Louis Vuitton returns to its very first wristwatch with the new Monterey Ceramic. Wei Koh sits down with Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, for a closer look at two new ceramic interpretations of the unconventional design first created with Italian architect Gae Aulenti in 1988. The original Monterey, known initially as the LV I and LV II, introduced a distinctive lugless pebble-shaped case, crown positioned at 12 o’clock and an approach to watch design that felt radically different from conventional Swiss watchmaking. The LV II was particularly forward-looking for its use of zirconia-based ceramic at a time when the material was still relatively new to watchmaking. For 2026, the Monterey Ceramic returns in the original 37mm format, offered in polished black or forest-green ceramic. The black version pairs its case with a white lacquered dial and the Monterey’s distinctive red and blue accents, while the green execution combines a tone-on-tone lacquered dial with contrasting yellow syringe hands. Inside is the automatic Calibre LFTMA01.02, developed and manufactured by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, with a 45-hour power reserve. Matthieu also explains the construction behind the Monterey’s unusual strap system. The steel caseback provides the elasticity required for the strap to be removed and reattached easily, allowing the watch head to exist almost as an object in its own right. That idea extends beyond the wrist. Following appearances at Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2027 show, the Monterey can also be worn using a leather attachment, opening up new possibilities that recall the versatility and charm of the pocket watch. A conversation about one of Louis Vuitton’s most distinctive historical designs, and how La Fabrique du Temps has brought it into the present.