Tambour Diver (Q131V)

The people at Louis Vuitton appear to be so good at their jobs that they can afford to have fun with their work, and this Tambour Diver in red, white, silver, and a tiny drop of yellow perfectly portrays that fun.

From last year's ultra-complicated Tambour Jacquemart Minute Repeater with an animated dial by Switzerland's most recognised enameller, Anita Porchet, to the most recent time-only Escale which manages to reference so much of the brand's history and future direction without overwhelming its ultra-simple façade, Louis Vuitton has recently been invading the hearts and minds of enthusiasts at an unprecedented pace. While many enthusiasts celebrate, the savvier among them worry that it may soon be too late to enter the brand at a comfortable price point. Thankfully, that reality has not yet arrived, and beautiful pieces by LV, like the present Tambour Diver, can be had at a price as comfortable as its rubber strap – quite comfortable indeed. While most dive watches remain no-nonsense to reflect the traditionally no-nonsense task of diving, the activity has become more recreational today than ever before, thus giving LV the green light to paint this diver a striking red, white, silver, and yellow. That is not to say that the timepiece is unreliable, however. It runs on a quartz movement, which is not only more reliable than a mechanical one, hence more suitable for diving, but also offers set-it-and-forget-it convenience. The only "danger" is that one may spend more time admiring this artwork than his or her surroundings!

The dial and hands appear flawless. The case and buckle do not appear to have been refinished and exhibit shallow marks not visible at arm's length. The original rubber strap exhibits almost no sign of wear and remains pliant and comfortable.

What do the different grading scores mean?

• BN 9.9: Brand new and unworn, with no signs of use.
• UN 9.5: Like new and unworn, but may lack original packaging or materials such as the box, links, tags, or bezel protector.
• LN 9.0: Like new and unworn, but only includes the watch without papers, box, or accessories.
• MT 8.5: Mint condition, lightly used with minor surface scratches or wear. Unpolished.
• VG 8.0: Moderately used, with scratches and one or two nicks on the case or crystal. Shows signs of polishing. The bracelet remains snug with minimal wear.
• GD 7.5: Shows signs of daily wear but is not abused, with noticeable polishing on the case. The bracelet shows clear signs of daily wear.

Watches with a rating below GD 7.5 are not listed for bidding to ensure that only high-quality timepieces are available to our members.