The Louis Vuitton Monterey: A Unicorn in Watchmaking

3/11/2025

Before Louis Vuitton (us.louisvuitton.com) officially entered the world of haute horlogerie with the Tambour in 2002, the brand took an early and unconventional step into watchmaking with the Monterey. The watch was first released in 1988, a groundbreaking collaboration between Louis Vuitton, the Swiss watch brand IWC, and the renowned Italian architect Gae Aulenti. Known for her visionary work in design—including the transformation of Paris's Gare d'Orsay into the Musée d'Orsay (my all-time favorite museums)—Aulenti brought an avant-garde sensibility to the world of watchmaking, making the Monterey one of the very few watches designed by a woman.

The striking green ceramic bezel of The Monterey by Louis Vuitton, circa 1988.

For Louis Vuitton, which originated as a luggage maker, travel themes are omnipresent, never so much as in the recent fall-winter fashion collection shown in Paris on March 10, 2025. Presented at L'etoile du Nord, the location was a former HQ of a train company located near the Gare du Nord station. One of Aulenti's most famous projects, an art museum in a former train station, provided an additional link to the multi-layered train travel themes embedded in the show. Rumor has it that Vuitton plans to rerelease the Monterey in precious metal with an automatic movement in a very limited edition.

Scan of an original Louis Vuitton advertisement from fetch-the-paper.com

What truly sets the quartz-powered Monterey apart is its striking design. The ceramic case, a rarity at the time, houses an unusual dial configuration: Arabic numerals for the hours are placed at the center, surrounded by a railroad track for minutes. In contrast, bold red date numerals line the outer edge. But its most distinctive feature is the crown, which protrudes from the top of the case, earning the watch its fitting nickname: "The Unicorn."

One of the more fascinating design features is that Aulenti also eliminated traditional lugs. Instead, a single-piece strap threads through the case back, ensuring a sleek, seamless integration of strap and watch.

Gaetana "Gae" Emilia Aulenti. Courtesy Creative Commons

Today, the Monterey remains a cult classic, a hidden treasure in the world of luxury watches. It has even found a fan in Jean Arnauld, Louis Vuitton's Director of Watchmaking, who has been spotted wearing one. As Louis Vuitton deepens its commitment to fine watchmaking, with ventures like the revival of Daniel Roth, the Monterey stands as a testament to the brand's early—and quietly revolutionary—steps into horology.