A Watch For Men With All the Time in the World

For several years now, we've been following Louis Vuitton's determined-but-cautious steps into the world of haute horlogerie (fine watchmaking), from the brand's awkward first attempts to its recent, and much more respectable, high-end efforts. In the company's favor, LV has at least shown enough savvy to learn from past mistakes, and its perseverance now seems to be paying off.

This handsome timepiece, above, presented at the recent Basel watch fair, is a good case in point. It bears a big name–the Louis Vuitton Voyagez Tambour Automatic Chronograph Tachymeter–and an impressive pedigree: chronograph movements made by the distinguished Swiss manufacturer, Dubois Dépraz. Equally important, the entire watch-as-objet is particularly well-designed (which, surprisingly, isn't always the result when fashion companies turn their hands to fine watches), with a 44mm grey steel case, beautifully-aligned sub-dials and a sleek, carbon-fiber strap. Like the Hoover Dam or the Chrysler Building, it looks retro, contemporary and futuristic, all at once. Wear it and feel ahead of your time.