Louis Vuitton continues to push its watchmaking forward with a unique take on stone dials. The Escale Tiger’s Eye is refined, distinctive, and quietly confident.
Louis Vuitton is a brand synonymous with the world of travel, offering a range of products from travel trunks and bags to even watch cases. When it comes to watchmaking, the brand also has a dedicated travel-focused collection known as the Escale.
The collection was first introduced in 2014, with the debut model being the Escale Worldtime. This timepiece was a bold reinterpretation of the traditional worldtime complication, combining travel functionality with Louis Vuitton’s artistic expression. One of the standout features was its unconventional display; instead of using the traditional central hands and city rings, the watch utilised rotating discs to indicate the hours and minutes.
This first release paved the way for what future Escale timepieces would look like, with a design concept centred around dials that feel dynamic and bold, reinforcing the idea of constant movement — a fitting concept for a collection dedicated to travel. Over the years, Louis Vuitton has redefined what the Escale collection represents, evolving from high-complication pieces such as the Worldtime Minute Repeater, Spin Time Tourbillon, and Flying Tourbillon models, to more traditional, time-only watches. In doing so, the collection has expanded to offer travellers more than just complex complications, catering also to those who prefer a simpler, more understated approach.
The Escale collection has also become a platform for artistic watchmaking, with pieces such as the Cabinet of Wonders and other creations featuring Japanese-inspired dials, hand-engraved animals, and intricate marquetry work. This highlights Louis Vuitton’s craftsmanship and artisanal expertise, with the beauty of these dials certainly capturing attention.
More recently, Louis Vuitton has been introducing stone dials into the Escale collection. These dials have become increasingly popular in modern watchmaking, with more brands releasing contemporary pieces featuring beautifully cut natural stones. In late 2025, Louis Vuitton released a time-only Escale with a stunning green malachite dial housed in a platinum case. Now, the brand is expanding on this further with the introduction of a classic tiger’s eye gemstone dial.
Case Design
At first glance, the 40mm case of the Louis Vuitton Escale Tiger’s Eye appears to follow a traditional, elegant design, with beautifully curved lugs that are shaped to hug the wrist. Turn the case to the side, however, and this is where things get interesting. Not only has Louis Vuitton used tiger’s eye for the dial, but they have also integrated this gemstone into the case middle.
With a sandwich-like construction, the tiger’s eye forms the middle portion of the case, while the bezel and caseback are crafted from 18K yellow gold. It doesn’t stop there either. What I particularly like about this case design is how beautifully Louis Vuitton integrates its trunk-inspired elements, such as the riveted brass brackets that extend from the lugs and appear to connect seamlessly with the tiger’s eye mid-case. Not only does this enhance the watch visually, but it also helps to protect parts of the tiger’s eye stone.
Dial Design
Both the case and dial have been crafted at La Fabrique des Boîtiers, Louis Vuitton’s atelier in Geneva, where engineers and artisans carefully shape the dial and case middle from the chosen stone. An exceptional level of care is required when machining and polishing these materials, given their delicate nature.
For those who may not know, tiger’s eye is a variety of the chalcedony mineral family, known for its distinctive golden and brown stripes. These flowing patterns create a unique optical effect that resembles the eye of a tiger, which is where the stone gets its name.
The same riveted design seen on the case middle is also reflected on the dial, with the 3, 6, 9, and 12 hour markers taking on this distinctive style. The minute track is displayed through smaller rivet-like details, while the remaining hour indices are presented in a slightly larger riveted format, adding both depth and visual consistency to the overall design.
The hands are crafted from 18K yellow gold, complementing the case nicely while also standing out against the dark brown hues of the tiger’s eye stone dial. While the display may appear minimalistic at first glance, the Louis Vuitton Escale Tiger’s Eye houses intricate details that tie back to the brand’s signature design language, while also showcasing the expert craftsmanship of La Fabrique des Boîtiers.
Movement
Nestled inside the Louis Vuitton Escale Tiger’s Eye is the Calibre LFT023, the brand’s first proprietary three-hand automatic movement. With this being Louis Vuitton’s first in-house calibre of its kind, it signalled a clear shift in the brand’s watchmaking direction towards more serious, everyday horology.
Developed in collaboration with Le Cercle des Horlogers, the movement is produced at Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps manufacture, combining in-house design with Swiss movement expertise. Operating at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 vph) with a power reserve of approximately 50 hours, the calibre also carries Geneva Chronometric Observatory certification, meaning it has been tested to stricter chronometer standards.
The standout features of the movement include its slim profile, measuring just 4.2mm in thickness while still being an automatic calibre. Another highlight is the geometric-patterned 22K gold micro-rotor, which sits neatly within the movement architecture. The finishing is also well executed, with micro-sandblasted or frosted bridges creating a fine, grainy texture, complemented by diamond-cut polished bevels and perlage beneath the micro-rotor.
Initial Thoughts
The Louis Vuitton Escale Tiger’s Eye feels like a natural progression for the collection. The way the brand has executed the integration of these stone dials sets it apart from other stone dial timepieces on the market. What I particularly like about this watch is not just the execution of the dial, but also how Louis Vuitton has crafted this material into the Escale’s case design.
The warmth and depth of the tiger’s eye stone are beautifully complemented by the case, with its soft lines and refined proportions allowing the dial to truly take centre stage. It’s a combination that feels carefully considered, offering balance while remaining effortlessly elegant.
Overall, the tiger’s eye stone dial, combined with Louis Vuitton’s signature design language, brings a unique take on stone dial timepieces, while the refined Escale case ensures it remains elegant on the wrist. Paired with the LFT023 movement, it’s a watch that balances style with substance. For those looking for something a little different, this is certainly one that stands out.
Reference: Louis Vuitton Escale Tiger Eye (Ref. W3YG21)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 40mm Diameter x 10.34mm thick
- Case: 916/1000 Yellow gold and tiger’s eye middle case
- Dial: Tiger’s eye center dial, 750/1000 yellow gold hours and minutes hands, PVD-coated titanium seconds hand, 750/1000 yellow gold indexes.
- Crystal: Domed Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
- Caseback: Open case-back, 750/1000 white gold plate engraved “1 of 30.”
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Movement: Self-winding mechanical movement, caliber LFT023 operating at 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
- Power Reserve: 50-hour Power Reserve
- Strap: Savannah brown saffiano leather strap with hand-stitching with 750/1000 yellow gold pin buckle.