When luxury megabrand Louis Vuitton announced its arrival in the world of fine watchmaking in 2002 it did so in style. Playing on the maison’s preoccupation with travel, the Tambour took its convex shape and name from Japanese Kodo drums.

A clever and highly recognisable shape, the Tambour appeared in various guises and with some very sophisticated movements - particularly a Regatta chronograph that hasn’t been matched since - it was a success that lead to the opening of a smart new La Fabrique du Temps in Geneva.

The designs that followed showed that the Tambour was no flash in the pan. Louis Vuitton seems to have a way with case design that’s miles ahead of the field: the Voyager, Escale and LV Fifty Five have all drawn wittily on trunk clasps. And that spirit of innovation informs the latest iteration, for its Vuitton’s first foray into smart watch territory.

The technology within is not discernibly different from any other Android Wear watch but it comes with a travel-centric twist that’s entirely befitting of the house’s luggage outfitter history; it includes a My Flight function which monitors your upcoming airport activity and is linked up to Vuitton’s City Guides to provide a host of on-brand information for wherever you may be the world.

Alongside this, Louis Vuitton manages to give the Horizon colour and panache in more generous measures than the smart technology competition. £2,140.

Louis Vuitton

This article was first published in The Telegraph