La Fabrique du Temps Shines at LVMH Watch Week

Speculative fiction is a genre in which the story setting is kind of like our world, but involving supernatural, futuristic, or other imagined elements. Basically, it’s a sort of “What If?” situation.

Well, interestingly enough, La Fabrique du Temps and the brands that fall under its purview – Daniel Roth, Louis Vuitton, and Gérald Genta – took a similar approach to their offerings at LVMH Watch Week in Milan. By acting as a sort of bridge between the heritage of these ultra-luxe brands, the team at La Fabrique du Temps continues the conversation started by the original watchmakers, rather than merely reinventing old classics.

We’re calling it speculative non-fiction. Let’s take a look.

The new Gérald Genta Geneva collection, rooted in a design Mr. Genta created in the 1970s, began with the Geneva Minute Repeater, which was released in September during Geneva Watch Days 2025 and features one of watchmaking’s most difficult (and prestigious) complications.

The “What If?” moment here asks: What if you uncomplicated the Geneva? And earlier today at the opening of LVMH Watch Week in Milan, Gérald Genta answered that question by adding two new, time-only timepieces to the family.
 

The duo is grounded in Genta lore, reflecting the spirit of Geneva – Mr. Genta’s birthplace – in its design sensibility and watchmaking savoir-faire. But they also feature a softer, cushion-shaped case with its gadroons crafted in-house at La Fabrique des Boîtiers.

The rest of the minimalist display flows from the case shape. The two-segment minute track dial mirrors the delicate not-quite-round form, while the inner segment is completely circular. The contrast between polished and satin surfaces is another intriguing element of the Geneva collection.
 

Designed by Matthieu Hegi, Artistic Director of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, these two 38mm pieces – the Geneva Time Only Marrone and the Geneva Time Only Grafite – also have a slimmer profile than the Geneva Minute Repeater. Hegi also opted for a single, broader, and shorter lug design to play up the case’s distinctive contours.

The Marrone’s case and hands are made of 4N rose gold, renowned for its ability to catch and reflect light. Its tone-on-tone grained brass dial is finished with a smoky gradient, complemented by a brown leather strap.
 

The Geneva Time Only Grafite is a little cooler, featuring a white gold case and a silvery, grained brass dial. Rounded gold hands and indices add depth and contrast, and this version is set on a grey calf-skin leather strap.

While both of these new Geneva models are an evolution of Genta’s vision, these everyday wearers are also meant to complement the wearer’s evolution. Powered by the Zenith Elite GG-005P automatic movement, this meticulously finished calibre features a revisited in-house oscillating mass for enhanced aesthetics, offering a 50-hour power reserve and a 4Hz frequency.
 

The Geneva Time Only Marrone and the Geneva Time Only Grafite are available now and priced at CHF 25,000. For more information, check out the Gérald Genta website.

It’s hard to describe any openworked watch as minimalist. That said, the new Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton from Daniel Roth – which is, essentially, an openworked take on the brand’s celebrated Extra Plat – is one of the most pared-down interpretations of this genre that we have ever seen.

Normally, skeleton watches are quite chunky in order to show off the layers and depth of a watch’s inner workings. Here, the watchmakers at Daniel Roth have preserved the slim proportions and architecture of the original, while still revealing the inner beauty of its new manually wound calibre DR002SR – a movement designed exclusively for the Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton.
 

“The Extra Plat has always embodied the quiet refinement at the heart of Daniel Roth,” said Matthieu Hegi in a press release about the new piece. “Opening the movement allows its elegance to speak in a new way, while remaining faithful to Mr. Roth’s earliest ambitions and attachment to traditional high watchmaking.”

The best way to appreciate the beauty of this timepiece is to hold it up to the light. In silhouette, one can see how balanced the design and mechanism really are.
 

According to La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton’s co-founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, “The work required to finish a skeletonized calibre of this nature demands complete mastery of traditional techniques. At La Fabrique du Temps, we can perform all of these operations under one roof, ensuring that every component reflects the standards of Daniel Roth.”
 

The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton is available now and priced at CHF 85,000. For more information, check out the Daniel Roth website.

A stalwart of the luxury brand scene, under the umbrella of La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton has reemerged into the more refined world of haute horology. And with the Tambour Convergence Guilloché, the Sliding Doors moment comes from taking the signature Tambour – introduced in 2002 – but dressing it up in the centuries-old art of hand-turned guillochage.

The Tambour Convergence debuted a year ago at LVMH Watch Week 2025. It was the first Louis Vuitton watch be conceived and crafted in the aesthetic language that unifies the various Geneva ateliers of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
 

One of the things that makes the collection so compelling is that everything from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton is produced on a human scale, with each piece produced, assembled, and finished in the Geneva workshops. This includes the Calibre LFT MA01.01, the first self-winding movement to be fully designed and conceived by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

Outside, this 37mm diameter and 8mm high horology creation features intricate engravings and elegant architecture. Moreover, carefully cambered sides taper gently towards a natural inflexion point, allowing the watch to sit discreetly low on the wrist.
 

Redesigned lugs set the Tambour Convergence line apart from the current Tambour collection. Contrasting polished micro-sandblasted surfaces create a subtle play of light. Yet, despite a careful balancing act, the Tambour Convergence Guilloché is not delicate; it’s a revelation.

For more information about the Tambour Convergence, including pricing & availability, check out the Louis Vuitton website.