Credit: Louis Vuitton
During the Louis Vuitton Fall Winter 2025 fashion show that just took place in Paris, the models wore a watch on their wrists and around their necks that may have gone unnoticed by most, but certainly didn't escape the notice of watch collectors the world over. It is a re-edition of the famous Monterey II, designed for the house by Italian architect Gae Aulenti in the 1980s, and which at the time marked a turning point for innovation and design in luxury watchmaking.
Developed by IWC for Louis Vuitton, the Monterey was launched in 1988 in two variants. The first, with an 18k yellow gold case, featured a host of complications, including moon phases and a world time function with city time zones. It was produced in a limited edition and is still very rare. Its design was innovative both because of the crown, positioned on top of the case, which earned it the nickname ‘unicorn’, and because of the strap system: the watch does not have conventional lugs but a single strap that passes through the case.
If the design of the Monterey was extraordinary in itself, it was with the Monterey II that this timepiece marked a small revolution in the world of watchmaking, thanks to its ceramic case. In the 1980s, the use of ceramic in watch cases was a rarity. The choice of a material such as zirconium oxide made it possible to obtain a product that was not only aesthetically appealing, but also highly resistant and lightweight. This pioneering approach paved the way for the use of unconventional materials in luxury watchmaking.
