Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6

The Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6 represents a significant collaboration in the world of watchmaking, marking the second venture between the renowned luxury house and the esteemed independent watchmaker. This partnership melds the distinctive strengths of both entities, resulting in a timepiece that reflects a shared commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and the spirit of travel. This watch emerges from a fortunate alignment, as both Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen began their horological journeys in 2002. Louis Vuitton launched its groundbreaking Tambour watch, while Voutilainen established his independent Atelier in Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland.

Kari Voutilainen, a Finnish-born master watchmaker, has garnered a substantial reputation within the collecting community for his meticulously handcrafted timepieces. His watches are known for their exceptional level of craftsmanship, with each piece being a rarity due to the intensive manual processes involved. Voutilainen’s involvement with Louis Vuitton extends beyond this collaboration, as he is also a member of the committee of experts for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. The proceeds from this exclusive collaboration contribute to supporting independent watchmaking and the Prize initiative, underscoring a shared dedication to fostering creativity and expertise in the field.



The LVKV-02 GMR 6 is deeply rooted in Louis Vuitton’s heritage of travel. The watch's design is based on the latest Escale model, introduced in 2024, which continues the tradition of catering to those with a passion for wanderlust. The name “Escale,” meaning “stopover” in English, reflects Louis Vuitton’s rich history in trunk-making and the art of travel. The original Escale, launched in 2014, featured a dial marked with 24 city locations, decorated with miniature hand-painted blazons, historically used to identify the owners of Louis Vuitton’s iconic trunks. The design elements, like the lugs, draw continuous allusions to the Maison’s iconic trunks, resembling the angled forms and riveted exterior of the brass brackets and corners.

The case of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 is a notable achievement. It is crafted from pure tantalum, a process overseen by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Tantalum is valued not only for its durability and resistance to corrosion but also for its unique aesthetic qualities. Tantalum has a unique blue-gray hue. The bezel, back, lugs, crown, and strap buckle are all adorned in platinum, adding a luxurious contrast to the tantalum. The finishing of the case involves meticulous handwork, including polishing and satin-finishing operations. Each lug requires about an hour of processing to ensure that every detail meets the highest standards of quality, with the angles shaped through fine cabronnage before being polished and sharpened. The satin-finishing of the tantalum case side is particularly demanding, requiring almost four hours of work per piece, to enhance the natural radiance of the material.



The case back features the engraving "Louis cruises with Kari," which requires approximately 12 hours of meticulous work. This engraving is not merely decorative; it symbolizes the collaborative spirit and shared values of excellence, creativity, and craftsmanship between Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen. This attention to detail underscores the bespoke nature of the watch and its status as a collector's item. The overall proportions of the 40.5mm case are designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, striking a balance that ensures the watch is a practical travel companion as well as a work of art.

The dial of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 is truly a collaborative masterpiece. It blends the artistry and expertise of both Louis Vuitton and Voutilainen, utilizing multiple techniques and materials. The dial is manufactured in four parts, with each element meticulously designed and crafted to reflect the unique heritage and expertise of both Maisons. The gold dial features a diamond-polished hour circle. This outer ring is a marvel of miniature painting, hand-decorated by Maryna Bossy, a skilled artisan at La Fabrique des Arts – the Métiers d’Art workshop at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. This intricate process involves using 28 different colors and requires 32 hours of meticulous painting, along with eight hours of firing.



The dial's core showcases hand-guilloché, executed by Voutilainen’s workshop. This technique involves engraving intricate patterns of curved or straight lines using vintage machinery dating back to the 18th century. The result is a textured surface, a nod to Louis Vuitton's famous "Damier" motif. This particular design requires extreme dexterity, precision, and an innate sense of aesthetics, highlighting the artisans' skill. The hour circle, beneath the white gold Roman numerals, features miniature painting referencing the design of ancient stained-glass windows, a contribution from specialists at La Fabrique Des Arts Louis Vuitton.

The second time zone subdial at 6 o’clock features a sun and moon imagery, serving as a day and night indicator. This element, crafted in saffron and blue, Louis Vuitton's iconic colors, was hand-engraved and meticulously decorated by the Voutilainen workshop. Achieving the delicate gradient on the enamel part of the day/night disc was a significant challenge, demanding an artist’s touch and unwavering dedication to perfection. The pattern subtly incorporates the shapes of Louis Vuitton’s Monogram flower. The handset is made by the Voutilainen workshop, and the dial integrates the 'LV' logo with the 'Voutilainen' name. This intertwined design emphasizes the seamless blending of talents from both houses.

