Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen collaborate on new LVKV-02 GMR 6

Louis Vuitton continues its journey into haute horology with the new LVKV-02 GMR 6, a limited-edition timepiece created in collaboration with esteemed independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen.

The partnership builds upon the maison’s connection to lesser-known (though indisputably remarkable) watchmakers, seen through the foundation of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives awards, as well as its first collaboration with independent brand Akrivia on the LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie in 2023.

Inspired by Louis Vuitton’s heritage in travel, the case design echoes the brand’s iconic trunks. The distinctive lugs pay homage to the riveted corners of classic Vuitton travel cases, seamlessly integrating tradition with contemporary watchmaking.

Handcrafted from gold, the dial features a diamond-polished hour circle and a miniature painting that requires 32 hours of meticulous work. Its centre is adorned with Voutilainen’s signature hand-guilloché pattern, crafted using 18th-century vintage machinery.

A secondary 24-hour time zone subdial at 6 o’clock features an engraved and hand-enameled sun and moon indicator, representing day and night.

At the heart of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 lies the manually wound GMR 6 calibre, developed and assembled in Voutilainen’s workshop. The movement incorporates 254 components, including a German-silver main plate and bridges, gold wheels, and a white gold barrel cover featuring a hand-painted miniature design.

With a 65-hour power reserve displayed via a retrograde indicator at 12 o’clock, it beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour.

This movement is visible through an open case back, adorned with a kaleidoscopic miniature painting on the mainspring barrel cover, created by Louis Vuitton’s Métiers d’Art artisans, and engraved with the phrase “Louis cruises with Kari”.

Each Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6 is housed in a custom Louis Vuitton Monogram Eclipse trunk, hand-painted with motifs reflecting the watch’s dial. Crafted at Louis Vuitton’s Asnières atelier, this bespoke presentation case is an art piece in itself.

Kari Voutilainen sits on the committee of experts for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, and as such, proceeds from the collaboration will support both independent watchmaking and the prize.