“We wanted to bring to the jacquemart our vision of the 21st century with all the energy and creativity characteristic of our brand since it began producing watches in 2002.”

“Our aim was to get off the beaten track,” explains Michel Navas, master watchmaker at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Monogram flowers materialize instead of an eye, and the skull’s jaw emits a mocking laugh as it reveals the words “Carpe Diem” (“Seize the day”). Then the rattlesnake tail oscillates towards the minutes, which are below the power reserve hourglass. When you push the reptile-shaped push-piece on the right of the case, the snake's head lifts up to reveal the hour aperture on the skull’s forehead. How do you tell the time on the Tambour Carpe Diem? For starters, set aside 16 seconds to enjoy the experience.

The delicacy, transparency and colours of the enamel - which are particularly noticeable on the jacquemart’s teeth - enhance the relief on the dial, suggesting movement even when the hour has not struck. The monogram flowers are engraved on the skull and in an eye socket, and are tattooed on the serpent’s scales. The skull and hourglass are also sculpted from gold, and enhanced by the familiar Louis Vuitton emblems. Anita Porchet dedicated more than 50 hours to the enamelling of the snake and the dial, while Dick Steenman engraved its gold figure in a profiled, fluid manner that accentuates its movement. Key elements of that vanitas aesthetic - skulls, skeletons and hourglasses - were modernized on the timepiece, with Louis Vuitton enlisting the help of the very best Swiss craftspeople. And yet the message contained in the aesthetic is vanitas, a theme that dates back to the 17th century, and is perpetuated by artists who wish to communicate a sense of hope in the afterlife or a sense of urgency to enjoy the now. The two-year production period noted for Louis Vuitton’s one-of-a kind high-watchmaking masterpiece, the Tambour Carpe Diem, means that the watchmakers were way ahead of the coronavirus curve.

Navigating life during a global pandemic has emphasised the transient nature of time and what we do with it.

Tambour carpe diem