It is one thing to take oneself seriously, and quite another to do it while having a serious dose of fun. The latter is exactly what Louis Vuitton does with the gorgeously, unabashedly tongue-in-cheek Tambour Taiko Arty Automata. It continues the tradition started at the maison in 2021 with the Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem, which featured a 16-second, four-automata skull and snake dial by Anita Porchet.

Monogram flowers whirl as a feather-fringed eye sweeps across the dial, while a pink heart rocks beside a pair of lips and “Love” transforms into “Move.”

For this latest release, think Monogram flower power in a blast back to the Summer of Love with a strikingly colorful dial housed in a 42mm drum-shaped Tambour Taiko case in white gold. Seven animated elements, all rendered in brightly colored high gloss grand feu enamel, share the spotlight. A click of the pusher at 8 o’clock sets things in motion. Four Monogram flowers studded with diamond pistils swirl into action, while at 9 o’clock, the eye fringed with dramatic lashes made of real feathers gives you the once-over. A candy-pink sweetheart held between luscious lips rocks from side to side, as the letter “L” right below it swivels to reveal the letter “M” below it, exhorting “Love” to “Move.”

Housed in a 42mm white gold Tambour Taiko case, the watch brings seven animated elements to life at the push of a button at 8 o’clock

Throughout it all, the one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock whirls away, completing one revolution every 60 seconds. Its upper tourbillon bridge comes in the shape of the peace symbol, keeping every detail nicely on theme. Time is told via the subdial at 2 o’clock that’s disguised as a ’70s-style psychedelic sunburst motif.

In total, the intricate assembly comprises 20 miniature parts spread over four different levels in vibrant swirls of pinks and purples and, not least, brilliant fire-engine red, a shade that is notoriously hard to achieve in grand feu enamel because of their thermal sensitivity during the firing process. Here, individual elements are layered with successive applications of vitreous enamel, resulting in a curved three-dimensional effect that’s most evident in the heart, lips and eye. All in all, it took the folks at La Fabrique des Arts 250 hours to complete the dial, which bears 23 different shades of enamel.

Crafted over 250 hours with 23 shades of grand feu enamel, the piece is further elevated by a gem-set bezel and an in-house calibre revealed through the sapphire caseback

The exuberance continues on the back of the watch, where a sapphire caseback shows off the automatic in-house Caliber LFT AU05.01 developed and manufactured by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Its 18K white gold rotor is decorated by hand with a lively swirl of clouds, skies, sun and stars. The bridges, too, are carefully decorated with matching graphic motifs. A rainbow of 43 sapphires and five baguette-cut rubies runs along the bezel and frames the dial, adding sparkle and shine.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata

Reference W9WG71

Movement Self-winding Caliber LFT AU05.01; 65-hour power reserve

Functions Hours and minutes; flying tourbillon; automata mechanism with seven animations

Case 42mm × 13.6mm;18K white gold, set with baguette-cut rubies and colored sapphires; water resistant to 50m
Dial Grand feu enamel
Strap Red calf leather; 18K white gold folding buckle