Rado D-Star 200 PVD (R15961162)

Louis Vuitton - Hamdi Chatti

What is your background in the industry of watchmaking? When did you arrive at Louis Vuitton?
Hamdi Chatti: After a degree in micro-technology engineering and a Master's degree in horology (with specialization in complicated watches) from the University of Neuchatel, and a degree in luxury marketing management from ESSEC in Paris, I started my career at Piaget. Then I successively worked for Harry Winston and Montblanc before joining Louis Vuitton in January 2010, as Vice-President of Watches and Jewellery.

What is your goal at Louis Vuitton?
Watches are playing an important role to establish the Maison as a multi-specialist and the objective, since the beginning in 2002, is to establish Louis Vuitton as a serious player in the field of watchmaking. I want watch lovers to come to our store first for the watches.
What is so special about your watches?
As for all our watches, we have wanted to put technology at the service of style and design, which is, in a certain sense, our Maison's leitmotiv. We also want to stay consistent with the travel universe, which is part of the Maison's DNA since over 150 years. We want to combine aesthetics with useful functions for travel.
What is more important, design or functionality?
Developing watches is always about the right balance between design and technical innovation. Dealing with this paradox to take the best of both worlds is my goal. The Tambour line has an iconic shape, drawn in a single line and instantly recognizable. But at the same time, the Tambour watches are acknowledged for their functionality.
How Louis Vuitton's heritage reflects on the design of the watches?
First of all, there is the shape of the case, specific to Louis Vuitton, and Louis Vuitton's twelve letters carved evenly around the case, pointing toward the hours. We also draw deep on our heritage, revisiting our history with refined details. From the lustrous brown of its dial and the flawless saddle-stitching of its strap to the discreetly engraved Monogram motif, everything about Tambour spells Louis Vuitton. Any watch brand now has to have at least one distinctive look - their own icon.

How much important is quality for Louis Vuitton?
Every item in every area is made to the same high standards, so we have the right to be taken seriously for craft and quality. Our clients buy Louis Vuitton products with a guarantee of quality. Also, when we buy components, they come from world's best luxury part suppliers.

How much is Louis Vuitton advanced in watchmaking?
Whenever we conquer a new market, we want to do everything from start to finish and we never compromise on quality. The spirit of Louis Vuitton is to be an inventor as well as a multi-specialist, so we are meant to be a serious watchmaker. We are targeting watch connoisseurs and we create and complete our special watches ourselves in our workshops at La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Innovation drives our team of watchmakers in Paris and at the Louis Vuitton workshops in Switzerland. They are pushed by technical challenges and always try to go further. We want to invent new ways of telling the time. Whatever new function or complication is produced, rest assured we will create it in a different way than you have ever seen in watchmaking.
What is the timepiece you are the most proud of?
Our newest complication, presented during last Baselworld, is the Tambour Minute Repeater. It expresses Louis Vuitton's passion for travel, beautiful workmanship and high-class mechanism. We asked the best watchmakers to create a Tambour watch that displays the time of the place where the traveller finds himself, along with his home time displayed in the centre and chiming on demand. The Tambour Minute Repeater is our first independently designed and developed model.
How do you see your future in watchmaking?
The development of movements designed by the Louis Vuitton workshops is the very essence of our watchmaking future. We want to manufacture everything in-house and have started from the top, by assembling the Tourbillon in our workshops. We are also going towards the high end of watchmaking by developing new complications and our own movements with the integration of La Fabrique du Temps, and we plan to double current production within five years.
How would you describe Louis Vuitton watches in a few words?
Sportive-elegant watches that reflect the values of Louis Vuitton: travel, glamour, high quality and innovation.
Louis Vuitton is also well-known for its customization tradition. Does this also apply to watches?
Absolutely, we take great pride in our tradition of turning customers' ideas into realities. When ordering a Tambour Tourbillon or a Tambour Minute Repeater, customers can decide for themselves on the gold shade as well as the color and material of the strap. Most importantly, they can also determine the shape of the bridge, which is originally featured by the Louis Vuitton logo embedded with diamonds. Other precious stones may replace the diamonds inlaid with buyer's unique Monogram instead of the Louis Vuitton logo.
Why did you decide to go to Baselworld this year, in 2011?
As serious watchmakers, we felt we needed a presence at Baselworld, the largest annual watch fair, for three reasons: to make our mark, to show to the press and our staff. From now-on we will be in Basel every year to show our creations, with the ambition to become a key player in the watchmaking world.