Louis Vuitton has jumped into the luxury smartwatch category with the Tambour Horizon, a watch that is sold as part of the label’s Tambour watch offerings, a category the label launched 15 years ago. The debut watch is offered in three finishes: polished steel, brushed steel and full black, and includes 30 different straps each for men and 30 for women. (Image above: graphite, monogram, and black.)
Made in partnership with Google and Qualcomm Technology, the Louis Vuitton watch works with Apple and Android devices and has a battery life of about a day. Similar to the Apple watch, it charges when on a magnetic pad, connects to the phone via Bluetooth and also works with wi-fi.
Commenting on the label’s entry into the category, Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke told the NY Times, “There’s a lot of ugliness out there,” adding, “For us the aesthetic is nonnegotiable.”
On the importance of connectivity, Burke added, “Look, the internet of things is really only going to get bigger. You can sit on the sidelines and watch, or dive in and participate and try to influence where things go. We’re diving in.”
While the concept of a luxury smartwatch has long been viewed as controversial given the item’s shelf life versus its cost, Paris label Hermès entered the space in late 2015 through a partnership with Apple Watch. LVMH-owned Tag Heur began offering its Android watch in spring of this year.
Hitting stores today, Louis Vuitton’s Tambour watch ranges in price from $2,450-$2,900. The watch’s lifespan is said to be two to three years.
Check out the campaign below featuring Jaden Smith, Miranda Kerr and Jennifer Connelly.