The movement, named GMR 6, is a tribute to the watch’s second time zone function. The 'GMR' stands for GMT, indicating the dual-time capability, while the 'R' signifies the power reserve display, and the '6' denotes the location of the second time zone subdial. The GMT disc rotates in 24 hours and is designed to be set to 'home' time, allowing the central hour hand to be easily adjusted to local time with a press of the crown. The open case back provides an unobstructed view of the movement, allowing the wearer to appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship.



The LVOUTILAINEN movement, comprising 254 components, is designed, built, fabricated, finished, and assembled within the Voutilainen workshop. The main plate and bridges are made from German silver, and the movement features a large balance wheel crafted in-house for precise regulation. The balance-spring system employs a rare and unique configuration, with a Phillips overcoil on the exterior and a Grossmann curve internally, enhancing accuracy. The movement features two escapement wheels that provide a direct impulse to the balance through the jewels. This construction is more efficient than traditional Swiss lever escapements, offering benefits such as longevity, stability, and a longer power reserve.

The movement's decoration is another testament to the collaborative spirit. Traditional finishes such as artisanal “Côtes de Genève” and perlage are applied, showcasing the craftsmanship that both Louis Vuitton and the Voutilainen workshop are known for. Additionally, a kaleidoscopic pattern of multi-colored miniature painting adorns the mainspring barrel cover, visible through the open case back. This intricate decoration is hand-applied at La Fabrique des Arts Louis Vuitton by Maryna Bossy. The white gold ratchet applique required about 16 hours of meticulous painting with 27 different colors, 27 operations, involving multiple kiln sessions and about eight hours of firing.

The watch comes with two straps, offering versatility and style. One is a fabric strap in grey with brown leather lining, providing a casual look, while the other is an anthracite alligator strap with black leather lining, adding a touch of formality. Both straps are secured with a platinum pin buckle, maintaining the watch’s theme of luxurious materials.



Each LVKV-02 GMR 6 is delivered in a bespoke Louis Vuitton travel trunk, handcrafted using traditional methods at the historic Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnières. The trunk's creation involves a meticulous process where a small team of artisans hand-paint the exterior with a design mirroring the intricate decoration and architecture of the watch dial. The trunk features the signature “Louis cruises with Kari," reinforcing the uniqueness of this collaboration. Furthermore, each trunk is adorned with the edition number corresponding to one of the five available watches.

The Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6 is available in a strictly limited edition of five pieces. The price of EUR 550,000 reflects its exclusivity and the extensive craftsmanship involved. Each piece is a unique work of art, combining the technical prowess of Voutilainen’s workshop with the design and heritage of Louis Vuitton. It represents a blend of traditional techniques and modern design sensibilities.

Case: Escale case, 52 components. Diameter: 40.5 mm. Thickness: 12.54 mm. Between lugs: 20 mm. Water resistance: 3 ATM (30 meters) – splash-resistant. Crafted from pure tantalum with platinum bezel, back, lugs, crown, and strap buckle. Hand-finished with polishing and satin-finishing.

Movement: Manual-winding mechanical movement (GMR 6 calibre). Manufactured, finished, and assembled in the Voutilainen workshop. Two direct-impulse escapement wheels in blued steel. 254 components. German-silver main plate and bridges. Gold wheels. White gold barrel cover with miniature painting. 32 jewels. Diameter: 30 mm. Thickness: 6 mm. Frequency: 18,000 vibrations per hour. Balance wheel with rose gold adjustment weights. Balance spring with Phillips terminal curve and Grossmann inner curve. 65-hour power reserve. Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator, second time zone at 6 o’clock with day/night indication.

Dial: Hand-guilloché gold dial. Diamond-hour circle in miniature painting by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Second time zone disc in gold (24-hour format) with day/night indication, engraved and enameled by hand. Gold and blued-steel hands.

Strap: Two straps provided: Grey fabric strap with edging on top, brown leather lining. Anthracite alligator strap with edging on top, black leather lining. Platinum pin buckle.

Price: EUR 550,000

Reference Number: LVKV-02 GMR 6

Notes: Limited edition of 5 pieces. Each watch is delivered in a bespoke Louis Vuitton travel trunk, hand-painted with a design reflecting the watch dial. The engraving “Louis cruises with Kari" is on the case back.