolette adorns the Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower at the heart of the openwork balloon. With a fiery orange and brown hue that recalls the bursting flame of a hot air balloon, the citrine emanates a brilliant play of light and transparency from 80 custom-cut facets.
Perfectly matching this stone is another square-cut citrine that’s set on the Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower that indicates the time. Meanwhile, additional preciousness comes courtesy of 1,200 diamonds that embellish the balloon’s structure. Finally, the bespoke trunk is also crafted in precious wood. Miniature in size, the trunk incorporates all the historic codes of the Maison’s trunkmaking expertise: coins, nails, even tiny Louis Vuitton signatures on the lozines.
To complement the preciousness of the Montgolifère Aéro, the trunk comes studded with diamonds – a first ever for the Maison. To accompany this exclusive clock, a trunk was specifically handcrafted in Louis Vuitton’s historic workshops in Asnières. A new milestone for Louis Vuitton, the Montgolfière Aéro embodies a fusion of the finest savoir-faire, where Swiss watchmaking meets high jewelry, further imbued with Louis Vuitton’s singular trunkmaking know-how. Channeling Louis Vuitton’s daring spirit and passion for travel, the Montgolfière Aéro joyously welcomes a new way of telling the time – and an exciting new adventure for the Maison.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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