The Snake’s Jungle timepiece – from the Escale Cabinet of Wonders trilogy – is a celebration of the métiers d'art, imbued with technical virtuosity. Available in a limited-edition of 20 pieces, the watch’s design is inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton’s personal tsuba collection and passion for Japan.

The lush bamboo forest was created by Rose Saneuil out of 367 individual pieces, four varieties of wood, three colours of straw, and two types of parchment that were carefully selected, cut, and seamlessly hand-assembled using marquetry techniques.

For the snake, three exceptionally demanding techniques were combined in its final incarnation: micro-sculpture and engraving by Eddy Jaquet, and champlevé enamelling by Vanessa Lecci. To give the serpent three-dimensional depth and the semblance of motion, the coils of its white-gold body were sculpted according to the rules of perspective. Its scales were hollowed out, then decorated with engraved V-strokes and Monogram flowers. Both the sculpting and engraving stages were executed with strict limits on the amount of white gold that could be removed, so that the surface would be optimised for the application of the champlevé enamel. A spray of bamboo leaves – also sculpted, engraved and enamelled in the same way – frame the upper right-hand corner of the dial, enclosing the monogram in the forest’s embrace. The fearsome reptile’s gaze is fixed on the hovering orb of gold and nephrite jade that forms the monogram of Gaston-Louis Vuitton.

The vitality of the scene cannot be contained by the dial alone; bamboo leaves burst out of their vitreous confines and spill onto the white-gold case itself. The spirit of travel continues to inhabit the Louis Vuitton Escale; the Cabinet of Wonders collection is decorated around the case and buckle with three variations of Seigaiha waves, a stylised representation of the ocean found in traditional Japanese iconography. Even the bridges of the LFT023, chronometer-standard movement, are adorned with this talismanic motif, which is associated with good fortune and well-being.

The same detail-oriented approach can be found in the timepiece’s calf-leather strap, which was hand-braided to resemble the braided leather hilts of Japanese katana swords, using a technique developed specifically for this collection.

The High Watchmaking workshop of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in Geneva has orchestrated the blend of internal expertise and external talent working on the watches’ outer elements. This dual-aspect approach, combining rare levels of talent from every corner of the watchmaking world, elevates the collection to unprecedented heights of creative and technical mastery at Louis Vuitton.