Louis Vuitton’s latest smartwatch is a technicolour ticker with glyphs galore

A subtle smartwatch might go unnoticed in the office, but it takes a bolder timepiece to stand out among the fashionistas. Want connected wristwear that’s guaranteed to turn heads? Louis Vuitton’s latest ticker will light up any salon.

Styled like a deconstructed kaleidoscope, the Tambour Horizon Light Up features a ring of 24 illuminated motifs around the 1.2in touchscreen. Backed by LEDs, these glowing glyphs shine bright whenever you get a message. Which could be often, once word gets out about the resulting luminescence.

• Buy the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Light Up here

Not vibrant enough? The always-on AMOLED display can be configured with eight dial setups, each of which echoes design elements from the French fashion house’s illustrious history. Wearers can also select from 11 colour gradients via the partner app. Screen animations will change to suit the chosen hues, with LV set to launch themed holiday graphics throughout the year.

Fronted by sapphire glass, the edgeless facade benefits from a curved profile, which wraps around to seamlessly meet the stainless steel shell of the 44mm case. A rotating monogrammed crown occupies the right side, with mechanical buttons above and below – a first for any Louis Vuitton smartwatch. The top tapper controls face configurations, while the bottom functions as a custom shortcut.

Powered by a Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor, the Tambour’s software is bespoke. Having ditched Wear OS (and perks like Google Pay with it), LV’s proprietary interface remains compatible with Android, as well as iOS and Huawei’s HarmonyOS 2.0+. It promises intuitive swiping navigation, plus feature-rich personalisation – including a ‘My Travel’ element which serves up curated City Guides.

Even with its radiant array, LV reckons the Tambour Horizon Light Up packs an ‘all-day battery’. It’s also water-resistant to 30m. Which, given the €2550 price tag, will presumably be a claim tested exclusively on the Côte d’Azur.

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Chris Rowlands Freelance contributor

About

Formerly News Editor at this fine institution, Chris now writes about tech from his tropical office. Sidetracked by sustainable stuff, he’s also keen on coffee kit, classic cars and any gear that gets better with age.

Areas of expertise

Cameras, gear and travel tech