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Is it a Louis Vuitton? Is it a De Bethune? As a wise girl once said: “Why not both?” The star-studded duo team up to release the Louis Varius Project!

Ever since Jean Arnault became the Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton, the luxury powerhouse has made massive strides in the horological world. Through remasters, meticulous craftsmanship, and unexpected business moves, Louis Vuitton is reshaping perceptions of what a non-watch brand can achieve in the world of fine timepieces.

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Today, we’ll talk about the latter, as the French luxury luggage brand has made a stellar collaborative announcement. While Louis Vuitton has collaborated with a wide range of creatives, it has only done so twice within the watch industry. The first was with Akrivia, where the brand co-signed its logo for the first time ever.

The second, with Finnish master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, again paired Louis Vuitton with an exacting horological skillset. This time, the brand has set its sights on De Bethune, unveiling a bombshell collection alongside the quirky independent watchmaker.

Together, Louis Vuitton and De Bethune have introduced the Louis Varius project, consisting of two distinct pieces: the LVDB-03 GMT watch and the LVDB-03 Sympathique clock. Now, I know we’re called Watch Advice, but this clock is just too important – and too damn cool – to leave out. So, being the watch nerd I am, I’ll cover them in tandem. Keep up!

Starting with the watch, the LVDB-03 GMT comes in an imposing 45mm case diameter with a 14.05mm thickness. While it uses the familiar Tambour-shaped case seen across the Louis Vuitton line, the extra thickness accommodates the movement – more on that shortly. The collaboration is immediately apparent, as the case combines 950 platinum with De Bethune’s iconic heat-blued titanium.

The Sympathique clock, meanwhile, stands on a 310mm x 266mm base, with a total height of around 260mm. Crafted from rose gold and titanium, and featuring blue meteorite marquetry at the base, its gimbal structure recalls early marine chronometers. This allows the clock to be freely reoriented, giving users a customisable time display. As is standard with table and wall clocks, the LVDB-03 Sympathique is not wearable.

The design of both the watch and the clock exemplifies the immense creativity of both brands. The LVDB-03 GMT retains the recognisable Tambour case and dial elements but is imbued with De Bethune’s distinctive aesthetic. The dial features a blued titanium surface adorned with white gold stars forming the “LV” logo. Atop it sits an 18k rose gold sun, alongside a spherical day/night indicator – half rose gold for daytime, half flame-blued steel for nighttime.

While the watch itself is stunning, the Sympathique clock is a true masterpiece. It is surrounded by three rose gold rings, inspired by 19th-century dioramas depicting the wonders of the world – from hot-air balloons and the Himalayas to steam trains in the African savannah.

The illustrations were created by Belgian comic book artist François Schuiten and then engraved by master engraver Michèle Rothen, who also depicted Hercules on the central rose gold dome. Surrounding the dome is De Bethune blue, decorating the dial alongside golden leaves and starry sky motifs.

Perhaps the only thing that trumps such meticulous artistry is the extremely refined mechanics behind both pieces. The LVDB-03 GMT is powered by an unmistakably De Bethune movement – the Cal. DB2507LV – beating at 4Hz (28,800VpH) with a 120-hour power reserve. Manually wound, it features the aforementioned day/night indicator, a caller-style GMT, and date complications.

Inside the clock is where the real show begins. The Sympathique is powered by the key-wound Cal. DB5006, beating at the same rate as the watch and offering an 11-day power reserve. Equipped with a constant-force mechanism, the clock maintains accuracy to the very last second. While impressive, this isn’t the star of the show.

Both the watch and clock feature what Louis Vuitton and De Bethune call the ‘Sympathique’ function. Inspired by the sympathetic clocks of old, a pocket watch was traditionally set into a larger master clock to be wound and synchronised overnight.

The Louis Varius applies this principle to the modern watch world. By removing the rose gold dome from the LVDB-03 Sympathique clock, the LVDB-03 GMT watch can be mounted inside a hidden cradle. There, it is mechanically recharged over nine to twelve hours and synchronised with the clock, with a discrepancy of just around seven minutes.

In short, the Louis Varius project does with gears what Seiko achieves with satellites and GPS time. While it may not match the precision of electronics, it operates entirely within the traditional mechanical watchmaking framework. With no electronic assistance and no online dependence, this collaboration is one of the most spectacular releases in the contemporary industry, both in terms of artistry and mechanics.

My Thoughts

Limited to just ten standalone pieces, the Louis Vuitton x De Bethune LVDB-03 GMT is arguably the greatest collaboration to hit the luxury watch industry – at least on a technical level. The CASIO x UNO collaboration will always hold a special place in my heart, and I still kick myself for not getting one sooner.

In any case, Louis Vuitton has shown that it’s far from finished shaking up the watch world or changing perceptions of brands long overshadowed by the broader industry. Far be it from me to defend giant conglomerates and million-dollar brands, but the sheer resources they are putting into watchmaking are too significant to ignore. Think of the implications: innovations beyond our wildest imagination are within reach – and in the case of Louis Vuitton and De Bethune, they’re already here.

And, of course, there’s a box. Two bespoke Louis Vuitton trunks were crafted: a titanium Trophy Trunk for the LVDB-03 Sympathique Louis Varius clock, and a High Watchmaking trunk for the LVDB-03 GMT Louis Varius watches, finished in the same materials and style.

At a staggering €375,000 for the watch alone, or an ostentatious €4,000,000 for one of the two complete watch-and-clock sets, it’s safe to say most of us won’t be getting our hands on them anytime soon. But sometimes it’s not about the money – it’s about sending a message. For Louis Vuitton and De Bethune, the message couldn’t be any clearer: you can’t ignore them anymore.

References And Specifications:

LVDB-03 GMT: WATI11

International Retail Pricing: €375,000 

Availability: Limited to 10 standalone pieces. Available by inquiry in Louis Vuitton boutiques or online at LouisVuitton.com

LVDB-03 Sympathique Clock: Q1TA10

International Retail Pricing: €4,000,000, as a set only with DB-25 GMT

Availability: Limited to 2 pieces. Inquire at LouisVuitton.com for more information.