Hands-On: The Louis Vuitton Escale Minute Repeater

Finishing on this Louis Vuitton-branded version, with its striping and prominent anglage, seems the same when compared to the same caliber put in a Gerald Genta, with the brand name obviously changed appropriately on the bridge. It’s not a bad thing, as the caliber itself is already great looking, but I’d imagine those spending $350,000 on a watch might expect some sort of proprietary twist rather than an internally shared movement. Nevertheless, the watchmaking is still spectacular. 

In Mark’s introduction to this watch back in January, he already cross-shops the Escale against other minute repeaters and offers a claim that this new release might still feel like a relative bargain, despite the mid-six-figure price tag. I won’t repeat his efforts here (pun intended), and I don’t disagree with his thoughts—this is a minute repeater I could actually imagine myself wearing. But I think what impresses me most about this watch is just how well thought-out its overall design is. It might just be the most subtle execution of maximalist watchmaking from Louis Vuitton, and if this is the trend of watch design from the group to come, I’m excited to see more.