What We Know
In January of 2025, I covered Louis Vuitton’s major evolution of its distinctive Spin Time series, debuting as the Tambour Taiko Spin Time series in a set of six limited-edition watches, all set in a single “Dolphin Grey” color scheme across several different takes on the complication, from the classic jumping hour to a flying tourbillon and even a world timer. It introduced a cohesive set of new in-house movements to power the complications and marked the first time every element of the Spin Time was produced in-house at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton—cases, dials, movements, and more.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about this collection, but this week Louis Vuitton introduced a new set of Tambour Spin Time watches into the brand’s permanent collection. The main update to the permanent collection is a few fresh coats of paint, but the set of five references covers quite a bit of the Spin Time concept.
All of these are set in the latest generation of Japanese drum-inspired Tambour case from the brand, with a sloped midcase complemented by screwed-in, sculpted lugs with laser-frosted interiors. On top is a sloped, predominantly sandblasted bezel ring with “LOUIS VUITTON” adorned on its periphery. All five of these new references are set in precious metal cases.
Two 39.5mm Tambour Spin Times offer two very different wearing experiences (and price points). The simplest reference comes in the form of the Tambour Spin Time Green in White Gold, which takes the regular Spin Time complication and gives it a sunray and sandblasted khaki green dial. Here, the spin-time hour cubes are in green with silver numerals, and the current hour flips to a contrasting silver cube. When the next hour arrives, that cube instantly flips back to green, while the next hour cube turns to silver.
The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters and introduces a sapphire caseback to the 39.5mm model to show off the La Fabrique du Temps ST13.01 automatic caliber. The Tambour Spin Time Australia’s Opal takes that same model, but turns it up to 11 with an absolutely dazzling Australian opal dial, with its ever-changing hues of blue, turquoise, and purple set in a rose gold 39.5mm case. But that’s not all—this one has plenty of gem-setting too, with baguette diamond hour markers and baguette-cut sapphires set into the bezel and lugs.
The new 42.5mm Tambour Spin Time Air Blue in white gold pairs a blue dial with a suspended version of the ST13.01, giving the watch an airy look and the illusion of floating cubes around the dial. Rather than hour numerals, the brand name is printed on the 12 jumping hour cubes.
Last but not least, the two very unique executions of familiar complications get some new colors. The Tambour Spin Time Air Flying Tourbillon gets a salmon dial to go with the platinum case. From afar, it might look like a normal Spin Time Air, but a closer look reveals a central one-minute flying tourbillon, with a cage shaped like the brand’s iconic Monogram flower. A floating minute hand complements the design and its required mechanics. It’s all powered by the automatic ST05.01 caliber, showing off La Fabrique du Temps’ prowess at making complicated movements.
The Tambour Spin Time Air Antipode also gets a rich blue dial this time around, working quite well as the metaphorical ocean behind the center rotating world map disc. The Antipode represents the local hour with a yellow pointer on the world map disc itself, and the numeral next to it on the outer disc corresponds to the current local hour. That disc jumps at the top of each hour, and the hour numerals correspond to the pair of cities printed on the cube next to it. Each pair of cities is antipodal, meaning that their time zones are exactly twelve hours apart. The city in blue means the hour is in the PM, and the city in silver means the hour is in the AM, with each cube rotating once the time in that city switches between noon/midnight. The center world map disc, with that yellow pointer, can be adjusted as you change local times. Admittedly, this sounds quite a bit confusing, but in person, it’s much easier to understand. Sadly, the Antipode’s (and its ST12.01 caliber inside) kryptonite is daylight savings time.
The Tambour Spin Time series is available through Louis Vuitton boutiques. The Spin Time Green is priced at $85,500, the Spin Time Air is $94,500, the Spin Time Antipode is $119,000, the gemset Spin Time with Australian Opal dial is $189,000, and the Spin Time Flying Tourbillon is priced at $199,000.
What We Think
This was, I imagine, a lot to read for what is basically a few dial changes and some expected price increases (for equivalent models with gold cases, at least). But I quite like what Louis Vuitton is doing with this series, especially in its most complicated executions, and I think it’s notable enough that the brand is making these a part of the permanent collection. Look, the same main critique I’ve had against the branding of this collection as a whole still stands for me, demonstrated particularly by the Spin Time Air, which still features Louis Vuitton three times on the front of the watch. I will always ask for more subtlety, even though I fully acknowledge that the typical Louis Vuitton customer may not.
Funnily enough, the only way to minimize the branding and remove the Louis Vuitton-signed bezel is to add a ton of sapphires instead (and shell out almost two hundred grand). I’ll admit, having seen all of the new references briefly at Geneva Watch Days, the maximalist execution of the Australia’s Opal reference is just absolutely stunning. Putting it on your wrist makes you dream of a different lifestyle entirely, one where that watch would be the everyday choice on the wrist. Sure, we saw something similar in an edition from 2025, with a stone center dial and gemset bezels and lugs. But here, I love how the opal dial extends from the center, with the outer portion of the dial inlaid with more trapezoidal cuts of the stone to extend the dial’s look.
The Basics
Brand: Louis Vuitton
Model: Tambour Spin Time
Reference Number: W9WGA2 (Green); W9PG42 (Opal); W9WG81 (Air); W9WG91 (Antipode); W9PT21 (Flying Tourbillon)
Diameter: 39.5mm (Green, Opal); 42.5mm (Air, Antipode, Flying Tourbillon)
Thickness: 12.15mm (Green, Opal); 12.45mm (Air, Antipode, Flying Tourbillon)
Case Material: Various precious metals
Dial Color: Various
Indexes: Various/Applied
Lume: Yes, on minute hands
Water Resistance: 100 meters (Green, Opal); 50 meters (Air, Antipode, Flying Tourbillon)
Strap/Bracelet: Rubber strap (Green, Opal); Calf leather strap (Air, Antipode, Flying Tourbillon)
The Movement
Caliber: La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton ST13.01 (Green, Opal, Air); ST12.01 (Antipode); ST05.01 (Tourbillon)
Power Reserve: 45 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4 Hz)
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: Starting at $85.5k for the Spin Time Green to $199k for the Spin Time Flying Tourbillon
Availability: Louis Vuitton Boutiques
Limited Edition: No
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