The Louis Vuitton Monterey Ceramic Returns
Having remade – and refined – its first-ever wristwatch, Louis Vuitton now does the same for the second. The Monterey Ceramic is a reimagining of the LV II of 1988, preserving the Gae Aulenti-designed case and dial but in modern, high-end materials and execution. As with the earlier Monterey in 18k gold, the new model in ceramic does away with the quartz movement of the 1988 original and replaces it with an in-house automatic calibre. The case has been scaled up a little to accommodate the calibre, but retains the proportions and quirky form of the original. But unlike last year’s model, the Monterey Ceramic is regular production. Initial thoughts The Monterey Ceramic is basically a more affordable iteration of last year’s limited edition in 18k gold. It retains the same design, movement, but replaces gold with ceramic (and steel), and the fired enamel dial with a lacquered one. Even with these changes, the Monterey Ceramic is still a far more sophisticated watch than its 1988 inspiration. I like the styling of the 1988 originals, and the modern-day reissues both manage to capture the look and feel of the originals. The Monterey Ceramic in particular sticks to the case diameter of the original, albeit a little thicker, but sticks closely enough to the proportions of the LV II. The Monterey Ceramic is priced like a modern-day luxury watch, but it has the intrinsic features to justify the price. The Monterey Ceramic costs €19,000 before taxes, which is less than a ...
Fratello
